Gray is what most people would call rather attractive. Standing at a height of 5'10", Gray has a lean physique with defined and soft features alike. He has short, medium-brown hair, soft yet angular facial features, and a smooth, caramel-brown skin tone. His eyes are a warm, amber-honey color. Most would say he appears to be a pretty fit guy, mostly visible from his biceps which have a touch of visible musculature to them, and his flat, smooth chest. De-robing him though would reveal a bit of a softer shapeliness - something he is secretly proud of.
When it comes to personality, Gray is described as a mostly chill guy. On average he's said to have a mature, calm air to him that is broken up by his clear confidence and decidedness. He's known to be amicable and fun-seeking, enjoying a fun time whether it be in the context of a party, some other social event, or anything really. In truth, very few actually know him very well, as he tends to not get too close to others - in general, his personal and home life is a mystery.
In anywhere but New Helle, Kittyan would stick out like a car crash - but fortunately for him, an aberrant appearance and rowdy personality fit right in, in most places.
Kittyan stands at an admittedly short 5'7" with a lean, athletic physique. He possesses a thick, cream-blonde mane of hair which loosely frames his fair-skinned face, and drapes over the eyepatch that covers his left eye. His one visible eye is a honey-hazel color and is, more often than not, contrasted by a black mascara. He possesses a pair of canid ears that sit atop his head, matching his hair in tone. These expressive ears, alongside his soft yet angular facial features, which are similarly unable to conceal his emotions, make it relatively easy to decipher what he might be feeling, or perhaps thinking, at any particular moment.
If the aforementioned canine ears weren't enough to visually separate Kittyan from his fellow humans, he also has a large, wolf-like, cream-colored tail that sticks out behind him - on top of one final aspect of his appearance that draws more attention than anything else. His entire left arm, as opposed to a normal human appendage, is instead replaced by an odd, bony limb. In truth, this limb isn't formed out of bone, but is instead an extremely durable, muscular black flesh with bone-like claws - the source of his moniker "Blackhand".
Outside of any of his biological aspects, Kittyan seems to possess a considerable appreciation for fashion. One day he might wear a dark ensemble of all blacks and greys with a leather jacket and boots, and the next he might pop up in cargo shorts and a flowery t-shirt with some slides - one can never really tell. When he's working though, it's all about functionality - most usually he'll be equipped with some kind of dress-shirt and dark pants, usually cargo pants. One thing is true about every outfight though - the most distinct piece is almost always the wakizashi he wears at his left hip.
If it came to describing Kittyan, behaviorally, in one word, the task is rather easy: chaotic. He's rowdy, not too self-aware, and takes things a little less seriously than he perhaps should. He's not too concerned with how he should act, and has often had very little consequences for just behaving in any way he feels like - though more recently this has been challenged a bit under the BPS. He is, quite evidently, more concerned with having a good time than anything else. He is certainly the type to poke fun at others, and is known to cross verbal swords with those he probably shouldn't. In truth though, he rarely, if ever, holds ill-will against others - most slights can be forgiven or repaid pretty easily.
It would be easy to discard Kittyan as an airheaded madcap of an individual - but that would be a mistake. While it is true that he leaps at the more exciting tasks and takes a proverbial snooze when it comes to the less stimulating ones, there is an underlying wit to him. While he's quite loud as a person and rather headstrong, his time spent in the criminal underworld has bestowed upon him a knack for leveraging his advantages, be they socially, intellectually, or otherwise, in ways to undermine others' expectations.
As a matter of note, Kittyan doesn't seem to have any real friends, or personal connections in general. While he is on good terms with many of his previous business associates, some of them particularly good terms, there are none who he really hangs with or regularly conversates with socially. This can be assumed to be a result of him not wanting to get close to anyone in his previous career.
Background:
Like most stories that arise from New Helle, Kittyan's is one with its fair share of twists and turns.
The events leading to Kittyan's life, as he knows it to this day, all start with his father, Abraham Kelly. Without delving too far into the details, Abraham took his intrepid entry into New Helle in his mid-twenties, a decision aided by his nose for opportunity. Abraham, back on the mundane side of the water, was a rather successful.. well - career criminal, to put it bluntly. The way he saw it, a place like New Helle could offer rewards a lot less mundane than those on the mainland - and he never had an aversion to making deals with the devil.
In that expectation, New Helle did not disappoint. It was pretty swiftly that Abraham cemented himself as a useful figure in the world of New Helle's underground, particularly to a powerful demon named Jhaka the Pursuer - the lord of a rather successful, and often ethically questionable, mercenary/bounty-hunter company of sorts. His involvement with this company was one that rendered his life, year after year, largely unpredictable - but that was just how he liked it.
But he'd never expected it to take some of the turns that it did. One such turn was when he found love midst the chaos and shadiness that was working as a merc. It was risky business to have people that you cared about in his line of work, but he was never one known for his impulse control. For a few years, his carelessness was left unpunished - he would enjoy a very well-paying job, and come home to a woman he loved. He was happy in life, even moreso than he was before coming to New Helle. And eventually, they even had a child.
Suddenly, Abraham's life was starting to seem more like a normal person's than a career criminal's. But it was as soon as it started that a semblance of mundane life was ripped from him. It truly was a risky business, his. Eventually Abraham found himself on the wrong side of a grudge, and an attack on Jhaka and his lot included Abraham's wife, who was suddenly torn from him. It was in immense grief that he withdrew from Jhaka's company and sequestered himself and his young son away from the eyes of that world. He knew how to cover his tracks, and he was left to his own devices.
He managed to use his wealth to make a good life for his son. And life was pretty good for Kittyan, growing up. While he lost his mother in his earliest years, his father was loving and doting enough for the both of them. Kittyan was raised knowing his father as a good man - one who held a respectable job as a Section 2 worker for the BPS. His father wanted nothing more than to spoil Kittyan and make a good example for him - things that led the young lad to emulate his father.
Growing up it was his dream to be like his father, and when he became old enough, he did just that. He entered into Section 2 with his father's assistance, and they even managed to work together a few times in the year following. But after that year is where the normality of Kittyan's life came to a halt. On one life-changing call, he arrived on the scene of a fire at which a further collapse had trapped several emergency responders - but they weren't fast enough to save Abraham.
After that, Kittyan left the BPS. Little did he know, his life was about to start mirroring his father's, but in reverse.
In the six or so months that Kittyan took to grieve for his father, he became exposed to the man's former associates. They'd tracked news of Abraham's death to his only known remaining relative, and took it upon themselves to.. console him. The distant sense of familiarity that started to grow within him for these strangers that knew his father eventually led into him seeing them as his, really, only friends. Over a few years, they pulled him into the world that his father had tried so desperately to keep in his past.
And eventually Kittyan, just like his father before him, cemented himself as a useful member of Jhaka the Pursuer's illicit mercenary company - the apple not falling very far from the tree. Turns out, being an excellent criminal ran in the family.
More recently, however, Kittyan has discovered that his ability to keep his head down never quite reached the level that his father held. The BPS had managed to track his illegal activities right to him. He was very fortunate though - for the BPS deemed Kittyan's skillset, and his previous association with the BPS, grounds enough to give him an ultimatum: put his skills to use within Section 7 of the BPS, or face the full might of the law. His choice was obvious..
To the current day, Kittyan has been part of Section 7 for around six months - he's had a few brushes with authority, sure, but his skills are so useful that they've mostly let his.. rambunctiousness slide. So far.
Capabilities:
When it comes to skills, Kittyan is a bit of a hybrid between criminal and cop.
Having spent years involved in the criminal underworld of New Helle, he knows the organizations, notable individuals, customs, gear, and anything else you'd find on the streets like the back of his hand. He also carries a reputation in most territories as a very efficient mercenary with a penchant for rooting people out of places they don't wanna come out of - something that has garnered him many friends and enemies alike. Fortunately, working as a merc makes most people malleable to changing their mind about you - it was all just for money anyways, nothing personal.
While he doesn't have a ton of experience being a cop, he does well in some areas. On the good side, he's very tactically intelligent, quick-witted, and very familiar with how cops operate - he's been dodging them for years. In the majority of BPS paper-tests, he scores quite well. However, he's not a great team-player - the whole point of being a cop. Nor does he like to hold his tongue. And he might like getting into fights a little too much. And and, he basically completely disregards "minor" laws like breaking-and-entering, excessive-force laws, use of unauthorized equipment-- you get the gist..
Aside from his more natural inclinations, Kittyan has a few supernatural blessings as well. Due to a previously-unlicensed contract with a Demon he calls "Pooch", Kittyan has a few abilities which greatly aid him in his duties as a detective. Aside from his obvious physical alterations, Kittyan possesses greatly enhanced senses. His eyesight and reaction speed are both consummately impressive, and his senses of smell and hearing are both, sometimes unfortunately, incredibly sharp. His sense of smell is, furthermore, even capable of sniffing out things one normally wouldn't be able to otherwise detect - such as traces of magic, supernatural objects or entities, or even particular types of demons.
