E-VAC's Attitude

I was originally going to make this a post explaining why E reacted the way he did, but the more I wrote, the more I realized: it's relevant to the way he reacts and responds to just about everything. So I've scrapped the original post in favor of a broader one.

There are three things Jason does not handle well: things he doesn't understand, change, and death. Arguably, all three are the same thing (or at least related), but it's easier for me to explain them separately.

But I Don't Understand...
E has a very scientific mind. Everything has labels, limits, and explanations. Everything has to be quantified and have a logical reasoning behind it.

Even if it wasn't for all the mystical types coming after his daughter, E would probably still be distrustful of magic. As it is, in his mind, it's magic's fault his daughter's life is constantly in danger. The Contest Between Good and Evil was for his daughter's life, and as far as E is concerned, it had nothing to do with her. So on top of his natural inclination to distrust comes a fairly understandable if fairly unreasonable fear and hatred of all things magic.

As a side note, this aspect of the character can sometimes be difficult for me to play. E's player is fascinated by magic and my main is an ages-old wizard. So sometimes things come along that I want to find out more about... and I have to slap myself and let E be afraid of it. Dammit.

Note that this is not confined strictly to magic, though. Aliens. Other dimensions. Fortunately, things like the Rikti have explanations that can be delved into and learned. They follow rules that E can understand. So instead of fear, distrust, and hatred, they spur him on to learning. Unfortunately, not much is known about, for example, the Kheldians or the Rularuu.

This is why: E distrusted Fyre, he hates Oranbega and the Circle of Thorns, he distrusts Vagz, he will not look at magical alternatives, he will not go to Mirror Spirit, he freaked about the Kheldian bonding (partly), he will not go to the Shadow Shard, etc.

Change Is Bad
Jason has always been a fan of settling in and getting comfortable. When it comes to most things, he likes to settle into a nice routine. He likes to know what to expect out of his day and when. He's not an extremist about it and doesn't freak when things don't go off precisely on time. He's just not a fan of surprises, and there's something very comforting about routine.

When forces outside his control disrupt his routine, he gets irritable in general. But beware if a person (or persons) are responsible for this breakdown. Instead of being generally irritable, his anger has a target. Depending on the situation, he will get frustrated, verbally angry, or (less often) quietly resentful. He tries to avoid people who unsettle his routines, especially if they seem to do it willfully (I'm looking at you, StarWyng :) ), and he is happiest when he knows what to expect from the people around him.

Well, maybe "comfortable" is a better word for it than "happy".

This is why: E gets quiet on large teams, he gets grumpy or angry when someone won't follow instructions, it took him so long to reform (partly), he freaked about the Kheldian bonding (partly), etc.

Death Is the Enemy
I've known a few people in the medical profession as well as seeing them portrayed on T.V., and this is a fairly common attitude that intrigues me about people in that line of work. So naturally, I gave it to E. Death is not "a part of life" or "something to be accepted". Death is the enemy. Death is the cold, heartless, brutal killer that must be stopped at all costs. Guns don't kill people. Death kills people. And it's up to doctors (nurses, healers, medics, whatever) to stop him.

This is why: E tried to help Masonry live even against his wishes, he freaked out about Fyre dying, he assembled his medical team, he would rather sacrifice himself than see a friend or ally fall, etc.

I hope this gives you a little insight into E's personality.