Silas Balderwell

Doctor Silas Balderwell

Silas Balderwell is the resident surgeon in Belly, the small farming community found south of Ridgeport. Silas is a person of interest not only due to his outstanding skill as a physician, but also his derelict sanity. Working as the primary doctor of Belly, Silas is protected by most of the women in his community who staunchly admire his ability to deliver children and aid them during pregnancies. Due to Belly's notorious amount of prostitutes, Silas has carved out a particular niche in No Man's with the understanding that he plays his fair part in the town's day to day living, though this is made difficult with his rampant alcoholism.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Silas’ history before arriving in No Man’s is unknown to many, though his dealings within have been told from North to South Market. An extraordinary appreciator of the human anatomy, Silas’ notoriety as a surgeon has earned him many admirers and followers, though the majority reside outside the borders of Belly. While most would think his prestigious ingenuity with the knife would benefit his social standings, Silas is better known for his rampant alcoholism and brooding, antagonistic behavior within his tiny community. It is arguable that his skills as a doctor are the only thing keeping the man stable, but most, if not all, of the curiosity surrounding Silas has been traded in for a quiet acceptance of his peculiarities.
Often seen in what is described as a "constant, mental turmoil", there are a multitude of rumors surrounding Silas. Some speculate that he works closely with the occult, which has gifted him with knowledge of the human body beyond what normal men can understand. Others deduce that he is a damaged genius whose intelligence could only be balanced out by a complete and utter lack of personal tact. Despite the heavy weight some rumors may hold against him, Silas is continuously saved by the word of Belly's citizens, who protect him like any other resident.

Education

Silas’ knowledge of the human body, particularly of the female, has never been shared beyond scattered, delusional rants. At one point, Silas proclaimed that—after being struck twice by lightning and falling into a gorge—an angel came to him with two human bodies, one of a man and one of a woman. Silas said that the angel peeled back their skin layer by layer before ordering Silas to stitch them back together, thus gifting him with anatomical knowledge. At another time, Silas said that each time he partook in communion he was granted license over the human body. One woman, after Silas helped her with the birth of her fourth child, admitted to aiding him in satanic rituals by allowing Silas the use of her afterbirth. While this riled up much of Belly, fearing Silas to be a member of the occult, the panic eventually subsided without him speaking a word concerning it.
Whether or not his expertise come from God or the devil, it is understood--however silently--that Silas is impervious to the accusations of others, an unsettling fact for many who do not see the use of his work..

Intellectual Characteristics

While Silas’ place in Belly was once a topic of heated discussion, over the years most of the town has come to terms with his oddness with respect for his usefulness. Despite his drunken escapades at the Sober House and his debatable lunacy, women of Belly respect Silas for his expertise in delivering children and completing what most doctors would consider impossible births. Most speak kindly of his bedside manner, even if they are doubted. It can be assumed that, even with Silas’ bewildering behavior outside of his work, he is deeply considerate of mothers and children alike, earning him his space within Belly for however long he desires to remain.

Morality & Philosophy

Some of the only disciplines Silas appears capable of are attending church on Sunday and drinking after dark. He has his own spot on the back pew of Belly’s church-house, where he diligently lolls in and out of consciousness during Pastor Wallace’s sermons.

Current Location

Belly