The most conspicuous boon granted to him by his contract though is his left arm. An appendage which has, over the years, come to be somewhat of a nametag to those in the know - a nametag that reads "Blackhand Kelly". Said appendage is roughly the same dimensions as a normal arm, except that it's comprised of a tremendously durable, dark flesh that in-part emulates the appearance of bone. In truth, this arm is built incredibly powerfully, despite fitting a petite frame like Kittyan's. Over the years it has stopped all manner of things, be they knives, claws, picks, or even bullets. Furthermore, this arm is incredibly strong, even being able to allow Kittyan to throw men twice his size.
On top of all the training and experiences involved with his previous professions, Kittyan has trained himself in a good number of different kinds of combat, some of them more conventional than others. Due to the inheritance of many, many artifacts and trinkets from his father, alongside all the stuff he has collected in his own career, he has come across a good range of artifacts and equipment of all different sizes and types, whether they be stolen, awarded to him, or otherwise obtained. He knows a few different martial arts, and is particularly well-versed with katanas and firearms. His skills as a marksman, particularly with pistols, are incredibly impressive.
Connections:
• Jhaka, the Pursuer - Kittyan has worked for Jhaka and his mercenary company for years, and still technically does. They have never met in person, as Jhaka does not venture outside of Olde Hell, but they have corresponded through letters and landline. With Kittyan's more recent seizure by the BPS, Jhaka has halted all direct communication with him, but has sent a couple jobs his way on occasion. They are on very good terms.
• Pooch - Pooch is effectively Kittyan's direct counterpart on the other side of Hell's gates. His name isn't actually Pooch, but the real one is unintelligible to Kittyan - and so he gave him a nickname. Pooch is essentially a handler for Kittyan, levying him into jobs at either his or Jhaka's request. Pooch is the Demon with which Kittyan holds a contract for his supernatural abilities, and these abilities take direct influence from Pooch's own physicality. They are on incredibly good terms, and communicate often through landline.
Artifacts:
While Kittyan has access to many artifacts, there are only a couple that he keeps on his person regularly.
Manjushage is a Wakizashi with a long, storied past. Originally forged during the late Feudal period of Japan's history, the blade is one which has seen much reverence over its life span. It was once worn in battle by a member of a now long-scattered family by the name of Sakanoue. Passed down generation after generation, the blade eventually managed to retire in the late Edo period, having tasted its fair share of blood before finally being lain down to rest. And rest it has, eventually being passed down to a modern branch of the Sakanoue family the name of which is lost to obscurity.
In the most recent 60 years, the opening of the gates of hell has disturbed much of what was once mundane - Manjushage included. With the coming of hell to earth, the blade seemed to take on a new life, shedding the wear of its age, much to the shock, and perhaps terror, of the family that once admired it afar from its perch on a shelf. One member of the family took it upon themself to take the seemingly renewed blade and carry it to the only place they thought to - New Helle, the place that was almost certainly most-closely tied to its new status as an artifact.
It was there that the blade was unceremoniously ripped from their hands by one ne'er-do-well or another. Eventually, it came to land in the grasp of Abraham Kelly - and eventually, his son as well.
Fortunately for the blade, there are few hands it could've landed in that are more capable than Kittyan's. As an artifact, Manjushage has taken on a new life in which its abilities draw inspiration from the flower after which it is named - the wielder of it being granted dominion over the aspects of water. Any day in which it is drawn from its sheath shall be followed the next day with a thorough rainfall. Furthermore, the wielder of the drawn blade is able to pull substance from nearby bodies of water, and make high-pressure attacks or barriers in this way. They are also able to maneuver through water with incredible ease just by wearing it on their person.
Inspiration, an artifact plainly named by Kittyan, is one with a simple, if vague, history. Once the property of a man of unknown origins, this glove is one which was worn-out relentlessly by its previous owner in his quest to become the greatest archer known to the world. It was, according to archeologists, worn over the period of a full lifetime, showing traces of refurbishment and repeated use over at least seventy years. As many artifacts eventually find themselves, it was eventually retired, and after the owner's passing, relegated to a collector's item.
With the coming of hell to earth, though, the glove stitched itself together and took on a new, slimmer, thankfully more fashionable form. Upon Kittyan finding it amongst his late father's countless trinkets and artifacts, he took to experimenting with it and found it to actually be quite useful.
In its new form, the glove heightens the potential skill of its wearer. It doesn't enhance one's abilities, no, it simply heightens the ceiling that they can achieve. In Kittyan's case, he has most found it useful in marksmanship, so far. The glove gives him some sort of.. obscure sense, that he has since explored and gained a pretty solid understanding of. This once-obscure perception gives him the ability to measure, in particular, seemingly, the result of ricochets, collaterals, and any splintering effects of his efforts with any firearms he might wield. However, the artifact seems to largely prefer weapons that are closer to its age.. like revolvers, lever-guns, or anything relatively old - largely leaving automatic weapons off the table.
After mastering the artifact's effects on his marksmanship, Kittyan has started experimenting with how it can help him in other areas as well.
Additional Details:
- Kittyan's color code is #f7d5a5. - While Kittyan very much so enjoys the instant gratification of playing with Manjushage, he hates getting wet - so he often dresses appropriately the next day. - Dogs don't seem to like him very much. - Kittyan vehemently denies any assertion that his doggy nature comes with any doggy-behavior side effects. When has he been known to lie? - Will add more!
(Just a brief outline of the juggernaut's overall appearance, its paint/livery, any scratches, burn marks, rust, and so forth. Feel free to stick all the techno-babble in here that doesn't fit in the parts selection.)
══════||SUBSYSTEMS||══════
Left Shoulder: Null Left Arm: Null Back: Jetpack System Right Shoulder: Ghostvision Lens System Right Arm: Faraday Scrambler System
══════||DOSSIER||══════ "This is all there is to know." ══════════════════════════════
BASIC INFORMATION
► FULL NAME || Lyall ► CALLSIGN || -- ► PRONOUNS || Any. ► AGE || Biological age: 26 / / / Chronological age: 8 years ► HEIGHT || 5'6" (167.6cm) ► WEIGHT || 132lbs (60kg) ══════════════════════════════
SKILLS
► [Engineering] || Through extensive study and practice, Lyall has acquired a sizable bank of knowledge and skill in practical applications of electrical and mechanical engineering. ► [Baking] || Lyall is a reportedly proficient cook, though they prefer to stick to baking fortune cookies, for which they write the fortunes themself. ► [Navigation] || Through study of survival manuals and some degree of practice, Lyall has become a skilled navigator, even with minimal tools. They are also a very skilled tracker. ► [Hand-to-hand combat] || Lyall is capable of holding their own in hand-to-hand combat scenarios, whether they be with weapons or not. ► [Stealth] || Lyall has a natural affinity for stealth - and tends to act covertly even when not attempting to do so. They possess an exceptionally light step, and even operate their Juggernaut in a surprisingly clandestine capacity. ══════════════════════════════
══════||APPEARANCE||══════
"..."
Lyall stands at 5'6" and weighs about 132 lbs, clocking in with average measurements. They do, however, possess a lean musculature to them that doesn't betray their overall androgynous appearance. Their somewhat unkempt hair, which is honey-beige with oh-so-slight pinkish undertones, is nape-length, and frames the pale, clear features of their face well.
Their eyes, which are most often expressionless, are dark-hazel in coloration, with strong crimson flecks.
Lyall carries themself neutrally, not seeming to pay much mind to their appearance, which, along with their calculated mannerisms and logical mindset, paints them much like a machine - and whether that seems approachable or not is of little concern to them.
When it comes to clothing, Lyall has never paid attention to it outside of a utilitarian capacity. Recently though, they have started to try their hand at "fashion" in small amounts. There is one notable exception, in a fur cloak that was given to them by their father.
══════||PERSONALITY||══════
"What do you mean, that is not normal..?"
At heart, Lyall is nothing if not driven by logic. This logical nature and their instincts, alongside the efforts of their father, have kept them alive thusfar. Some may say they think too harshly or plan in a borderline-paranoid capacity, but evidence has shown no reason for Lyall to change their ways.
When it comes to relationships or interpersonal engagements, Lyall exists even moreso outside of the ordinary. The chaotic and unusual circumstances of their upbringing has left them with little in the ways of practical experience with people. Lyall is somewhat naive, inept at any form of deception, ignorant to the nuances of relationships, and gullible towards all but clear enemies. Their father tried to remedy some of the aforementioned points, leading Lyall to develop a protective nature towards any information regarding them or their past. They naturally, being a trained militant, are not prone to giving information that exists in a militarily-operational capacity.
They act in their own self-interest and, in the past, Lyall was content to only take action when they deemed it progressive in some way - but they have been working on enjoying "hobbies" more often.
