Laurence Collins

Laurence Collins is a first-year student majoring in Artifact Studies and History. He is written by Shining Light and is based on the likeness of television actor Enver Gjokaj.

Other characters written by this user include:

 Meredith McKay (first-year student) Joseph Kol (professor) 

Biography
The eldest of two siblings in a middle-class family from Canada, Laurence grew up with a fascination for history. His parents moved from city to city during his childhood and teenage years, so much of his time was devoted to his studies, which pleased his parents but left him without a thriving social life. It was their hope that he would grow up to be a renowned scholar or even a museum curator - and had the world been completely ordinary and devoid of the supernatural, their wish might have come true. But Laurence, as he would discover, was not fated to be ordinary.

During his last year of high school, Laurence happened across an old book shop, hoping to purchase a few texts for an essay on European history. The shop's owner, an elderly man, provided one of the books Laurence sought - and more. The man explained how he happened by the books in a pawn shop, and as Laurence listened intently, he found himself mentally envisioning the scenes described to him. His brain began to throb and as it gradually intensified, he saw, for the briefest instant, the entire history of the book. He saw - and understood - the book's journey from its original printing to the present. Then everything - the throbbing and the vision - disappeared, and Laurence was back in the shop, the elderly man none the wiser to what Laurence had just experienced.

Needless to say, Laurence left the place as quickly as he could. Eventually, he convinced himself that his "vision" was the result of a stress-addled brain - he even went to another book store to see if the vision would happen again, with no results. Of course, he knew that if he were to experience such a vision, it would likely happen at the old book store, but Laurence managed to stay his curiosity. His grades came first, or so he told himself. But once he had graduated, he returned to the old book store - only to find the place empty, out of business for weeks.

So it was that Laurence put the lid on that particular chapter of his life - but it would prove to be a premature decision one month later when a strange letter containing an application to an even stranger university calling itself Headsman's Academy of Fine Education. No self-respecting university was going to name itself something ludicrously cheesy like that...but even so, a paid scholarship was enticing enough for Laurence to toss his other, carefully-planned options out of the way and try his luck. His post-secondary education wasn't exactly in a hurry to get started...but after finding himself at the doorstep of the Academy, he had to admit that it was simple curiosity that led him here and undoubtedly, it was going to get him in trouble.

Well, time will tell if Laurence is right.

Physical Appearance
Laurence stands at 5'8" and is built like an athlete, well-muscled and broad-shouldered for his age. With a firm-jawed face, crisp maroon eyes, and lightly-tanned skin tone, he boasts almost a classically-handsome look. His short, black hair is naturally furled, but well-kept. His chiseled features are open and honest, which is just as well considering he's not very good at lying.

Attire-wise, Laurence often wears plaid, button-up shirts with belted pants, sometimes with a black leather jacket thrown in. Footwear consists of dark sneakers and other such shoes meant for comfort. He doesn't have any colours he prefers, though he's often seen wearing a mix of dark colours.

Personality and Traits
Laurence is a quiet sort, a person who does their work in silence. He isn't a thrill-seeker and has little ambitions outside of his schoolwork. One would think he keeps himself out of trouble, but he is plagued with a terrible sense of curiosity and the inability to sit still. He's organized, but only because cleaning gives him something to do. He pushes himself in his studies to keep his mind stimulated, and works out to stay active. If he notices or learns something that attracts his curiosity, he'll tenaciously chase after it until he is satisfied with what he discovers. Laurence might be something of an introvert, but he is good-natured at heart and won't intentionally look for trouble.

Powers and Abilities
In Introduction of Artifacts, Laurence has been taught to create a complete replication of an object from memory. Some call this process Tracing, other cultures refer to it as Sketching, but all field experts refer to the same practice no matter the name. All the attributes and enchantments of the object are preserved in its copied form, allowing it to function as effectively as the original.

A copied object is less of a replacement and more of an imitation, however. Any copy that Laurence produces is especially susceptible to physical damage; if it is struck too many times, it will dissipate, leaving the wielder with nothing. In time, the copier's skill will reach a point when they can minimize the weaknesses of the copied artifacts, but this is a far-off prospect for first-year students like Laurence.

Some artifacts and weapons Laurence has memorized for future replication:

 The scissors and gloves given to the Paranormal club by Vashti. The scissors can cut through anything while the gloves allow the wearer to partially interact with mirrors. Laurence has dubbed the two artifacts as the Bloodburn Scissors (named after Natalia Bloodburn, the mirror entity the scissors had been first used on) and the Mirror Gloves respectively. Tridents carried by the Merfolk of Viviania Lake. 

Majors
General Studies



Introduction to Paranormal Studies (PAR100) Introduction to Clairvoyance: Turning Memory Lane Into A Reality (CLAIR101) 

Artifacts Studies

 Introduction to Artifact Studies (ARTI101)</li> Physical Fitness I: Outrunning The Boulder And Other Hazards (ARTI102)</li> Artifacts of the Ages I: The 1900s (ARTI104)</li> </ul>

History

 Introduction to History: The Early Ages of the Paranormal (HIST101)</li> Ancient Civilizations I: Beneath the Seas (HIST102)</li> Great People and Periods I: The Medieval Era (HIST103)</li> </ul>