Entry tags:
Info post
Character Info
Character Name: Miles Hart
Character’s Age: 35
Fandom: Original character
Timeline: From 1930
Appearance: Miles isn't particularly tall, standing at about 5'9", and is solidly built, tending to carry a bit of extra weight in his stomach. He has broad shoulders and carries most of his muscle in his upper arms and chest. He has dark brown hair that almost appears black when he gels it back, which is almost all of the time, and brown eyes. The feature that is most prominent on his face is his mustache, which he takes great pains to groom immaculately. He dresses nicely, although not extravagantly, preferring to blend in with your average suit wearing businessman, although he does wear a very expensive fedora that he prizes above all other items in his wardrobe.
History: Miles Hart comes from a world that is the same as our own. He was born in 1895 in Chicago to German immigrant parents, and joined the military as soon as he turned 18, looking for better career options than the ones he felt he had as the son of poor immigrants. He had finished high school, but only just barely, having already found that he wasn't a fan of the classroom. He preferred a hands-on type of education, and because he was frustrated with school, he got in fights. He thought that the military would provide him discipline and a possible way to make money.
Character Name: Miles Hart
Character’s Age: 35
Fandom: Original character
Timeline: From 1930
Appearance: Miles isn't particularly tall, standing at about 5'9", and is solidly built, tending to carry a bit of extra weight in his stomach. He has broad shoulders and carries most of his muscle in his upper arms and chest. He has dark brown hair that almost appears black when he gels it back, which is almost all of the time, and brown eyes. The feature that is most prominent on his face is his mustache, which he takes great pains to groom immaculately. He dresses nicely, although not extravagantly, preferring to blend in with your average suit wearing businessman, although he does wear a very expensive fedora that he prizes above all other items in his wardrobe.
History: Miles Hart comes from a world that is the same as our own. He was born in 1895 in Chicago to German immigrant parents, and joined the military as soon as he turned 18, looking for better career options than the ones he felt he had as the son of poor immigrants. He had finished high school, but only just barely, having already found that he wasn't a fan of the classroom. He preferred a hands-on type of education, and because he was frustrated with school, he got in fights. He thought that the military would provide him discipline and a possible way to make money.
Within a few years of joining the military, the United States got involved in the First World War, and Miles was sent overseas, initially to France and then to Belgium, where he found himself in the trenches. Because it was less common for United States soldiers to fight in the trenches, his regiment fought alongside many soldiers from other parts of the world, especially Britain, and he started to make friends. One friend who he grew close to almost immediately was a young man named James Mueller who was the same age that he was, and had also been raised in Chicago by parents who were German immigrants. They initially bonded over this shared trait, but became closer because of the stresses of the war and their mutual interest in detective novels.
Unfortunately, the war wasn't what Miles had thought it would be. He had expected adventure and excitement, and he certainly got excitement, although in a different way than he had thought. The constant violence around him, the fact that he had to kill people, and the deaths of many of his friends, quickly made him unable to sleep and easily distracted. His breaking point came one night when the trench he was in was bombarded, and the men around him were killed. He was only saved by being cushioned by sandbags and the dead bodies of his comrades, although he had permanent hearing damage. His friend James Mueller ended up having to drag him out of the trench, since Miles was convinced that if he left, he'd be killed.
After this, Miles was shellshocked. The war ended shortly thereafter, and Miles returned home, with what would now be recognized as PTSD. He and Mueller remained friends, and they immediately realized that they had to do something to make money. Now that their time in the military had ended, neither of them wanted to go back, and instead, in 1919, they both joined the Chicago Police Department. While Mueller was a natural at the job and immediately adapted, rising through the ranks, Miles struggled, due in part to his shellshock, but also because he found himself chafing at Mueller having authority over him. Although he knew that he owed Mueller his life for dragging him out of the trench and possibly saving him, he couldn't quite get used to them ranking differently.
Miles' life in the CPD came to an end one night in 1923 when a raid on an organized crime boss' warehouse went wrong and the warehouse blew up. The noise caused Miles to have a psychological breakdown due to its similarity to the noise of the bombs and gunshots in the war. The CPD asked him to go on leave, blaming him, in part, for the failure of the mission, although they didn't put it that way. Instead, refusing to be humiliated and explain that he had been asked to take a leave, he quit, breaking off contact with Mueller.
Within a few months, Miles had opened up his own detective agency. As a private detective, he was his own boss, and could avoid many of the situations that triggered his shellshock. Although he still experienced panic attacks, he found himself much more relaxed, enjoying setting his own hours and picking his own jobs. He hired a secretary, a former dancer named Jasmine Washington, who he had met in a speakeasy while he was drinking. She had never been a secretary before, but was willing to learn, and she was the only employee he took on. Hart Detective Agency was successful, but not overly so, meaning that he could make the money he needed to, but avoid the ever watchful eye of the organized crime bosses, who didn't particularly care for private detectives.