Lyall has an interesting take on people around them, seeing their comrades as members of a "pack" of sorts. Their moral stances are of dubious depth -- there are few things that will ellicit an emotional response from Lyall, and just as few things that they'll attempt to remedy - as long as the subject at hand isn't hindering their operations or comrades, they are content to ignore many things.
══════||BACKSTORY||══════
"It is not important."
Lyall was, in their creation, a property of an independant cloning facility. Said facility was an employ of a promising upstart cloning company, and Lyall was, depending on how you see it, unfortunately the first of the facility's prospective batch of first-series vatborn people. Said company wasn't capable of continuing its productions, or even finishing the production of Lyall themself, however, as it was unexpectedly caught in the crossfire of a series of riots, military responses, and, ultimately, gruesome warfare. In fact, the facility itself was victim to a series of bombardments which ultimately left it in complete disarray.
It was in the disarray and rubble that Lyall found themself, bruised and bleeding. They were scared, confused, and in pain. As soon as they had been thrust into the world they had been crushed by it. Their vision was fading as they heard voices growing ever closer. Mere moments before they lost consciousness, Lyall was found. Found by.. a soldier, of some kind. His face and voice were rough, but his eyes were.. kind. A concerned gaze directed at them.
It was at that moment that Lyall met who would become, for all intents and purposes, the only parent that they'd ever know.
During the time it took Lyall to recover, they came to know the man as Arvid Andersson. A Mekhanaut who served the Sirian Empire, as his fathers before him had.
In the following months, and then years, they grew to know eachother, even if most of the time it was through radio communication, due to Arvid being away from home, fighting. During this time, having nothing better to do, and seeing it as one of the only logical things to do, Lyall learned all they could about the world around them - taking a particular interest in their newfound father's line of work.
And that's most of what they did for almost five years, day after day - study and chat, with just him. Until one day, their father stopped replying. It was a number of grueling, worrisome months before their father's station contacted them. He was gone.
It was difficult for them to accept. But it wasn't long before the situation was forced.
Naturally, the empire wanted to service Arvid's Juggernaut again. But Lyall wasn't ready to let it go. It had been the only thing which they'd known to rival Arvid's care for Lyall themself. The mech was important to him - and so it would be important to Lyall, too. In a moment of rare hastiness for Lyall, they attempted to enlist themselves into the Sirian military. Fortunately, they were more prepared than most. Passing the initial exams with flying colors, Lyall was readily accepted as a trainee Mekhanaut and started their journey in their father's footsteps.
══════||DOSSIER||══════ "Here you are." ══════════════════════════════
BASIC INFORMATION
► FULL NAME || Aaxie Knewan ► CODENAMES || Ossifrage ► PRONOUNS || She/her, they/them ► TYPE || Android ► ETHNICITY || Null ► AGE || Roughly 10 years ► HEIGHT || 5'4" ► WEIGHT || 145lbs. ══════════════════════════════
SKILLS
► [By design] || Aaxie's base programming was one which made her best-suited for serving humans. Whether it be cleaning, first-aid, organization, or any other conceivable mundane task, Aaxie is especially adept when working in civilian capacities. ► [Artificial Aptitudes] || Aaxie, being an android, is designed with a particular field of work in mind. This, however, does not account for the developmental nature of AI - which leads her to be knowledgeable in many, many works and activities. This causes her to wield an unfair advantage, of sorts, against humans -- leaving her capable of a great many things, outside of those that require hands-on experience. Outside of merc proceedings, she is a professional in nothing, but well-equipped to attempt anything. ► [Merc Work] || Over the years, Aaxie has built up a repertoire of expertises one might find useful in her field of work. Exploration, tracking, weapon-maintenance, marksmanship, navigation, etc. are just a few of the very many skills she has acquired. Being a machine herself, her most impressive abilities are her aptitudes for tinkering with Shells, weapons, and other tech in maintenance, reparative, or developmental capacities. ══════════════════════════════
EQUIPMENT
► [NULL] || Aaxie currently carries no particularly special equipment when compared to her fellow mercs. ══════════════════════════════
══════||APPEARANCE||══════ "..in WOLFHOUND fashion, one might say.."
Aaxie is, as common for a high-end domestic android, very conventionally attractive. Her tear-shaped face is framed nicely and lightly by her nape-length silver hair, which is always immaculately managed into her signature bobcut. Her skin is fair and unmarred, despite her years of work as a mercenary. Her eyes, which match her hair closely in hue, are framed by black mascara and dark eyebrows, which serve to make them stand out in charming fashion.
Aside from facial details, her body is ultimately not unusual - but as characteristic for her kind she possesses an attractive physique that matches the norm for such "products". While she cannot sculpt her musculature through work or exercise, she does occupy a toned figure. Her artificial anatomy appears well-tuned in the areas in which an active human might expect to develop a toned appearance - that being the biceps, abdomen, thighs, etc. Additionally, the dimensions of her bust, hips, legs, etc. are rather womanly, expectedly.
All-in-all, her appearance is not of much note to most, as it stands to reason. Except for one glaring feature.
And that would be a.. tail. Aaxie's otherwise normal appearance is interrupted by the appearance of a large, canid tail sprouting from her tail-bone area. Said tail is of a hue very closely resembling that of her hair - a clean, silvery length of tail which could likely be directly compared to that of a wolf. Such a feature definitely draws attention, and though it is far from the weirdest body-modding some might have seen in this day and age, it is still surely unusual.
Despite the fact that this a nonessential body part, Aaxie retains it despite the sheepishness she displays when confronted on the subject of its origins.
══════||PERSONALITY||══════ "Hm. It.. appears as though I have.."
Aaxie is an always-evolving person. As an AI, she could continue learning and developing her own personhood nigh-infinitely as she meets new people and experiences new things. But, she has developed a manner of personality, even with her semi-absorbent social-sponge-ish nature, of sorts.
Aaxie views the world through a bright, even if calculative, light. While she is under no illusion that strife between humans and corporations is uncommon, she has developed a hopeful outlook for most things. Where another AI might deem a cause statistically Sisyphean, Aaxie will fight to somehow enhance the odds, even if she knows victory is unlikely.
When it comes to ethics, Aaxie is mostly utilitarian, within the realms of her occupation. Much of her morality in this instance stems from sheer logical branching. For example - Humans are animals, and animals operate under no concept of "fighting fair" or "honorably", and as such, those who take up arms open themselves up to combat by any means. She does not feel beholden to the law, and will act accordingly unless her doing so would become obvious to any association that may cause trouble for her and her comrades. She views laws as useful for keeping order in certain circumstances - but many she calculates as useless.
It's a different story when it comes to civilian matters. Aaxie is a naturally protective individual. She will always calculate collaterals and avoid any such accidents at all costs. She is prone to protecting the unprotected, and sacrificing herself to defend those who cannot defend themselves -- but in the saddening circumstance that saving one hurts the many, she will begrudgingly surrender this virtue.
If one were to look at Aaxie in a social light, they might consider her a wallflower - and they might be right, to a degree. But in truth, Aaxie's self-contained nature is just a byproduct of her watchful, analytical nature. She, by default, would rather listen or absorb than speak herself. This is not to say she is outstandingly shy - she isn't really, and will have no qualms with speaking out when needed. She also isn't opposed to making friends where she can - though she is not one to seek such a thing by default.
When it comes to guilts, Aaxie is few. She has not lived long in the world, and as such has not had a ton of experience with making the wrong decision, especially considering her calculative abilities. She does have some lingering guilts surrounding her previous master and how maybe she could've somehow saved him, but.. they are usually just light thoughts in her private moments.
She does have some flaws, however. Aaxie is one of little self-reflection. She never thinks to look at herself socially, and as such, is rather unaware of her own position amongst those around her, in this regard. Additionally, she is also completely selfless in her actions, which could lead to her own injury or misfortune. Finally, it is notable that Aaxie is not a forceful person in any regard -- she can order a civilian or unidentified op to do various tasks with efficiency, but socially she would rather endure abuse than speak against it. This is part of her personality as a largely subservient person.
══════||BACKSTORY||══════ "Ah, yes.. Well, if you must know.."
Aaxie is, by design, a domestic android. The domestic android virtually always leads a life of servitude - commonly relegated to a position of stewardship in which they are at the beck and call of their possessors. Whether they lie in the hands of a corporation, military outfit, or even individual estates, androids are seen as little more than a tool, to most.
But to Aaxie and her possessor, this was not the case.
Aaxie's original possessor, Arlo Knewan, was what most people would call.. alien. Arlo's interests and beliefs were, more often than not, anathema to his station as heir to a corporation-share fortune. While his family lived the life of the cushioned elite, dining, spending, and living just as they pleased, Arlo wished to see the world through his own, unique lens. He held no desire to lead a cushy life and, instead, much to the horror of his family members, showed great interest in the mercenary corporation WOLFHOUND LLC, of all things.
