Serling is a character in the BZPRPG, originally created by Multivac'sEntropicDilemma.
Appearance
Ordinary Vortixx dressed in a sharp green business suit with a red-and-yellow polka-dot tie. Usually seen carrying around a heavy leather suitcase.
Nature and Personality
Excitable and a bit of a klutz, Serling nevertheless becomes serious in court. Outside of court, he has an easygoing and affable demeanor. He has a fierce determination to improve the legal system, and is saddened at the recent state of affairs in Aensetr Derrum.
Powers and Abilities
No natural powers or fighting skills. Has a thorough knowledge of the law, and above average strength due to his time as a worker.
History
Early Life
Originally from Xia, Serling escaped the reverse-chauvinistic society and made it to Metru Nui. Through a long inter-dimensional journey Serling made his way to Aensetr Derrum, where he studied politics and at the Towers of the Scholars for a time.
Joining the DJC
Eventually Serling decided that his true calling was in the courts, and sought an application with the DJC law firm, becoming one of their top three lawyers. Serling was usually assigned to cases concerning criminal cases (personal offenses, property offenses, etc.), and when not involved with a case, oversaw the areas of client counseling and legal advice.
With the influx of immigrants from the dimension containing Locus Abeo, Serling saw a spike in the frequency of cases as tensions between the Derrumese and the Abeans led to increased crime.
Derrum v. Kolyv
One such case involved a Locus-Abean Toa of Gravity named Kolyv, who took the existing Derrumese Matoran-Toa racism one step too far: Kolyv murdered a group of Matoran in the streets, and was promptly arrested by a patrol of Vyres. Although Serling had his personal doubts about this whole thing (the murders were captured on tape, for one thing, and it felt wrong defending a murderer), he nevertheless agreed to take the case. Despite Kolyv's unruliness and rudeness in court, Serling managed to succeed in claiming insanity for his client (with help from fellow DJC lawyer Durandal). The official statement from the judge was:
"The defense has sufficiently shown that, due to his status as a Locus Abean, the circumstances surrounding the defendant are beyond his control and, therefore, he could not have willingly done the crimes for which he is charged."
Kolyv was then sent to a mental health rehabilitation clinic rather than prison.
Serling was relieved that the case had turned out well for them, but he didn't foresee the consequences of this decision.
Unrest
A few days later, the full impact that the trial had on the citizens of Derrum became clear. Native Toa and Matoran united for the first time in decades, but against a third group: the Locus-Abeans. The native citizens pointed to the "Locus Abean" part of the judge's decision, claiming that all Locus Abeans were therefore more violent than the Derrumese as a whole and that the way the government was defending the immigrants was unfair.
Riots and violence between the two groups spiked, and Serling watched these changes in despair. He had ended up adding a new facet to the civil unrest in Aensetr Derrum.
Bob v. Zezak
For the next few weeks, Serling dealt with increased publicity as reporters sought his comments on the escalating tension. He disliked how people believed he had supported Kolyv solely because of his Locus Abean status -- and unfortunately, being an immigrant himself, he was easily lumped into the immigrants side by the media.
He continued to take cases, however, one in particular being Bob v. Zezak, where Zezak was accused of setting a Se-Kiri farmer's barn on fire and impregnating the farmer's daughter. Zezak was found innocent of both charges.
However, Serling was brought harshly back to the reality of Aensetr Derrum's problems with the next development.
The New Kin
While going back to DJC offices from the trial, Serling ran across a poster advertising the Kin. He investigated a bit further, looking at the news and videos of Sareas's speeches, and finding out that the Kin were a group made up of native Toa and Matoran that preached nationalistic hatred against immigrants (both Locus-Abeans and Metru-Nuians alike). He also noted the riots and surrounding incidents, specifically the Jolek/Krayzikk incident, where two immigrants murdered a few Kin when the latter antagonized the former. Despite the murders being accidental, Serling was worried at the way the general public believed the Kin's lies that the immigrants were all murdered, and the way the media didn't seem to help (even blowing it out of proportion).
Despite a public statement by Chief Secretary Kazul himself condemning the Kin's actions, immigrant-native tension continued to rise, and Serling decided to do what he could to help keep the peace. Going on television for an interview, Serling released a reasonable and logical criticism of the Kin, and pleaded for unity.
This was in vain. In his next speech, Sareas targeted Serling himself, exploiting the weakness Serling had come to hate: the fact that he had defended Kolyv, a Locus-Abean murderer, in the past. Serling was discredited, his plea ignored. But not by the people who mattered.
Approached by an agent of the Anti-Kin, Serling was added to their ranks. He ultimately was not needed, however, as events escalated to the point where the Anti-Kin had to go into combat -- something Serling wasn't suited for.
Current Events
Even with the New Kin disbanded, Serling's worries weren't over: he watched as Kastus and the Commissioner were assassinated, and the Concilium made their move. Not only were the nationalist conflicts not diffused, but there were now political conflicts as well.
But there was still hope: Noc'eri Soulguard, former Chief of the Nogan tribe and one of few survivors of the Massacre, approached Serling and asked for his help in improving Aensetr Derrum from the inside through the law. Though Serling was initially reluctant, he eventually agreed.
Serling is currently trying to keep the peace and improving Aensetr Derrum's government through nonviolent methods.