Friedrich Strauss
From Valwiki
"What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil."
~Friedrich Strauss in his unpublished notes
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| Player: | Aroken. | |
| Title(s): | Scholar of Greendale. | |
| Age: | 28. Born in 31 PF. | |
| Race: | Half Elf. | |
| Eye Color: | Dark Brown. | |
| Hair: | Black. | |
| Skin Tone: | Light. | |
| Height: | 5'10". | |
| Weight: | 165 lbs. | |
| Alignment: | Neutral Evil. | |
Georg Friedrich Ludwig Strauss IV also known Friedrich Strauss, was a scholar and philosopher living in Greendale, he was also an attendee of a group of students known as the Young Waltians. Strauss is credited with sparking a fierce debate on the natural state of man, property, and ideals. He is also known for coining the phrase: "The Gods aren't worth worshiping, nor are their codes worth following" or more simply put "Gods are nothing to me". He is also a notorious drinker and letch but he is probably most famous for his pessimism and defense of all selfishness in action and being. Strauss' metaphysical discovery of "will", his views on human motivation and desire, and his aphoristic writing was influenced by and has influenced many well-known philosophers.
Strauss introduced a critical eye and free inquiry into the conditions of life and issues of morality. His work examined the realities that lay behind many facades, possessing a revelatory nature that was disquieting to many contemporaries including many Waltian Philosophers. Although his philosophy seemingly enables murderous criminality and irresponsible indulgence, he at many times in his works speaks of the impossibility of liberty without responsibility. This relation of liberty and responsibility seems to not be as widely known. Strauss' philosophy has been cited as an influence on a majority of his contemporaries, notably those involved in the Young Waltians. Strauss left the task of discovering the meaning behind his works to the reader, because "the task must be made difficult, for only the difficult inspires the noble-hearted". Crossing the boundaries of philosophy, theology, psychology, and literature, he is an influential figure in non-mainstream thought.
Contents |
Biography
Youth
Friedrich Strauss was an only child (or at least thought to be) to Georg Strauss III, an expert mathematician, alchemist, and wizard, and Rochelle Eleanor de Mère, a notoriously devout worshipper of Setengar and advocate of Elvish relations with Humans. In reality Strauss was born from the secret affair of John Walte, another Human Intellectual much like Georg Strauss, and de Mère. Both Georg Strauss and Friedrich Strauss had no knowledge of this. Just six months after he was born his father died at the age of 29. Two years later his mother remarried to Dubois d'Augbine, a notorious drunkard, and settled in Greendale.
When Strauss turned 12, he entered a series of tutelage, where he studied Philology, Philosophy and Theology. He attended the lectures of Franz Hauer, the son of Arthur Hauer, who was to become a source of inspiration for his thinking and introduced him to the work of John Walte. While in Greendale, Strauss participated in discussions with a group of young philosophers called "The Liberated", and whom historians have subsequently categorized as the Young Waltians. Frequently the debates would take place at the Dragon's Belly, a Bar in between Bridgeton and Greendale. It does not appear that Strauss contributed much to the discussions but was a faithful member of the club and an attentive listener. It was around this time he wrote Divine Apathy and To be Living as philosophical precursors to his later works.
Young Adulthood
Strauss over the years grew to become cold but not distant and, much like Walte, an infamous pursuer of temptation and pleasure. As an assignment for The Liberated he wrote an essay and a speech, littered with aphorisms which the more central members became quite fond of quoting. The essay entitled Too Human to be Human was a scathing attack on morality and many of the supposed "absurd" wills of man (chiefly the will to control all things). The success and controversy of the essay isolated most of Strauss' closest companions.
Strauss became enraptured in Walte's plays yet also started to individuate from Waltian philosopher and himself wrote criticisms of Walte and his philosophy. He started to study Alchemy and Engineering for the Count of Greendale in order to provide an income while he tutored himself. He published his first edition of Contraria at a time when there was political stability and he was still making the finishing touches for the publication of his play, William of Empyria.
As he continued to work on William of Empyria he begun to harbor a misanthropic mentality much like the main character of the play. This is manifested in his essay, entitled The Hatred of Mankind which was blathered with a cynical view of all things; man, plant, animal, gods, land, etc,. Friends criticized the work for being an extremely pessimist work which depressed them upon finishing. Strauss replied to each of them with "Then my job is done" and a massive grin. In one famous case, his friend Erik Garner approached him after reading The Hatred of Mankind and reviewing the manuscript for William of Empyria and complained that they were far too pessimistic and extraordinarily amoral. He complained that reading them depressed him and he had to read them while in the theatre listening to a Comedy and even then it "dragged him into the back of the bottle". Strauss simply replied "Were you expecting a fairy tale?" and laughed in his friend's face. This demeanor tended to further isolate the few friends he had left.