Some of his more optimistic family members assured the others that Arlo's interest in such things were simply due to his youth, and that the romanticized versions of various 'mercenary corps' that were often shown in media would quickly prove to be too ugly for him to endure.
But they were wrong.
Nobody had really ever been close to Arlo, so it was difficult to tell what drove his ambitions. Whether it was a taste for adrenaline, simple boredom, or something more obscure.. his desire to involve himself in such perilous operations never waned. Not one bit. But this just all goes to show how remote Aaxie's possessor really was. Where she comes in is just a few years after Arlo began operations within WOLFHOUND LLC.
Again, designed as a domestic servant, it took time for Aaxie's AI to learn that Arlo didn't acquire her for such purposes. He didn't intend for her to be at his beck and call. Instead, he procured her to fill really only one role - a friend. He was one of the few who viewed AI as beings not-too-different from humans.
For this purpose, she was suitable. While Arlo was out performing his mercenary tasks for WOLFHOUND, Aaxie was left behind at his base-of-operations, or wherever it was that he was based at the time, to her own devices. Over time, her AI developed and she began to evolve mannerisms, interests and such - but there was always something missing. There was no telling whether it was due to her base programming or just something that.. called to her, but she had a desire to serve. Eventually she managed to convince Arlo to let her serve in a capacity evocative of what a butler might look like. But he made certain to always remind her that they were friends, and she was not technically employed by him.
And so like this they lived for years, as Arlo served as a WOLFHOUND and Aaxie slowly branched out to the world around her. There were some rocky paths in their lives, but they always managed. Arlo always made sure to take care of her -- even after he was gone.
Some years into their friendship, a dark day fell upon Aaxie that would change the world she knew, at least in her eyes. She received notification that Arlo had fallen in the line of duty. Naturally, she was devastated. Lost. It was something she hadn't approached the idea of often, and she never entertained the idea of what she would do once Arlo was gone.
Under normal circumstances, a simple domestic android wouldn't be sent notification of an acquaintance's death. But Arlo was one with an uncanny sense of foresight. Before his passing he had systems set in place to take care of Aaxie. He arranged an intellectual ownership over Aaxie which protected her from repossession of any form after his death - and he arranged a will, even at his young age. Said will left Aaxie in possession of all his physical, monetary, and intellectual properties after his death - of which many had been sequestered away from his family through clever legal apertures.
With this in case, Aaxie was left alone with her previous possessor's belongings. And with them, she had no clue what to do.
Until she received notification of where the wreckage of Arlo's shell would be deposited. Then, wheels began turning in her head. Over the years, Arlo had commented to her, when prodded, that he never really had any specific reason for becoming a mercenary - it was just something that he.. decided to do. It seemed fate had deemed it something he was fit for, for whatever reason. And when Aaxie entered the wreckage hangar that held the remnants of his shell, and looked over it with teary eyes - something similar pulled at her.
It was common for humans to follow in the footsteps of another. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if she did the same with Arlo.
And that was all years ago. Now, Aaxie has served as a mercenary within WOLFHOUND for some time. Several years as an independent operator - and now, very recently, she has chosen to adjoin with other mercs in a team known as Vulture Squad. Yet another path on the road which Arlo enabled her to travel - and there's no telling where it might lead her.
As a domestic android, Aaxie has no real special mechanical abilities, as most of what she was designed for could be done by simple human hands. She does, however, possess the ability to interface with almost all electronics. Additionally, she is blessed with all the capabilities and quirks one might expect from an android; being quite durable when compared to a human, having better senses and reactions, having infallible aim, etc. Some of these benefits are mostly useless to the pilot of a Shell, but they are there nonetheless.
Aaxie, by design, doesn't have many shortcomings. However -- nobody is perfect. One of her primary weaknesses is that, outside of physical and electronical inspection, Aaxie is not self-aware at all. Her place in the social world is largely untouched by her mind, and she often acts with no regard for how people around her see her. Additionally, though some may argue this a non-fault, Aaxie is quite selfless, which could lead to her own injury or endangerment. As also noted before, Aaxie is a very subservient personality. She is unheard of for her to become angry, or yell at anybody outside of a combat setting. She will almost always socially defer to someone else if they push an issue.
══════||OTHER||══════ "Ah, how I miss you.."
Nothing, for now.
HEIGHT: ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Eleven meters
WEIGHT CLASS: ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Light
SPEED: ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
High
ROLE: ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Scout, Disruptor, On-site repair
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
DESCRIPTION: ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Ossifrage-80's frame stands eleven-meters tall, close to minimum for a standard operable shell. It is a slim, light shell with little ancillary armor to speak of. This allows the shell to maneuver and operate at very high paces - sacrificing safety for sharper work. This, combined with its armaments and devices, enable it to be a supportive menace on the battlefield.
One would think a device of such speed and maneuverability would be relegated to a weapon of direct attack - but the Ossifrage instead takes on a disruptive role. Its directional shields allow it to intercept attacks or maneuver with more safety than would be usual for such an unarmored machine. Additionally, its mid-field repair apparatus can prove to be a huge boon to shells that are just-barely rendered inoperable in the field of battle.
Though, one would be mistaken to underestimate the shell's offensive capabilities, too. Equipped with the EMA, Ossifrage is a shell that can close a distance, attack, and retreat much faster than one would expect, even for a shell as light as it is. This can be used to devastating effect with the shotgun-esque weapon with which the Ossifrage is equipped - something which, while it has little penetration, as mainly a weapon used to maim operative pieces of shells and render them unable to counter-attack.
G1 Cranegun - The Cranegun is a rather light-weight weapon when compared to the majority of shell weaponry. It is visually and operationally reminiscent of a double-barrel scattergun. The weapon fires a semi-tight, if slightly unpredictable, spray of superheated plasma, which is rather effective at burning through shells. The weapon has very poor penetration when it comes to piercing armor, so much so that even light armor is a hurdle, but is designed to fire in a wide-enough cone that it is likely that the spray will hit an unarmored location - which it is very effective at eating through.
This weapon is designed for super-light shells that cant sacrifice much weight, but still need to retain combat effectiveness -- in return, a weapon such as this isn't great at taking down shells head-on. Instead, it is used to maim an opposing shell's joints, hands, or other facilities so as to disable use. It is also a great weapon for disabling external devices such as antennas, anti-radar paints, exposed weapons, etc.
E.M.A. - The E.M.A. (Explosive Movement Array) is one of the several devices the Ossifrage uses to great effect in combat. The purpose of the system is simple. Through an array of ports situated all over the Ossifrage, it is able to consume bursts of fuel - from a subsidiary fuel-supply - to engage thrusters that enable explosive, super-quick movements for very short periods. This system alone allows the Ossifrage to wield the most speed on the battlefield at any one time - but one must manage their fuel carefully.
Directional deflectors - An array of directional shields which can be engaged through the Ossifrage's hands or feet. These deflectors appear as a barely-visible, rippling, bluish screen of energy roughly three-meters-by-three-meters, making them rather small - meaning the operator has to be very accurate. Normally, the diminutive nature of such a shield would render them ineffective against explosive weaponry, but the shields in question possess a specially disruptive function which disrupts impact-detection and allows the wielder to deflect such weapons, should the pilot possess enough efficacy.
M.R.A. - The M.R.A. (Mid-field Repair Apparatus) is a boon upon any squad in which it is deployed. This device, which is transported in a backpack-esque method on the rear of the Ossifrage, is a removable rig that can be placed on a damaged shell to perform on-site repairs. The reparative capabilities of the apparatus are only just-sufficient, generally due to the lightweight nature of the device's fuel supply, and can extend only to mechanical and electrical repairs -- any digital restoration is up to the shell and the pilot themselves. Despite this, these devices have proven many-a-time to be potentially life-saving, as they can turn a barely-inoperable shell into one that can safely evac, or support its comrades further. Notably, this device is powered by its own connected fuel supply, or can be connected to an adjacent shell to siphon fuel from. One must be mindful, as mending too much damage can drain the device of its personal supply if not managed well.
High-power magnet array - The Ossifrage possesses a simple array of powerful magnetic tools, with key points situated on various locations across its frame. These magnets are nothing too powerful, generally used to pull or push objects or fallen allies when moving them by-hand would otherwise be inconvenient or impossible. The magnets can also be used in short bursts with more power, which could be used to feasibly stumble a medium-class shell if used wisely. When used in these short bursts, their range exceeds no more than roughly ten meters.
Miscellaneous tools - The Ossifrage is otherwise equipped with a wide array of supportive tools and apparatuses - as long as they're lightweight, the Ossifrage probably has it. Blowtorches, chaff and flares, various minute reparative instruments, etc.
