Simeon Marsden

Canon Name: Simeon Marsden
Canon Age at Time of Death: 21
Date of Birth: 21/01/1974
Date of Death: 05/02/1995
Gender: Male

Appearance: Simeon cultivates a rather careless, bohemian look, wearing his hair long, loose and windswept around his shoulders, and favoring threadbare sweaters, thin t-shirts, tatty blazers, and torn jeans when he's not making his rounds as warden on the second floor. He has a sweet, youthful face, and is sometimes mistaken for being younger than he actually is (or was at the time of his death, anyway). He is tall, slim, and naturally fair-skinned, and has animated blue eyes that are often sparkling with kindness and mirth, seeking to absorb everything around him at all times.

Personality: Simeon is a gentle soul and a long-suffering hopeless romantic. He has a genuine desire to help both the living and the dead, just as he did in life. Simeon always believed in tales of the "other side", stories of spirits and ghosts, and was touched by them, so it's no surprise he stuck around Highgrove after his death. He is a sensitive young man, but also resilient, level-headed, and very good at his job. Unfortunately, the latter is what led to his untimely demise. He sees it as his personal mission to take the outcasts of society under his wing, valuing the personal connections he makes with each one. Making friends with Simeon is not difficult. He is an eager and attentive friend, happily listening to the troubles of others and helping them out however and whenever he can. What is difficult is making any enemy of him. He is not the type to give up on a friend - or a potential one - easily, even when he's been hurt. Despite the nature of his death, Simeon holds no ill will towards those responsible for it. He believes in the nature of redemption and the power of forgiveness. He is able to see both sides of every coin, and can understand the reasoning behind most every point of view even if he doesn't agree with it. Simeon is patient and hard to aggravate, which is frustrating for those who try. Though he is prone to bouts of melancholy over his lost lover and cruel fate, he does his best to always look on the bright side. He is cheerful, has a good sense of humor, and doesn't take himself too seriously (or tries not to). He is grateful to be able to carry on some semblance of a life at Highgrove, too attached to the material world and its inhabitants to fully let go of it.

Merits and Flaws: Simeon projects a soothing calm that affects most individuals he comes into contact with, living and dead alike. His warm spirit attracts many, particularly those who are in most need of it. He also has an affinity for Highgrove's animals. He does not spook them when he walks by, for they too can sense his gentle spirit. The connections Simeon is able to make with other souls is what keeps him going and gives him a purpose. Unfortunately, Simeon's special personality is also responsible for a number of his flaws. He wears his heart on his sleeve, which leaves him open and vulnerable to hurt. His desperation to connect with others leads to disappointment when the sentiment is not reciprocated. Just as his warmth affects the mood of those around him, so does his melancholy. He tries to stay away from the living when he's feeling sad, as the children residing in Highgrove have enough of their own troubles to confront without having to deal with the resonating energies of Simeon's grief too. When he is feeling poorly during his rounds as warden on the second floor, many of the children often experience a sudden, unexplainable sadness that seems to come over them from out of nowhere. Because of this, he tries to keep his emotions in check. Luckily, he has always been more of an optimist than a pessimist, so this isn't often a problem.

Current Activities at Highgrove: Simeon still holds his position of warden and occupies a cottage like any (living) staff member of Highgrove would. When he is not working, he can frequently be found outside, enjoying the simplicity and purity that nature has to offer. He particularly enjoys the woods, the farm, and also likes to visit the horses in the stable block. In life, he wished to learn how to ride, but never got the chance. He often finds himself being drawn to the place of his death, which brings a deep, tortured sense of loss to the surface. Nevertheless, he feels it important to return from time to time and sit with his feelings, trying his best to make sense of them. He hasn't fully come to terms with the nature of his death, for as much as he pretends he has. Mostly, he cannot help but mourn the loss of his lover, a young female groundskeeper who fled Highgrove upon hearing the news of Simeon's death. His yearning for love keeps him ever searching for it. Though he has no idea what happened to his lover after she left Highgrove, he still holds out hope that he can once more find companionship on the scale he shared with her. He holds a secret torch for Dr. Branbury, greatly admiring the man and all he does to keep the dearly departed from being discovered. Simeon also has a soft spot for Julien Price, a young resident who committed suicide after strangling the object of his affection in a fit of jealous rage. He spends a good amount of his free time tutoring the young man in reading and writing, two activities he still enjoys very much.

History: Before coming to Highgrove, Simeon's life was fairly uneventful. He grew up in the south of England with loving parents who had little more than two pence to rub together on a good day. Though Simeon often went without, forced to wear hand-me-downs from his older brother, and having to play with his old toys instead of getting new ones, he never lacked in love from his family, who were responsible for instilling a sense of gratitude and appreciation for life in him. In school, Simeon often struggled to get good grades, not because he lacked intelligence, but because his head was so often stuck in the clouds. His mother always joked that she knew he was a dreamer the day he came out of the womb from the way he smiled. Despite his desire to go on to university and become a nurse, he couldn't afford it, and ended up as the second floor warden at Highgrove instead. Simeon had high hopes of doing good there, and refused to give up his dream of earning his nursing degree once he'd saved up enough money for schooling.