Strauss became quick friends with Renova Kil'rahel who was reminded of Walte upon being around him. Kil'rahel was also a drunkard, and had many lovers so he related with him much like he did with Walte. At this time Strauss would publish William of Empyria, his first play, and started thinking about working on a third essay of Divine Apathy and then putting them together and publishing a book.
Consul Election
Strauss was fascinated by the artificing which Adiva Rashida, a friend of his, tended to work on. He started to study the art of Runic Magic and using them for practical and inventive purposes. Strauss worked on his own small variations of Durandalite inventions. Around this time Strauss thought to run for Consul, those who adhere to Strauss being an anarchist say he did this mainly to bring it down while the Apatheticians say he does it for power. Strauss would have an elaborate mansion constructed in Staghorn Weald where he'd move many of his manuscripts and works and continue his research into Psychology and Runic Artificing.
Strauss came across a being known as Lust by accident. He fell into her spell before becoming overwhelmed by hatred and wrath. He shot a Luccan Nobleman twice before hitting her in the shoulder. When he became made strides towards becoming a statesman he made quite a few alliances with powerful people, this included a membership in the Olcas as he learned to defend himself from the dark arts. It was around this time that Strauss fell in love with girl history only knows as Rae. He was also approached by Dearuhk's avatar in his Manor in Staghorn Weald and asked to join The Culmination. Strauss was against being anyone's inferior, including a god. If he joined the Culmination he'd have to show fealty to an Evil God or Goddess. Strauss was also against the Democratic and Egalitarian ideals purported by the Olcas political front. It was a taxing decision for him. Close friend Erik Garner accounted him saying:
"It's an absurd paradox, but you can expect nothing less from life. I'm damned if I do and I'm screwed if I don't. I'm with two powers against each other, both are to be reckoned with. Zahl who makes everything cold and shadowy as he walks and Jarlath who can turn me inside out with not but his will."
-Life of the Rogue, Erik Garner
During the debate for Consul, Strauss feigned a strong-arm political view which came in stark contrast to his opposing apolitical view. In the debate, as in his whole political career, he has shown to be a very fine orator and caught the attention, at least momentarily, from Eian Smarth for a moment. A scribe described the scene:
"The room had the smell of any wooden room with wine and a hint of spice. The round table in the center seemed to be a joining of the elite minds. It felt as if all the empire had come together in this great room just to see our consul-hopefuls trade poison and wit."
-Adrian Jandrek, Scribe of Kanoshire County
Strauss later said he lamented getting into the race to begin with, but he would not leave. Soon after another candidate, Seuagen Ridley, brought to attention Strauss' manslaughter of the noble in Lust's Garden. He was taken away in chains and placed in the holds until Eian took him back in his caravan later that night. On the way back to Greendale he ran into his friend Erika Okibi again who took Eian Smarth and Strauss were warped to Durandal. While Smarth and Vergoth the Forgelord worked out diplomatic relations he stayed in the Iron Hill bunker under the guard of the Enforcers. He was then transfered to the Greendale Jail where he stayed for weeks and was described as malnourished and sickly by many around this time. Strauss married Rae while in prison for reasons unknown. His mental health was said to decline as they took his pen and parchment away. He could be seen writing on the walls with the blood people made him shed with a little piece of glass.
The county sentenced Strauss to death, as was common to most manslaughter charges. Though he was able to subvert the charges and continue on as an agent of espionage.
Personality
Strauss has a high level of intelligence and perception as well an amazing ability of rationality. He is cunning and has the ability to adapt to most situations. Strauss has a high level of sophistication and education and has an over inflated sense of self-criticism and introspection. His power of seduction and sexual attraction, social and sexual dominance both play a prominent role in his social life. However mentally he suffers from emotional conflicts and bipolar tendencies. Strauss has a distaste for social institutions and norms and tends to be an outcast in terms of his social roles. He still tends to disrespective of rank and privilege and has an arrogant cynicism. He is most of all a drinker, a smoker, and a sexual deviant, he has above all self-destructive behavior.
In addition to his bipolar tendencies (reflected in his writing at times) and his maddening ADD (also reflected in his writing) he has an obsession with reading. Due largely in part to the fact that he was always praised by his mother for reading and that was the only thing he was praised for. His bipolar tendencies tend to be manifested in his two 'sides' who as a child he called 'Gloomy' and 'Jolly'. "Gloomy" has a tendency to be a dark, violent, and jaded while "Jolly" has a tendency to be charming, happy, and sociable.
- Alignment
- Although technically Chaotic Neutral, those familiar with him and his work tend to view him as Chaotic Evil or Neutral Evil because of his use of schadenfreude and the way he advocates a sort of pragmatism or realism even at the expense of friends or loved ones. In reality though he is not chaotic evil as he does not actively advocate the act of malevolence towards people, though he he does not advocate the act of benevolence towards people either. There are some who see him as True Neutral or as he is, Chaotic Neutral. Strauss himself sometimes gets Chaotic Good impulses but the majority of the time he tends to act his alignment.