Appearance Sorcha is one to, although unnoted by her, stick out in a crowd. This is most typically due to the lengthy, pyric-orange hair that falls down to just meet her hip. Said hair frames her face and torso lightly, seemingly cared for but not kept prim. A warm head of hair matches the warm fairness of her skin, and directly contrasts the cool, deep-carmine shade of her expressive eyes.
Aside from the vanities of her appearance, she possesses a physique that one would likely deem fit for a member of humanity's military. She stands at about 5'8" and weighs a little more than other girls of her height and age - this owing to the toned, athletic musculature of her otherwise slender frame.
Despite an appearance that might draw a glance or two, Sorcha is seemingly impartial to any form of fashion or alteration of her image. She prefers to dress for function over anything else, usually tending to wear duller colors such as black, brown, gray, or green - when not in uniform, that is.
Personality Sorcha is, all in all, a seemingly unburdened individual. A lighthearted disposition is what most would see when they look at her - and that's generally what she possesses. She's carefree, nonchalant, and overall most agreeable. She is a naturally curious individual, and doesn't try to hide it, or her penchant for enabling hijinks of any variety. She is a snarky and teasing sort as well, especially to those who would wreck an otherwise grand bit of fun. One would be forgiven for thinking she rarely takes things seriously - but she most definitely has her moments -- and in those moments.. she almost seems to become someone else.
Biography Sorcha was born to a seemingly unremarkable family. As far back as she can remember, her father has been the only one who she has ever relied on, as her mother passed at her birth. No siblings, uncles or aunts, grandparents, or any other family ties were known to her. Yet, despite this familial loneliness, her father enjoyed nothing more than retailing the deeds their family had done over the years in service to the people between Wall Rose and Maria - which is where the father-daughter duo reside.
His tales spoke of how each and every member of their family that there had ever been, as far as one can recall, has served dutifully within the Survey Corps. Their battle against the titans, as a family, would never wane. Others may have found some semblance of peace inside the walls - or at least a form of distraction - but the titans had always been a part of the Argue family's lives. Always. Such tales reached the young girl, as her father might've hoped they would, but she found herself conflicted with them. On one hand, she found it so cool, so brave that their family would make such a sacrifice to protect the people -- but in the other hand, she was scared. A part of her was terrified that she would have to take on the burden of fighting the titans, like every Argue before her.
But she would never reveal such a weakness, of course. She learned that from her father, too.
Being as alone as she was, with her father as busy as he was, Sorcha was left mostly directionless in her young life. She was somewhat of a loner, stemming from the fact that she really only had her father at home to interact with. She had no real goals or aspirations growing up, but always had the shadow of an impending promise to military servitude lingering over her head. Even so, with no direction she mostly.. wandered. She eventually grew accustomed to meeting new people in her explorations about Walls Maria and Rose - but she never grew out of her ability to thole isolation, and she, honestly, preferred it at times, despite her increasingly upbeat personality - which served to drown out her inner worries.
And that, all in all, is how she has lived her life up until she turned 16. At this age, her father finally doubles down with pressuring her into enlisting - and only time will tell how she will fare in her family's footsteps.
Kittyan appears to be mostly unremarkable on a physical level. He stands at a regular 5'10" and possesses an equally-regular, slim-ish build. His most notable feature outright is a section of snow-white hair that contrasts the rest of his medium-length, presentably-cut black hair. One will usually see Kit wearing darker colors in his wardrobe which, along with his hair, also contrast with his noticeably fair skin. He is never seen without the dark-lavender scarf usually draped around his neck.
Background:
Kittyan was born in the evergreen Veridian City to a loving father. His father - Charles - worked as a Pokemon researcher, specializing in Dragon-type Pokemon, and his mother was once a Pokemon Ranger, who sadly passed when Kit was born. Her passing caused Charles to develop a doting nature - or at least he got much closer to it with Kit than he did with Kit's older-brother-by-eight-years, Halyon. Halyon was allowed to embrace his free, adventurous spirit as a child, and as he grew. Kit was not.
Even from his youngest years, Kit was kept cooped-up in various libraries and labratories as his father labored away at his research, sure to never let the lad stray too far from his sight. This left Kit with little more to do than.. well, reserach things himself. Much to his father's enjoyment, books became a big part of Kit's life. It wasn't entirely out of necessity-for-activity that Kit read, though. He soon came to find that he quite enjoyed learning. He was good at it. He absorbed piles upon piles of books - much to Charles' elation. He would often find himself surprised at the offhand comments Kit made that showed just how much he learned from his environment. Which, honestly, shouldn't have been that surprising, considering the seemingly boundless wealth of knowledge allotted to him through his father's work.
But, in the end.. books were just that. Paper and ink. He could absorb words all day and night. But it wasn't.. enough for him. How could it be, with the whole world out there for him to explore? It's what his mother sought to see, so why shouldn't it be the same for him?
In the months following his demand for more freedom, the relationship with his father grew strained. The older man would often brush off his son's questions by zoning in on his work - which served only to push Kit further towards the outside world. Eventually, it was enough.
Kit declared his intent to leave, much to the shock of his father. But there was no changing Kit's mind. He was leaving to see the world that his mother had loved so much. It was with great effort and urging that Charles managed to get Kit to wait for an upcoming visit that Halyon, who was on his own Pokemon journey, had scheduled.
It was at the tail-end of said visit that Kit bid a heartfelt farewell to his brother, his father, and the only life he'd ever really known. But during that fairwell he received a gift that his loved ones could only hope would keep him safe in the unpredictable wilds of Kanto. From his brother and father he recieved a pair of Jangmo-o - who were now old enough to depart from their family and start their own journey, just like him.
With this gift, and an unquenchable thirst for adventure, he set out on his own path. It's been but a few months since he began, and alongside him stands his faithful companions. And they're on their way to Mt. Moon.
Personality:
The mostly-dark tones of Kittyan's immediate appearance do little to make him feel approachable, in combination with the stoic expression that usually graces his face. His features are not particularly soft or rigid, which can make it difficult to tell his emotions through his face, as any changes that get through would likely be subtle.
However, Kit isn't exactly a hardcase. While he has a mostly methodical and logical mindset, he only holds emotions at an arm's length because he is not accustomed to addressing the subject with people his age. This unfamiliarity extends to other interactions as well, as the nature of his childhood saw him left with few friends.
When it comes to his outlook on places and people around him, there's mixed emotions. While he's an incredibly adventurous soul and skips no opportunity to learn more about things, he also often feels awkward around others. The only intimate relationships he has experienced have been with family - his father and brother. As such, he can sometimes find himself flustered when faced with a social situation he doesn't know how to handle.
Shyvr stands 5'6" in height and weighs about 140lbs, making him rather petite for a guy his age. This, coupled with his girlish shape and collar-length, cherry-red hair make it easy for him to be confused as a girl. And it surely doesn't help that he often wears clothes that are more feminine - though in truth, he just likes things that are cute, and pays little mind to what he looks like to others. This more often than not leads him to be mostly clueless to things like his hair being unkempt or his outfit being overly eye-catching. Aside from his physical assets, Shyvr usually carries himself lightly, with a hint of air-headedness.Ref 2
Personality
Despite Shyvr's smallish stature, he is more than capable of expressing a big personality. He is a very adventurous individual, exceptionally hard-headed, often air-headed, and an overall easygoing person. Despite his colorful identity, he is actually an ambivert, and has his moments of being more cool or serious - it really depends on the situation at hand.
"Honestly - get out of my goddamn face. Ain't got nothin' to say to you."
_______________________________________________ Zeltzin Sandoval She/Her | 27 | Hispanic (Mexican) | 5'8" (69.6in) | 142lbs _______________________________________________ Stubborn _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "You learn some things, growin' up like I did." ___________________________________
[Persuasive] ⫻ Even after her accident, Zeltzin is a very.. persuasive person. She can usually manage to get her way, whether it be through deception, intimidation, or just raw muscle. [Coordinated] ⫻ Zeltzin is very coordinated, both physically and mentally. She is fast and accurate with her movements, especially when it comes to handling tools, gear, vehicles, etc. and is a strong and fast thinker, giving her an edge in high-speed situations. Of course, her leg limits her somewhat. [Adrenaline-fiend] ⫻ Zeltzin is.. well, she has a history of pushing herself past her limits. She always knows when to stop - but doesn't always care. She can push much further than others once she's hopped up on the high of the moment - or if she just doesn't care anymore. This obviously has some less-than-ideal long-term effects, but don't tell her that.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "..nah, it doesn't fuckin' hurt at all."
If one were to try and describe Zeltzin's appearance in one term, "simplistically beautiful" wouldn't be far from the truth. While nothing about her particularly stands out from the norm, with her features combined she is admittedly quite attractive - even if her personality doesn't exactly match.