That, however, was going to change. In 1930, a woman approached him with a job that he had a hard time turning down. She was willing to pay him a lot, and all she wanted to know was whether her husband was involved in notorious gangster "Grim" Sparks' crime ring. Miles accepted the job, but within days, he was being threatened by mobsters, who didn't appreciate his interest in their criminal activities. Knowing that he was out of his league and potentially in danger, he reluctantly contacted James Mueller, who he hadn't spoken to since he'd left the CPD in 1923. Mueller agreed to help him with the case, and offered what police protection he could, explaining that organized crime went far beyond what Miles thought it did. In fact, Mueller said that the CPD could be implicated if any organized crime bosses were taken down.
It is this point at which I have taken him from. He is determined to keep doing this job, but he has finally sucked it up and contacted his former partner and friend.
Miles is not a vengeful type of person, but he does hold a grudge, as is evidenced by his refusal to speak with his former friend James Mueller once he left the CPD. While he can often brush off minor insults and even threats, if he feels that he has been deeply betrayed, he will hold onto it forever. However, he is not the type to actively seek revenge, even if he hates someone. Instead, he will remove himself from the situation, putting as much distance between himself and the other person. By doing this, he avoids the physical fights that he got involved in as a young man.
Unfortunately, the war wasn't what Miles had thought it would be. He had expected adventure and excitement, and he certainly got excitement, although in a different way than he had thought. The constant violence around him, the fact that he had to kill people, and the deaths of many of his friends, quickly made him unable to sleep and easily distracted. His breaking point came one night when the trench he was in was bombarded, and the men around him were killed. He was only saved by being cushioned by sandbags and the dead bodies of his comrades, although he had permanent hearing damage. His friend James Mueller ended up having to drag him out of the trench, since Miles was convinced that if he left, he'd be killed.
After this, Miles was shellshocked. The war ended shortly thereafter, and Miles returned home, with what would now be recognized as PTSD. He and Mueller remained friends, and they immediately realized that they had to do something to make money. Now that their time in the military had ended, neither of them wanted to go back, and instead, in 1919, they both joined the Chicago Police Department. While Mueller was a natural at the job and immediately adapted, rising through the ranks, Miles struggled, due in part to his shellshock, but also because he found himself chafing at Mueller having authority over him. Although he knew that he owed Mueller his life for dragging him out of the trench and possibly saving him, he couldn't quite get used to them ranking differently.
Miles' life in the CPD came to an end one night in 1923 when a raid on an organized crime boss' warehouse went wrong and the warehouse blew up. The noise caused Miles to have a psychological breakdown due to its similarity to the noise of the bombs and gunshots in the war. The CPD asked him to go on leave, blaming him, in part, for the failure of the mission, although they didn't put it that way. Instead, refusing to be humiliated and explain that he had been asked to take a leave, he quit, breaking off contact with Mueller.
Within a few months, Miles had opened up his own detective agency. As a private detective, he was his own boss, and could avoid many of the situations that triggered his shellshock. Although he still experienced panic attacks, he found himself much more relaxed, enjoying setting his own hours and picking his own jobs. He hired a secretary, a former dancer named Jasmine Washington, who he had met in a speakeasy while he was drinking. She had never been a secretary before, but was willing to learn, and she was the only employee he took on. Hart Detective Agency was successful, but not overly so, meaning that he could make the money he needed to, but avoid the ever watchful eye of the organized crime bosses, who didn't particularly care for private detectives.
That, however, was going to change. In 1930, a woman approached him with a job that he had a hard time turning down. She was willing to pay him a lot, and all she wanted to know was whether her husband was involved in notorious gangster "Grim" Sparks' crime ring. Miles accepted the job, but within days, he was being threatened by mobsters, who didn't appreciate his interest in their criminal activities. Knowing that he was out of his league and potentially in danger, he reluctantly contacted James Mueller, who he hadn't spoken to since he'd left the CPD in 1923. Mueller agreed to help him with the case, and offered what police protection he could, explaining that organized crime went far beyond what Miles thought it did. In fact, Mueller said that the CPD could be implicated if any organized crime bosses were taken down.
It is this point at which I have taken him from. He is determined to keep doing this job, but he has finally sucked it up and contacted his former partner and friend.