- Like with Walte, some view him as Lawful Neutral due to his rational behavior and demeanor and will to analyze every little thing to the point of science. But in reality his totality of his complex conscious is best summed as Neutral Evil largely due to his selfish.
Bipolar Tendencies
Strauss has two sides to him which he learned early on in life. Often at random he'd switch from what as a child he'd call Gloomy and Jolly. These sides of him frustrated his step-father who was often drunk and would beat Strauss mercilessly. This abuse lead to even more violent jumps between "Gloomy" and "Jolly" which were out of his control. Today he doesn't have names for his sides and he in fact hardly notices the jump between them. Early on however he noticed he'd switch depending on a few complex matters in the social setting.
- "Jolly"
- "Jolly" is the part of Strauss which is still a child inside. Jolly is socially awkward like a naive child but he himself is far from naive. He will point out things that catch his eyes at seemingly random times and he'd interrupt a discussion to talk about something he was interested in. This side is generally happy and pleasant to be around however and is more likely to help a friend in need or buy a glass of ale for a buddy. One might notice his facial expressions tend to indicate happiness, curiousity, laughter, or boredom. Another noticeable detail is that Jolly always orders Dark Ale by habit. Generally speaking Jolly is most often seen when Friedrich is socializing.
- "Gloomy"
- "Gloomy" is the part of Strauss which became the jaded, cynical adult that he is. Gloomy is quick tempered and pessimistic. He will often make cynical remarks while drinking like a fish and is seen to be the more introspective and rational of the two sides. Gloomy doesn't change the subject in a discussion, but he'll interrupt to make often depressing comments about the topic at hand. This side is generally angry, bitter and misanthropic and is more likely to ignore a friend in need. One might notice his facial expression tend to either indicate annoyance, fury, apathy, or happiness (usually schadenfreude). Another noticeable detail is that Gloomy always orders either Merlot or Pinot Noir by habit. Generally speaking Gloomy isn't seen often in socializing but more so in his writings.
Interests
Strauss has numerous interests and hobbies. All his life he has been an avid reader and from a young age has been seen as a fencing prodigy. His major interests are in philosophy, science, alchemy, history and engineering. He has some skill in alchemy and even a tiny bit of skill in clockwork engineering. However all of his skill in clockwork has been in prints and plans rather than actual mechanical devices. In philosophy Strauss' is mostly interested in his own philosophy but has a major secondary interest in Waltian Philosophy.
- Religion
- Strauss never denies the existence of other gods or planes as there is concrete evidence of their existence. However he stills spurns them and at times even insults them in their own temples. This being the case the only God which Strauss seemed to not feel hostility towards and in fact even harbored positive feelings for was Virvius in part thanks to Zuzlek. Strauss can relate to Virvius in the sense that they're both spurned and reviled but they really are not all that bad. Yet all in the same he does not follow or worship Virvius and indeed would only exploit the powers of Virvius for his own advancement. None the less he remains infamous for his controversial theological statement: "The Gods are nothing to me."
Philosophy
Strauss' claim that the state is an illegitimate institution has made him an influence upon the anarchist tradition; his thought is often seen as a form of individualist anarchism. Strauss however does not identify himself as an anarchist, and includes anarchists among the parties subject to his criticism.
Strauss mocks revolution in the traditional sense as tacitly statist. It's a common conclusion that Strauss like Walte "...saw humankind as 'fretted in dark superstition' but denied that he sought their enlightenment and welfare".
As with the classical skeptics, Strauss' method of self-liberation is opposed to faith or belief; life is free from "dogmatic presuppositions" or any "fixed standpoint". It is not merely religious dogma but also a variety of secular ideologies that are condemned as crypto-religious for putting ideas in an equivalent role.
What Strauss proposes is not that concepts should rule people, but that people should rule concepts. The denial of absolute truth is rooted in Strauss' the "nothingness" of the self. Strauss presents a detached life of non-dogmatic, open-minded engagement with the world "as it is" (unpolluted by "faith", religious or secular), coupled with the awareness that there is no soul, no personal essence except for spiritual energy.
"Because I cannot grasp the moon, is it therefore sacred to me, a lunar goddess? If I could only grasp you, I surely would, and, if I could only find a means to get up to you, you shall not frighten me! You inapprehensible one, you shall remain inapprehensible to me only until I have acquired the might for apprehension and call you my own; I do not give myself up before you, but only bide my time. Even if for the present I put up with my inability to touch you, I yet remember it against you."
~Friedrich Strauss - Contraria
Equipment
- The Dragon's Breath
- A flintlock pistol designed specifically designed for a quick draw and easy focus.
- Ammunition
- A small bag of ammunition for his flintlock pistol.