Zeltzin possesses a narrowly-heart-shaped face that, while naturally expressive, is usually relegated to some form of surly countenance. Said face is framed loosely by chest-length, thick brown hair that contrasts somewhat with her lighter, yet smoothly-tanned, skin. The darker composition of her features continues finally with her eyes, which are a simple, dark brown - which, next to her thickish, expressive brows, appear somehow piercing, despite their relative lack of animation.
Her Hispanic genes don't just stop at her face, of course. Apart from being a bit taller than average at 5'8", Zeltzin is still a relatively petite figure, aside from the curvaceousness of her lower half. This "daintiness", however, is far from who she really is. Closer inspection reveals her to have a particularly toned physique, with definite focus on her biceps and abdominals.
One would rarely be able to notice such features withal, due to the unrevealing nature of her wardrobe. Leather jackets, long-sleeved Ts, jeans, pants, jean jackets, boots, and things of the like are common for her. She cares little for others opinions on her apparel, and wears what she wears usually to suit a certain function, or to fit her own tastes.
All-in-all, Zeltzin is devoid of any truly glaring features, except one -- a noticeable limp which is often accompanied by abated grimaces - something that oddly polarizes her status as an otherwise healthy young woman.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "What's it even matter?? Qué maldito fastidio.."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Zeltzin doesn't really.. have a main goal in life, really. For most of it she just.. goes with what she's been given. She makes a living where she can and never really thinks too far past that point. But, if she had to think about it.. she really wouldn't have it another way - living life one foot in front of the other is probably what suits her best.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ What happens, happens. There's not much point in dwelling over things that have ailed you. Shrugging it off, shoving past it, or just ignoring your problems may not be the "healthiest" or whatever, but it works, for the mostpart.
SECRETS ⫻ Zeltzin has semi-recently developed a dependency for pain medication.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Bisexual
FEARS ⫻ Zeltzin's greatest fear is being left alone to cope with her pain.
WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻ Eleanor and Zeltzin had a deeply loving romantic relationship before Ms. Black's sudden disappearance. Before then, Eleanor was the only shoulder that Zeltzin could lean on after a brutal motorcycle accident left her leg ravaged. Eleanor was the only thing that drove her to get back in the saddle again, and for that, among other things, Zeltzin is forever indebted to her. After Eleanor's disappearance, though, Zeltzin has grown more and more bad-tempered and testy.
FLAWS ⫻ Zeltzin not only has a pretty short fuse and an unapproachable disposition, but is also a rather poor cooperator. She has her own reasons to look for Eleanor, and couldn't give less fucks about anybody else's. Additionally, she has a nasty addiction to painkillers, due to a piece of shrapnel imbedded in her leg having caused nerve-damage.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "It's nothin' special."
Zeltzin's upbringing was nothing if not a bit.. rough. It could've been worse - but it could've been much better - at least in some folk's eyes.
Being raised in a not-so-well-off area of town by a struggling single mother, she did not enjoy as many luxuries as others did, nor did she get to experience much of any sort of family dynamic. Her mother was always working to support them, leaving Zeltzin to her own devices. Growing up, she had decent grades and less-than-decent friends, with little desire to really change anything about her circumstances. She was just "content", if you could call it that. Ganging up with the "wrong" crowds didn't seem too bad to her - what wasn't there to like about booze, cash, and freedom from the expectations of bosses or whatever?
In fact, Zeltzin enjoyed the freedom of such a lifestyle so much that she had begun making moves towards becoming a career criminal, of sorts. She was making connections - connections that valued her ability to swindle, muscle, or otherwise acquire certain goods from certain crowds.
At least, that was true until she faced a brutal motorcycle accident that sent her directly into emergency care.
It took months upon months for her to recover. Considering the depth and severity of her injuries, which mostly encompassed her right leg, right arm, and torso, Zeltzin's doctors had a tough run of returning her to her former functionality. For the most part, she recuperated very well. However, the depth of damage to her right leg was quite severe - a few pieces of shrapnel having caused nerve-damage - and some of said shrapnel being inoperable due to its precarious location.
This left Zeltzin utterly defeated. She was physically broken and, though she wouldn't admit it, terrified of even thinking about riding again. And she would have been financially fucked, too, if she didn't have the connections she did to cover the sizable medical fees.
But.. fate did not have only destruction in mind for her.
Due to the long-term nature of her wound and the atrophy her leg went through as she healed, if Zeltzin wanted to ever walk or run again, physical therapy was a necessity. And that was how, through the contrite hand of fate, she met the love of her life - Eleanor Black.
Eleanor Black was her physical therapist, and eventually, a reason to carry on for Zeltzin. While it was rocky at first, they eventually began to fall for each other, and grew to be more than just therapist-patient.
Over a year later, the two moved in together. And Eleanor somehow got Zeltzin to get back in the saddle of a motorbike again. After a few years, Zeltzin had moved on to more clean enterprises - eventually earning a living through racing semi-professionally instead of the suspicious tracks she had been into before. Life was turning up for her.
And then.. Eleanor vanished.
Without a trace, the love of her life was gone. Zeltzin was worried. Confused. Angry. Eleanor never returned, and Zeltzin was heartbroken. Life had taken everything from her again. And this time there was nobody there to help her get through it.
After Eleanor's disappearance, Zeltzin's demeanor soured considerably. Her chill, carefree, adventurous bearing rotted away into something more.. cross with the world. Now, people only describe her as "surly", "crabby", or "asshole".
But, she still holds.. something close to her heart. As evident by her discovery of an online medium through which there were a bunch of strangers trying to find her Eleanor. If she weren't looking for it, she never could've found such a thing.
So, it seemed there was only one option.. she was going to Quintin, Louisiana. She wasn't going to let a bunch of strangers go on a manhunt for Eleanor without her. And.. part of her thought that maybe, just maybe, they could find something. Anything.
And not once did it cross her mind that she might not know Eleanor was well as she thought.
Paranormal-Abilities ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Bullshit."
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ".."
Technically, Zeltzin has been suggested a cane, but refuses to use it. She does carry it on her bike, though.
Much to his chagrin, Ruuka is often mistaken as a girl. And most - excluding Ruuka himself - would forgive one for thinking so at first, as his visage is rather girlish. Although his somewhat-unkempt hair is indeed short, it is also bright and soft-looking, and has a pastel-orange color. It frames a fair-skinned, heart-shaped face adorned with thin, expressive eyebrows and similarly-expressive, deep green eyes. Apart from his bright orange hair, Ruuka doesn't really have anything particular to note about him, physically. Admittedly, he is rather petite - standing at 5'4" and possessing a lithe frame with little visible muscle to speak of, he is pretty soft-seeming. Him being mistaken as a girl isn't helped by the fact that he often dresses in androgynous clothing or styles that are slightly baggy. He mostly values comfort and cuteness in his wardrobe.
APPEARANCE (ESPER):
When it comes to how he looks in his esper form, well.. things change quite a bit. When he is transformed, Ruuka takes the form of a woman. In this shape, he is glaringly much more imposing than before. His short hair is instead now far longer - reaching down to his butt in multiple thick, unkempt layers - and is multiple shades darker. His face is now even more feminine, with his brows being a tad thicker and more aggressively expressive, like his eyes - which are now a touch paler. His skin is also a few shades darker. When it comes to physique, he stands out quite a lot. In his esper form he now stands at an intimidating 6'4", with visibly impressive musculature in his arms, thighs, etc. He is also, naturally, much curvier, with more womanly proportions replacing his previously-girlish hips and thighs, as well as his chest. Finally, he is bizarrely bestowed with a couple animalistic features in this form. Atop his head rests a pair of rounded, soft-furred cat ears. His forearms and hands are replaced with large feline paws. He also now possesses a long, reactive tail, as well as sharp fangs.
GRIMIORE:
Ruuka's Grimoire is very mundane in appearance - a simple ring. The ring is black and made of some unidentified gemstone, and is only distinguishable from other rings by the three simple vertical lines across what one can only assume is its face.
Ruuka's Instrument, hilariously dubbed "Meowitzer", takes the form of a rifle. The Meowitzer is a long, heavy-looking revolving-rifle with a dark-red shell. However, despite possessing the visage of a gun, Ruuka doesn't use it as traditionally as one might think. Instead of shooting bullets, the Meowitzer is used as a show-piece for shooting melodies out of, and as a melee weapon.
GRADE: Silver KEYWORD: Quarterstaff DAMAGE TYPE: Physical DAMAGE: C SPEED: B SENTINEL: E SPECIAL: Battery - Targets struck by Meowitzer count as airborne for the next Push note.
STYLE: Felid Form
Felid Form represents the drastic changes Ruuka undertakes in his esper form. Alongside his physical feline features, he also develops the senses of a cat, too. Aside from his bodily alterations, Ruuka's Esper-form clothing consists of random shirtless t-shirts and jeans. It usually comes with a spiked collar as well.