Personality: Due to his experiences in the war and with the CPD, Miles can be a bit reticent. He has learned that it is almost always better to remain quiet and listen to what is being said before piping up yourself. His laconic tendencies are part of the reason he's such a good private detective, since he knows how to listen and process information before he jumps to conclusions. Those who hire him always feel that he genuinely cares about their cases, since he lets them speak on at length about them, which helps his business. In truth, he does care about the cases, but cares more about the money he can make. However, people often feel that he is more personally invested in cases than other private detectives, which they like. This works to his advantage.
Needless to say, Miles is not particularly fond of talking about himself. He is perfectly capable of having a polite conversation, and can even make people feel that he is being forthcoming, but he does not share personal information. It stands to reason that Miles would be a bit private, given his profession, and his previous jobs. He isn't rude if asked about his personal life, but he does make it very clear, especially when on the case, that there are certain things that are just off limits. He likes his alone time, and doesn't like that to be infringed upon.
Needless to say, Miles is not particularly fond of talking about himself. He is perfectly capable of having a polite conversation, and can even make people feel that he is being forthcoming, but he does not share personal information. It stands to reason that Miles would be a bit private, given his profession, and his previous jobs. He isn't rude if asked about his personal life, but he does make it very clear, especially when on the case, that there are certain things that are just off limits. He likes his alone time, and doesn't like that to be infringed upon.
Miles is not a vengeful type of person, but he does hold a grudge, as is evidenced by his refusal to speak with his former friend James Mueller once he left the CPD. While he can often brush off minor insults and even threats, if he feels that he has been deeply betrayed, he will hold onto it forever. However, he is not the type to actively seek revenge, even if he hates someone. Instead, he will remove himself from the situation, putting as much distance between himself and the other person. By doing this, he avoids the physical fights that he got involved in as a young man.
It could be said that Miles was an easygoing person, but it might be more accurate to say that he is extremely rational. Inside his own head, he is very intense. His thoughts are constantly going, and he has to analyze everything he comes across, whether or not it's important. However, outwardly, Miles is the type of guy who can sit back and smile, drink in one hand, cigarette dangling out of his mouth, looking for all the world like nothing could bother him. Sometimes people are confused by how unfazed by problems Miles is, but in truth, he is generally trying to hold back a panic attack. He prides himself in his ability to hide his shellshock.
There are no two ways about it--Miles is selfish. He is unmarried, has no children, and doesn't particularly like animals, so his responsibilities lie with himself and his job. In some ways, his job is an extension of himself, and he is extremely persnickety about having everything done his way. If he can't make decent money from a job, he won't take it, regardless of whether he could help someone out. It's not that he doesn't care about other people, it's just that he takes care of number one, and that happens to be him and his agency. However, he counts his secretary Jasmine as part of that, and as such, he takes extremely good care of her as well, even going so far as to be a little protective of her.
Miles has a weakness for alcohol and gambling. Although he's a detective, he doesn't follow the prohibition laws, knowing the best place to find good--or at least decent--alcohol. He doesn't often get drunk, but he does drink to an excess at times, often to dull any feelings of panic that he thinks might come on. As for gambling, he finds it to be a good way to unwind, but he has, for the most part, avoided losing too much money. He cares too much about his profits to be careless, but he does enjoy going to speakeasies and gambling and having drinks, even if it's illegal. He likes that being a detective means he can do this, since as a cop, he was watched too closely and had to represent the department. Now he only has to represent himself.
Miles has a weakness for alcohol and gambling. Although he's a detective, he doesn't follow the prohibition laws, knowing the best place to find good--or at least decent--alcohol. He doesn't often get drunk, but he does drink to an excess at times, often to dull any feelings of panic that he thinks might come on. As for gambling, he finds it to be a good way to unwind, but he has, for the most part, avoided losing too much money. He cares too much about his profits to be careless, but he does enjoy going to speakeasies and gambling and having drinks, even if it's illegal. He likes that being a detective means he can do this, since as a cop, he was watched too closely and had to represent the department. Now he only has to represent himself.
Finally, Miles is motivated by a need to prove that he can be more successful than his humble beginnings and his time in the military. He feels, to some extent, that his shellshock is a moral failing, although this isn't something he'd admit. The fact that he is able to be successful as a detective makes him feel that he has achieved more than anyone would have expected him to. This is what makes him keep going, even when he has to deal with the boring paperwork and tedious questioning that comes with his job. When he can solve a case, he feels motivated to take another case, because the feeling is elating.
Powers/Abilities: Miles is your ordinary fellow, more or less. He doesn't have any supernatural powers or abilities, and is possessed of only slightly greater than average strength due to his time in the military and his time as a detective. He is proficient with firearms, also due to his military training and experience with the police force.
Limitations: N/A
Limitations: N/A