Edgar Nightingale
| Edgar Thomas Nightingale | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biographical Information | |
| Age | 95 (Turned at 21) |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 1880 |
| Species | Vampire (European Sanguinarian) |
| Date of Undeath | 1901 |
| Sexual Orientation | Unknown (Attracted to women) |
| Society Status | Member |
| Occupation | Valet to Augustine Belfort |
Edgar is the main protagonist of Dancing with the Dead. He is an ex-rogue vampire who seeks to integrate into the E.V.S with his partner Crystin. Edgar is unique for his abnormally long rogue-hood of 74 years, and his partnership with a banshee.
History
Edgar was born in 1880 as the heir of a wealthy cotton baron. He lived within the county of Cheshire for his human life, until he was turned in 1901 at the age of 21. From 1901 to 1974, Edgar roamed the English countryside in total isolation. He lived in rural village houses, specifically within attics and wine cellars. Upon nightfall, he would leave his resting places to prey on local wildlife. When Edgar was not hunting, he was writing poems or stealing food from the humans that housed him. During this time, he discovered the Tome that would allow him to transform into a cat, which he used to his advantage. Despite these advantages, this period in his life was emotionally turbulent for him. He suffered from loneliness, but he was too afraid to seek companionship. He was convinced that he would somehow harm his potential partner. Given his vampiric nature, he likely feared that he’d behave in a predatory manner towards them. Consequently, he swore a vow of celibacy, and remained a virgin until he met Crystin.
In September of 1974, he met Crystin in rural North Yorkshire. He accidentally discovered her in a lake, and after an unknown period of time, the two fell in love.
Appearance
Edgar resembles a young man in his early twenties’. He has black hair, thick eyebrows and a strong jawline. His eyes bear a prominent but harmless mutation, resembling the corneal clouding seen in fresh corpses. His ears are normal for a vampire, and despite his rogue-hood, they remain un-notched. His face and body are similarly devoid of scarring. His teeth are blocky and he tends to wear a wide smile. Edgar does possess fangs, but he appears to prefer them sheathed. His body is of average weight overall, but it has noticeably less hair than other men. In coloured renders, Edgar is periwinkle with darker lavender accents. His eyes are pink with white irises, and his tongue is a duck-egg blue.
Trivia
- Edgar’s cat form is a tuxedo cat, a direct reference to the dining suit he wears.
- Edgar has a fascination with humans, or as interpreted by some readers, a potential longing for them.
- Edgar has an unwanted fixation on harming other characters. He first speaks of this in "Complicated" to Clifford, citing it as the reason for his celibacy. In "So Insistent", he becomes anxious and flinches at the sight of Rozzlyn pricking herself with a cocktail stick.
- Edgar is afraid of dogs but this fear appears to be mild. Despite his initial anxiety around Princess, he later comes to enjoy being around her.
- Edgar, likely as a result of his upbringing, does not swear.
- His surname is a reference to the famous nurse, Florence Nightingale.
- In Episode 5, Crystin reveals that Edgar has consumed cat food. Edgar states he enjoys it.
- In “Too Long”, Edgar reveals that he and Crystin normally copulate “constantly”.
- In Episode 9, Edgar reveals that he is overwhelmed by the taste of Whisky.