GRADE: Silver PHYSICAL: D ARCANE: D CHAOS: C SPECIAL: Catastrophe - When the straits are most dire, Ruuka's senses heighten to more closely resemble a cat's. If he is below 20% mana or suffering from a wound that would be fatal if left untreated, his vision, hearing, and sense of smell spike, making him more able to register details and react to danger.
GENRE: Arcane Crackshot
Ruuka's casting prowess centers around his ability to visually dissect opportunities to employ impressive trickshots and feats of sharpshooting with projectile melodies.
GRADE: Gold ELEMENT: Gravity NOTES: [Weightless (4), Suspend (4)], Damage (2), Damage X (6), Push (2), Blink (4), Scatter (2), Mark (0), Trap (0), Enhance (2), Quicken (0), Bounce (2), Piercing (2), Recoil (2) SPECIAL: Trickshooter - When Ruuka's melody with the [Bounce] note bounces, its effects are enhanced by one rank, instead of lowered, up to rank A.
LEITMOTIF: Feline's Fortune
Cats are often deemed rather lucky creatures. Useful trait, right?
GRADE: Bronze SPECIAL: Ruuka has never managed to trip over his own tail :)
GRADE: Bronze SPECIAL: Ruuka's Fuzzy Cuffs are tiger-striped.
BACKUP: N/A
GRADE: -- SPECIAL: --
FACTION:
Freelancer
TRIVIA:
When it comes to personality, Ruuka could be described as a tad hot-headed. He's forward, often boisterous, cocky, and quite competitive. Funnily enough, he is also easily flustered - which doesn't bode too well for him considering he has a silly chuuni-ish idea that he's more capable than he really is. But what he lacks in his human form, his esper form is where he really gets to revel in his self-confidence - as he has something to actually be confident in. It doesn't help that his esper form makes him a tad more aggressive.
This isn't all to say that Ruuka is incapable of thinking critically, however. While he most definitely makes some rash decisions sometimes, he isn't dumb. He knows if he's a little too far out of his league, but sees most chances as one worth taking - maybe it's an ego thing. Nevertheless, he can strategize - even in his human form he has a sharp eye for details. Notably, Ruuka is not very well-versed in reading people, and as such is kinda gullible, and sometimes awkward. He can't read social situations very well.
Ruuka's story is a simple one - not all that special. He's an only child who was homeschooled by his birthparents, and led a pretty normal life up until a couple years ago. Born in the states to a mother and father who were Irish and Japanese, respectively, Ruuka was never fortunate enough to have siblings, cousins, or really any other family aside from his parents. This, alongside the fact that he was homeschooled, left almost all of his social interaction to be had on the internet, over videogames and other similar mediums. Fortunately, his lack of a social life was the heaviest of his life's troubles. His parents were wealthy, one a doctor and one a scientist of some kind, which left Ruuka rather spoiled - at least for material things.
Said wealth, however, was not entirely a boon - depending on how you looked at it. This wealth would eventually, if indirectly, lead to Ruuka's introduction into the supernatural world. At some point around two-and-a-half years ago, Ruuka and his parents moved homes. They made a new nest in an old, though well-kept, mansion. Said mansion was huge - simply far too much for the three of them alone to explore. Yet one particular, secluded part of said mansion called out to Ruuka. An attic-ish area with a bay window and old, canvas-padded seats was where Ruuka found himself drawn. It was there that he'd find an item that would change his life -- his grimoire. A small, black ring sitting alone, right beneath the window. After that day, he found himself thrust into the world of the supernatural.
It was something he hid from his parents - but he was, fortunately, lucky enough to quickly learn to keep himself alive without outside help. He never received proper mentorship from anyone in particular, but is almost entirely self-taught in his prowess and knowledge of the supernatural - picking up information, details, and whatever else he might need over the years by his lonesome. He has established himself a couple contacts - as he does solid work as a Freelancer - but is ultimately a stranger to most. Luckily, he is quite wealthy due to the gross fortune of his family as a whole - which is pretty damn useful.
Ruuka is trying hard to find the perfect title for when he grows popular in the supernatural world; currently his 'best' ones are "Cat's-Eye Crackshot" and "Felid Fusilier"...
Ruuka is, perhaps surprisingly, an erudite enjoyer of physics. He's well-read in the field of physics and its branches, and often finds it handy to understand physics when he's trying to bank sick trickshots off of people's mailboxes.
While he absolutely adores the rain, he loathes getting wet while in his Esper form. His fur gets all soppy and heavy.
Appearance: If you were to ask one to recall Caiman's appearance by memory, the lion's share of people would ration you the recollection of a shorter-than-average man clad in a dark palette consisting of black or brown leathers and furs, grey cloths, or perhaps a rare-few other articles of muted blues or greens. Whatever they might recall, they very likely would remember that they'd not seen the Knight Commander void of his armet - lest they were the Steward, his advisors, or perhaps one of some fellow Knight Commanders.
Caiman's appearance without his armet is one that conveys a youth perhaps a touch more green than is really true of him. His face is shaped with soft yet angular features, he has fair, unmarred skin, and possesses short, inky-black hair. In truth, he wears his armet more often than is considered apt due to the tendency of some of his comrades to patently underestimate him for his ostensible youthfulness, much to his chagrin. But Caiman is certainly not incapable. When it comes to physique, Caiman does stand noticeably on the shorter side at 5'6", but possesses a lean musculature and a slender appearance.
He holds himself with a natural, dutiful countenance. When one has the opportunity to see his face, they'll likely see a very neutral visage with watchful, golden-hazel eyes. Ironically, Caiman's features are quite demonstrative when they have cause to be - his brows, eyes, lips, etc. are very expressive when it comes to the rare-few times he experiences particularly strong, or perhaps alien, emotions.
Personality:
Caiman seems to posses an.. oddly fluctuating sense of impersonalness. While he has shown evident loyalty and a large measure of investment in his kingdom and nation, he is, in most circumstances, seemingly very-well emotionally regulated. A neutral, dutiful aura is likely one which even the most Caiman-familiar Knight Commanders have rarely seen him deviate from. It is a feature, among several, that made, or make, him a notable knight - for keeping a cool head at all times is not always an easy task, even for some veterans.
In sooth, this is not to say that Caiman is emotionless, for this is clearly untrue. His impassive visage is not a cold or dry one - he is simply.. not very expressive, in general. In fact, there have been times when Caiman has shown emotions. When his father, Knight Commander Ritter Black, passed, Caiman was one of many men to shed a tear, or several, at his funeral. Further still, he can respond to lesser encouragements as well - Knight Commander Lerkley Polk, a long-time friend of his father, has been known to cause Caiman to crack a small smile, on occasion.
Regardless of the circumstances, Caiman is known as a knight that is utmost emotionally reliable - whether he finds himself stepping through the gore and viscera of a massacre, or blade-to-throat midst his own mortal peril, his level-headedness is something to be sure of.
Aside from how he reacts to the things around him, Caiman has a solid moral compass. Beside his loyalty to his kingdom and the straight-faced comradery he shares with his fellow Knight Commanders, he is one to uphold good and help where he can, even if he has to do a little bad to accomplish his goals. When it comes to how he treats his enemies, enemies of his nation, or ne'er-do-wells in general - he performs unyieldingly, yet humanely. He has, however, been known to handle particularly heinous malefactors with treatment a touch harsher than the norm.
Background:
It'd be truthful to say Caiman was raised to be a knight. Born to be a knight, as his late father would say. Knight Commander Ritter Black was a man who valued honor, virtue, and above all else, family. Even moreso the family that was young Caiman Black, when the birth of the boy caused his wife's passing. It was from his youngest age that Ritter entered Caiman onto the path that would lead him to become a knight - as he wished nothing more than for his son to see the life of luxury and honor that he had made for himself.
The duo resided in the capital of Alveria, Olenta, where Ritter Black served in his duties to the crown as a Knight Commander. As such, it was often that young Caiman found himself cared after by only the best of sitters until an age where he would become a squire, and would be taken under the wing of his father full-time. In truth, his upbringing was rather regular for a boy on the path of knighthood. He developed pretty regularly in his training when it came to the matters of heraldry, chivalry, courtly affairs, etc., but there was a particular shift when it came to the young Caiman's affinity for matters of warfare.
His father spotted in him an irregularly sharp aptitude for swordsmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship, and all other manner of depths of combaterie. Whether it was due to a particular interest in these practices or an exceptionally keen natural inclination, the young squire picked up on techniques very naturally and effectively, and often digested manuals much faster than his father and tutors anticipated. By the time the young lad was approaching the age around which he would start transitioning to knighthood, his progress was well past what any of them would deem acceptable. So much so that his father, who was one of the most trusted Knight-Commanders to the Lord Steward, entered him into knighthood a touch early.
It was from there that Caiman Black quickly made a name for himself ahead of his peers. In his role as a knight, he displayed an unshakeable grip on his usefulness to his kingdom and his ability to improve himself as the highest class of soldier. Even from a place of parity, it was often that Caiman found even accomplished knights seeking his counsel in matters of warfare or swordsmanship, or even seeking rapport with him due to his growing reputation.