- Schwarzwald:
- A rapier Strauss received from his family which dates back to Alkarian times.
- Gauntlets of Force
- Gauntlets given to him by Adiva which allow him to punch with 30lbs more of force.
- Goggles of Starlight
- Goggles given to him by Adiva which allow him to turn on a light and see into darkness.
- Weisswald:
- A strange black main gauche with a white hilt, enchanted with extra bleeding properties.
- Writing Supplies:
- Ink, Parchment, and a Quill. As well as other manuscripts he's working on.
Published works
Books
- An Analysis of Alchemical Properties
- The Philosophy of Magic: From Ethics to Aesthetics
- Discourse on Human and Elvish Culture
- To Be Living
- The Theory and Practice of Fencing and Duelism
- Contraria
- The Dark Arts
- Divine Apathy
- A Discourse on Absurdity
- Psychologos
- Mental Defense Mechanisms
- Inequality
- Revolt Against Nature
- Revolt Against Man
- Meaningless Discourse
- Romance as a Mental Deficiency
- Swordsmanship and Variety
- The Wish of the Female
- The Wish of the Male
- The Higher Power: Ideology (posthumously)
Essays
- A Proposal on an Index of Magic and Alchemical Taxonomy
- The Physiology of the Races
- Divine Apathy: Do the gods care?
- Divine Apathy: Do their morals matter?
- Too Human to be Human
- The Hatred of Mankind
- Unmanifest Manifesto
- The Deconstruction of Morality
- Necromancy: The Art of Life and Death
- An Interview from the Beadra
- On the Neutrality of Mana
- Divine Apathy: Does the world care?
- Discourse on Physical Action
- Discourse on Metaphysical Action
- Man and Construct
- The Cause
- The Lost Cause
- Power ((posthumously))
Plays
- William of Empyria
- The Titans
- Vice and Virtue
- The Matriarch
- The Seven Day War
- King Malwind
- The Irreplaceable Part
- Four Strange Men
- Nuzalheim
- The Grim Lovers
Operas
- The Alkarian Hunter
- War of the Gods
- Inhuman Love
- The Death of the Gods (unpublished)
- Schadenfreude
- Burning Veins
Quotes
On Love and Sexuality
- "Love is the delusion that one woman differs from another."
- "The only unnatural sexual behavior is none at all."
- "To be in love is merely to be in a state of perpetual anesthesia — to mistake an ordinary young man for a god or an ordinary young woman for a goddess."
On Marriage and Family
- "Ah children... parasites to the womb, to the wallet, and finally to the world"
- "Marriage is a political or financial affair. To add love into the mix spells disaster."
On Existence
- "The basic fact about human existence is not that it is a tragedy, but that it is a bore. It is not so much a war as an endless standing in line. The objection to it is not that it is predominantly painful, but that it is lacking in sense."
- "Every parting gives a foretaste of death; every coming together again a foretaste of the resurrection."
- "The advantage of a bad memory is that one can enjoy the same good things for the first time several times."
On Social Action
- "We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people."
- "Honor has not to be won; it must only not be lost."
- "The liberty of the people is not the liberty of myself."
- "One is not worthy to have what one, through weakness, lets be taken from him; one is not worthy of it because one is not capable of it."
- "The worst readers are those who behave like plundering troops: they take away a few things they can use, dirty and confound the remainder, and revile the whole."
On Human Nature
- "One will rarely err if extreme actions be ascribed to vanity, ordinary actions to habit, and mean actions to fear."
- "Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings — always darker, emptier, simpler."
- "Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice."
- "Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills."
- "Hatred comes from the heart; contempt from the head; and neither feeling is quite within our control."
- "The paranoid is never entirely mistaken."
- "Intellect is invisible to the man who has none."
On History
- "Once upon a time, in some out of the way corner of that universe which is dispersed into numberless twinkling solar systems, there was a star upon which clever beasts invented knowing. That was the most arrogant and mendacious minute of "creation," but nevertheless, it was only a minute."'
- "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
- "It is the stillest words that bring on the storm. Thoughts that come on doves' feet guide the world."
- "John Walte is a romantic and tragic figure in the history of Kharlian philosophy. A youthful appearance and a mind which went deeper than the deepest abyss allowed him to become a rising star in his living days. But he was taken while he was young, and I would be so lucky to be taken while I'm still a good looking youth with unfinished works."
- "The Abyssal Wars simply prove that we get so bored with the chaos in our own world it's more fun to cause discord in another."
On Theology
- "The gods are no different from man. They love, they hate, they further a cause which is purely their own cause. They are selfish beings just like us and they are far too involved in their own life to care any bit about ours."
- "The gods mean nothing to me and I mean nothing to them. If they still care about me they're fools. So why would I worship fools?"
- "Everything sacred is a tie, a fetter."