However, his plans began to change when he fell in love with a young female groundskeeper, Marisa. His aspirations of nursing became less and less important the deeper they fell in love, and also as he grew more comfortable in his position at Highgrove. He found he enjoyed working with kids, even if they were a handful. He was good at his job and was beginning to think that perhaps he'd found his calling when the unthinkable happened. It was the fact that he did his job so well that sadly got him killed. One winter afternoon, while making his rounds, Simeon heard raised voices in the vicinity of the boys' dormitories and went to investigate. A group of four boys, all sharing a room, were found fighting. No punches had been thrown yet, but things were getting very heated very quickly, so Simeon took it upon himself to break up the fight and fill out the necessary reports afterward. The boys, in a bizarre twist of fate, took it personally and banded together in the hopes of teaching the young warden a lesson about sticking his nose in where they felt it didn't belong. Later that evening, they ganged up on Simeon, dragging him out to the woods and tying him to a tree, leaving him to die of exposure in the frigid night air. Whether or not the boys knew they were leaving him to die is still a mystery to Simeon. As sad as he is that his mortal life was cut so short, he doesn't hold a grudge, feeling it a waste of time.

Simeon's spirit lingered on after his body passed away, and he watched from behind the tree his corpse was tied to as a lone boy entered the woods and came upon his lifeless body by accident. Simeon knew he must not have reported it, because his body wasn't properly discovered until much later. This boy turned out to be Julien Price, who died two years later. Simeon struck up a friendship with the boy after he passed, who he could sense was a hurt, lost soul in need of his guidance and friendship, and has since been tutoring him in English. Unfortunately for Simeon, Marisa left Highgrove, distraught over his loss and unable to stay in a place where there were so many memories of their time together. He regrets that he didn't go to her immediately once he realized he was still bound to the earth in some capacity. But even then, would she have been able to accept his new, ghostly existence? Simeon can't say for sure, but he aches for that lost love, thinking about her often, and hoping to duplicate those feelings with someone else someday.
Have you ever been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness? If yes, have you ever been hospitalised due to your psychiatric illness(es)?:
(Answer Here)
What circumstances have led to your referral to Highgrove Home for Children?:
(Answer Here)
What was your childhood like? Where did you grow up? How do you feel your childhood has influenced your current circumstances?:
(Answer Here)
How are your relationships with your family members? Do you have any siblings?:
(Answer Here)
How is school? Do you achieve good grades? Do you participate in any after-school activities?:
(Answer Here)
How are your social relationships? Do you have any friends? Do you have any romantic interests?:
(Answer Here)
Have you ever knowingly committed a crime? Do you have a criminal record? If yes, what were your sentences?:
(Answer Here)
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future, and how do you feel you will best achieve them?:
(Answer Here)
For which position are you applying at Highgrove Home for Children?:
Second Floor Warden.

Why do you feel you would be the best candidate for this position?:
What I lack in experience, I make up for in enthusiasm, and I have a knack for getting along with other people. I'm interested in doing something good for society and feel that this position would be a good start. I am prepared to do my job to the very best of my ability, and will never sacrifice or compromise the well-being of the residents of Highgrove for any reason. Having them under my care would be a responsibility I'd take very seriously.

Do you possess the necessary qualifications and experience to hold this position? If yes, please explain:
I'm not sure what the necessary qualifications are, but I think I'm more than capable of being a valued asset with the proper training.

Have you ever knowingly committed a crime? Do you have a criminal record? If yes, please explain:
No, not that I'm aware of. I've never really been the trouble-seeking sort. I'm content to live a simple life. I have no criminal record.

How do you prefer to relax during stressful situations?:
I like being outside. I especially enjoy being in or near water. Swimming has always been a favorite pastime of mine, and I also find solace in books, poetry, film, and my writing. I love creating worlds out of my head and escaping into them for awhile. When I come out of them, the world looks so much better and I feel calm again.

If you could describe yourself in only five words, which words would you choose?:
Sensible, imaginative, optimistic, hopeful, loyal.

If you were given an order by a superior, to which you felt morally opposed, what would you do?:
I'd stand by my convictions, even at the cost of losing my job. A job is important to me, of course, but even more so is remaining true to myself.

What do you hope to achieve by working at the Highgrove Home for Children?:
I want to do something good for society. My ultimate aspiration is to attend university and earn a nursing degree, but I can't afford it right now. I think this job will provide invaluable experience on my way to achieving that goal.

Player Nickname: Zillah
Player Chatbox Name: zephyr13
Playby: Jamie Campbell Bower

Full Name: Simeon Marsden
Age: 21-ish
Gender: Male
Position: Second Floor Warden
House Number: 2

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