Character Information

[wesa]

(This is a work in progress.)

NAME: Daryl Dixon
AGE: A lot older than he looks
OCCUPATION: Werecat drifter, mechanic
HEIGHT: 188cm/6'2"ish*
BUILD: Slim, broad-shouldered, muscular
HAIR: Brown, shoulder length, shaggy
EYES: Blue
PORTRAYED BY: Norman Reedus
OF INTEREST: See Daryl in action (contains TWD spoilers and gore, good reference for his appearance, manner, and voice), Nagual, Tezcatlipoca, Tepeyollotl, Tiamat, nature deities
*He's slightly taller than his canon self for Reasons.

With his tendency to hunch, cross his arms, and have his head bowed, Daryl often has defensive body language. A man of few words, he's an observer, watchful and tense. Generally soft-spoken, and has a low, gravelly voice and a subdued Appalachian drawl that becomes more pronounced when he's stressed or emotional. Sometimes suffers from Batman Voice. His aversion to physical contact means he isn't likely to let anyone he's unfamiliar with touch him — grabbing him without warning may cause a violent reaction.

He's literally a cat. He'll accept attention and affection on his own terms.

Characters who are either exceptionally observant or who possess heightened senses may notice he's not human. He doesn't have the scent of one, and because he has a tapetum lucidum (the membrane responsible for night vision in cats) even in human form, he can see in the dark and his eyes reflect light. For any doctor-types who might examine him, his vitals and blood would also make it apparent he isn't human. Relatedly, his blood is toxic to most other supernatural creatures, and because his shapeshifting abilities stem from his species and aren't a communicable disease or curse (like certain strains of lycanthropy), he can't infect others.

In his regular cat-form he has the appearance of a stocky, muscular jaguar, larger than what could be found in nature (around the size of a large tiger, 800ish lbs.). Physically and behaviourally similar to one as well — e.g. as comfortable hunting in water as on land, a bite force capable of crushing bone and turtle shells, etc. He can shift into several variations of this form, including hybrid (human-cat) ones. When needed, his fur may undergo a melanistic change to provide better camouflage, most often occurring during the winter.

(Why a jaguar? The choice was far from arbitrary. The actor portraying Daryl has got these huge shoulders and arm porn going on, and I felt a jaguar, with their extremely muscular forelegs, neck, and jaw suited him from a physical standpoint. Their precision hunting methods, terrain versatility, and solitary nature are also very Daryl. They're one of the only big cats native to the Americas, and, fittingly, even used to roam the Southern US. And come on, Daryl single-handedly takes out a freaking tank in canon, while jaguars can make kitty-chow [cw: animal death] even out of crocodiles; it works.)

Most likely to be found in the woods or jungle, tracking, hunting, or simply enjoying nature, and maintains a couple different dens in the wilds of the Meadous. He's good with animals and usually prefers their company over that of people, with only a few exceptions. In his human form he's rarely if ever seen without his black leather vest with faded wings on the back, even in the sweltering heat. Unlikely to ever go shirtless due to his extensive scars that make him self-conscious. Has several tattoos – on his hands, upper arm, thigh, chest, back. Only the ones on his hands/arm are likely to ever be visible.

His mundane skillset includes basically all things survival: archery, marksmanship, tracking, hunting, foraging, skinning, butchery, auto mechanic repair, first aid. He also knows how to tattoo (properly — he's no scratcher), has learned a lot about gardening from Rick, and is a surprisingly good artist, not that he'll normally let anyone see.

His superhuman skillset obviously includes shapeshifting first and foremost. He knows some magic, has limited telepathy that allows him to communicate more easily in cat form, and can access the Other Place, the hidden spirit world that exists parallel to the living one.

art credit: クリ/kuri & Mudai