Meirion Rodric

The Honourable Meirion Emrys Rodric (a.k.a. Mirage)

Those with sharp eyes meeting genteel, well-spoken Meirion Rodric for the first time would immediately come to the conclusion that this is a man for whom wearing masks is second nature, and given his background, they would be astute in that observation.
The product of adultery between Welsh earl Owain Rodric and an escort, he was abandoned by his birth mother, who was paid handsomely to keep the affair a secret while his father took him back to the estate to ensure that the ‘secret’ would be kept in isolation. The rest of the family didn’t make secret their disdain for him however, and most of his childhood was spent being raised by the maids and servants while doing his best to keep out of reach of his half-brother who was poisoned by their vindictive mother to torment him as the unwanted mongrel, the living embodiment of their father’s vice.
It was during a particularly heated chase between the boy and himself that his Outlier ability manifested in a moment of panic over the fact that he was going to be found out at his hiding spot; When they looked right at him, saw nothing and moved on however, he discovered he had the gift of invisibility, though one at that point triggered by emotion.
He confided this only in Angharad, the family’s seamstress who took on the role of mother for him in absence of one who loved him and she began to help him find ways to control it in secret.
For a while, he saw it as a blessing as it began to confuse the family how often he would go ‘missing’ when they were looking for him, but after a while he decided that he wanted to be seen rather than merely invisible in a family that already wished he was invisible, and he decide to fight back by excelling in everything he could—archery, arts, literature, political studies—to prove that he didn’t need birthright to be their equal.
This sat well with his father, who wanted a worthy successor and saw the rivalry between his sons as a good thing for a dog eat dog world, but didn’t sit well with said son who started stepping up the harassment.
During one of these harassment however, he finally fought back physically.
This led his stepmother to issue an ultimatum to his father—-side with the true son and cast him out of the family manor or side with the bastard and have them leave and reveal the affair.
His father chose a third option—-have him live apart from them with the family seamstress in town; It was an option everyone agreed with unanimously—Meirion was glad to to live alongside Angharad, who herself was happy to house a child she was beginning to see as her adoptive son, while the rest of the family were simply glad that their ‘shame’ was no longer allowed to cavort the grounds with them.
Under Angharad’s care and with no support from the family, he led a simpler, calmer life and helped her with her tailoring business, and after graduating from a community college, decided to put his talent for craft to use and opened up a bespoke tailoring shop where he served the middle and lower class who loved the work he provided with at reasonable rates.
His old life however found a way to catch up with him once more; When Angharad grew ill and was no longer able to run her business, he had trouble keeping up with the mounting medical bills and it was then that his father decided to meet him to talk ‘business’.
As it turned out, his half-brother had died recently, leaving the man with no full-blood heirs, and he was the spare that had to be called up to fit the role as the next earl. He balked at the idea initially, but decided to take it up so Angharad could get the care she needed, and walked through the doors of the manor he’d been banished from years ago.
He was taught how to act, talk and carry himself as the aristocratic heir his father needed and he wore it like a finely-crafted mask in front of other members of higher society who were told that he was a prodigal son who had returned from overseas to carry the mantle forward. The parties, the hunts, the balls, he went to them all; Part of him was glad that he was finally being accepted as one of them, yet part of him was also repulsed at the things he heard them say, things they did, things he had to pretend to agree with in the masquerade.
When news of rebellion and the Clampdown began, the disdain his society had for those beneath them only compounded and he started struggling with the mask he was told to wear; He heard about the discreet ways they were supporting Sentinel Prime’s efforts to quash the revolt so the status quo could be retained and decided he’d had enough.
He met with rebellion leaders Omar Parvez (Orion Pax) and Morgan Trayton (Megatron) and offered his services to them as a mole and an ‘in’ to the cloistered and shadowy aristocratic class (among which they have many enemies), revealing to them his Outlier ability which immediately made him a perfect spy for their efforts.
And so he spied for them, joining every secret meeting held and learning of all their plans, and slowly, methodically winning over his father’s trust to be officially named the new earl.
With the power and money now under his control, he channeled both to the rebellion to help level the playing board against Sentinel, and became an invaluable if not somewhat aloof and distant member of the team that some had reservations about, but agreed was an important asset.
When Morgan split the rebellion and spearheaded the Decepticons after Omar’s purported death however, he was one of those who were captured by them and held hostage. Morgan didn’t trust him due to his designation as a spy and his aristocratic upbringing, as did many on the group who had suffered under the higher class, and he was not among those persuaded to be a part of the Decepticons—rather he was designated to join a prison camp, until he was freed by Hound, who was among those who escaped the initial arrests and had joined Omar’s newly-minted Autobots who broke out the rest of the prisoners.
His one condition when Omar asked him to once more take up the role of spy was that they had to deliver Angharad out of enemy territory, which they did and he has since kept his side of the bargain with no complaint.
He still has a deeply sour taste in his mouth concerning the betrayal from Morgan’s side and the mistrust he still faces from some members on Omar’s side, but Hound of all people trusts him and that’s as good a reason as any to stay.
These days when not on duty, he can be found visiting Angharad at the French village a few miles away from Aillard Toussaint's (Alpha Trion) estate, exploring and hunting on the grounds with Hound and enjoying art sessions with Ben/Bumblebee, Serafino (Sunstreaker) and Sylas (Swoop).

Physical Description

Special abilities

As an Outlier, he has the ability to turn invisible at will (by virtue of having learned to control it, in his earlier years it was trigger by stressful emotions). He can extend this ability to items or people he holds (though it takes a lot more control and focus to have more than a single person turn invisible with him)

Social

Hobbies & Pets

He owns a bay riding mare named Avalon's Renaissance and an Irish Setter names Dunadan.  In his free time, he enjoys archery, hunting (he supplies the kitchen with wild game from around Aillard Toussaint's estate), horse-riding, bespoke tailoring and neoclassical music.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Spy

Age

35 (Start of war)

Birthplace

Cardiff, Wales

Pronouns

He/Him

Gender

Male

Eyes

Blue

Hair

Black and wavy, with blue and white accents and worn in a loose braid that goes halfway down his back

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Cream

Height

6'0

Known Languages

Welsh, English, French