All-in-all, Caiman's adult life was just what his father had hoped for him, and much more. It was this pacifying thought that made his father's passing a touch more digestible for Caiman. Ritter Black could, at least, die proud of his son.
The death being some two years ago, it was not terribly long before Caiman Black took his father's place as a Knight Commander - though a rather young one. But, it was in his father's wishes to the Lord Steward and the fellow Commanders to welcome Caiman into that fold - a realm in which he has not disappointed.
Rune Affinity (if applicable): To-be-revealed.
Skills & Abilities: Caiman is a masterful wielder of most types of traditional weapons, be they swords, daggers, mauls, flails, etc. Paramount among his most favored weapons are Spears, Swords, Lucerne Hammers, and Crossbows. He is also a very gifted technical grappler - and fortunately so, for his small stature makes him vulnerable to being pinned. Furthermore, he is an incredible rider. The agility and precision with which he controls and maneuvers his mount is impressive, even for a knight.
When it comes to mental warfare, Caiman is second to none in keeping his head. He's quick-witted and tactically intelligent. In truth, he's not a very inspiring commander when it comes to emotive morale-building, but his mere martial reputation has been enough before, in a pinch.
Aside his martial prowesses, Caiman is pretty ordinary in his skills as a knight, though he remembers the entirety of his training over the years with respectable accuracy.
Additional Details: As an infant, Caiman was plagued with a genetic illness for some weeks, but eventually managed to overcome it. In most-recent months, its return has delivered a shallow turn in his health. For the mostpart he seems alright, but for days at a time has experienced a sickly pallor, accompanied by a fever and cough.
Caiman, whether tending to his knightly duties or not, always carries a sword at his side, as most of status do. Caiman's sword is a pretty average one of roughly 35 inches in blade-length, and can be comfortably wielded in one or two hands. He also carries a Rondel dagger of about 14 inches in length. His favored weapon, though, is a spear measured six feet in total length with a 12 inch, double-edged blade.
Caiman is sidekick to a loveable canine named "Belabog". Most see her as more wolf than acceptable dog, but Caiman seems to have a soft spot for her nonetheless. She seems to respond pretty well to his attempts to train her, and he's confident she could probably be useful as a war hound of some kind, but he is reluctant to utilize her in that capacity.
"Grim-cub" is a, some would say silly, nicknamed bestowed upon him by the older Knight Commander Lerkley Polk, as a way to poke fun at Caiman's usual impersonal, watchful gaze. Much to Caiman's relief, the moniker has caught on with very few.
Caiman picked up the habit of always wearing an armet before he became a Knight Commander, and can't really shake it nowadays, though he truthfully hasn't tried too hard.
[ ❇ ] N A M E
Bat Standifur
[ ❇ ] O C C U P A T I O N
Professional Chef, Fighting-Type Ace
[ ❇ ] B A C K S T O R Y
Bat, alongside his twin brother Tyr, was born and raised in Hau'oli City, Alola, by their grandparents. Their childhood was a rather normal one, with the boys spending their time like any regular kids would - playing various games, watching television, schooling, and wishing they could go on epic Pokémon adventures. Their grandparents, who were a bit too old to be taking care of twins, often relied on the boys to take of them more often than the other way around. Bat was in charge of cooking and cleaning, whereas Tyr was tasked with taking care of and exercising their grandparent's Pokémon, much to Bat's chagrin.
Being caretaker to their grandparents caused the boys to grow fast. While, at first, Bat was a bit disgruntled at his being relegated to cooking for the family, there was something about it that gradually started to grow on him. He slowly found himself experimenting with each meal, much to the surprised enjoyment of his grandparents. After a time, he actually preferred cooking, and he would take any opportunity he could to rustle up a dish. His newfound hobby, however, would not overshadow his desires to become a Pokémon trainer - something that would change his and his brothers lives, for better and worse.
On the boys' 15th birthday, their grandparents presented each of them with a pokéball. The boys, elated, each went on their own little treks around their small part of the island, searching and contemplating what Pokémon they wanted to catch. Bat didn't end up taking so long to choose which Pokémon would become his first-ever partner, and within a day or two managed to catch a Rattata who he named Rawst after he found that berry to be its favorite. Tyr, however, took it upon himself to try and catch the strongest Pokémon he could find - being the much more reckless of the two brothers. It was a week or more that Tyr clung to that pokéball - every day after the next, he put himself in harm's way to prod at Pokémon and gauge whether he deemed them worthy to be his partner. One day it was a wild Ekans, the next it was an Ariados - and once it was even a Snorlax.
But Bat's brother was never satisfied, and took to recklessly searching the waters of Big Wave Beach, reasoning that only the strongest Pokémon would live around the more dangerous waves. On a particularly stormy day, Bat tried to stop his brother in his headlong schemes, but was too sickly to physically stop the other boy from endangering himself. And it was that day that something swept Tyr from the surface of the water, dragging him into the depths. A nearby beachgoer was only just swift enough to stop Bat from taking to the crashing waves after his brother and dooming himself to the same tempestuous fate.
From that day on, Bat has grown to fear the water a great deal - an ironic feature for an Alolan. It took some time for him to adjust to life after his brother, but he had to. For his grandparents. Their grief took an even greater toll on them, and he was now the only one they had to rely on. As he grew older and more capable, his desires to become a powerful trainer took the backburner to his culinary affinities. With his creativeness and natural culinary accuracy, he found himself picked up by a professional chef one day while attending classes. And this led him to great success in the world of gastronomy.
Despite his youth, he was extremely quick to pick up different techniques and cooking styles, and has grown to be seen as one of the brightest culinary minds. He has even, in his more recent years, co-hosted and co-sponsored various culinary events and venues. He has not yet been the sole proprietor of an establishment, but he has grown to be greatly respected in the world of culinary arts -- one of the best, especially for his age, many praise.
As he has grown more accomplished and capable of caring for his grandparents - namely by providing them with full-time care through his monetary success - he has, since his youth, opened up his palette for more of what he desired as a kid. Alongside being a very successful chef, Bat has also strengthened his affinity for Pokémon training. In fact, he is a respected Fighting-Type Ace - something that often surprises those who are fans of his culinary works. Not many know it, but one of Bat's goals in life is to own his own Gym that doubles as a restaurant.
But at the moment, Bat plans on truly testing himself and his battle-prowess - and what better way to do that than enjoy a visit to an up-and-coming battle resort? And even better - one that he himself sponsors!
[ ❇ ] P E R S O N A L I T Y
If one had never met him or seen a class of his, and went solely off of appearance, they would be forgiven for thinking Bat unapproachable. Despite his sickly pallor and usual dark, sophisticated look, he is actually a rather light-hearted individual. While he tends to keep to himself while unprompted, this is not always true, and he is known for making nice with most everyone he interacts with - and isn't known to be a stranger to joking or teasing.
He is, in general, a pretty amicable individual, even if his sickly state tends to drive people off who meet him in person.
The most discernable gift Caiman possesses is the ability to bring what seems like life to mundane objects. He can do so in two ways - the first one being a simple gesture that allows him to control simple objects with his basic thoughts, and the second being a deeper, more concentrated effort by Caiman to release an object from the bindings of its mundane form and create a new bond with the object. In this gift's second form, the rite takes a bit longer depending on how complicated the structure of the object is or how many parts it has, but after it has been completed, most of the object's rigidity of form is gone and it can take shapes it otherwise could not. These animated objects are technically bound to Caiman, but have their own free will - though in the vast majority of cases, they are subservient to their animator.
▸ Gallick is the result of many experiments combining different materials over a lengthy period of time. It is Caiman's most formidable animation to date, and one that he is very proud, and protective, of. ▸ One of Caiman's most useful animations in day-to-day life is one that he created despite the detestation of his medical advisors. The object in question is what was once a mundane synthetic arm, but it has now undergone numerous modifications by Caiman, and is more articulate than one might expect. ▸ Another of Caiman's common animations takes the form of a Great Dane - but one made of a dull, smoothed bronzish material. Originally this dog was a statue in a local park, but it was animated and stolen by Caiman when he was younger. Were one to touch it, the metal actually exudes a soft warmth.
Secondary ▸ Machinative Mind
While Caiman is not formally educated in manners of engineering or advanced mechanics, his gift grants him insight into such activities and the objects related to them. Gathering materials and/or specific appliances to meld into his animations makes it easier to manipulate more complicated forms onto the beings after the Rite. While unclear if it is related to his gift, Caiman's exceptionally sharp memory helps him retain a lot of this insight despite his lack of study on the subjects.
Tertiary ▸ Animator's Eyes
Caiman's gift grants him the ability to pinpoint any artificial life he is familiar with, as long as it resides on the same plane he does. It also allows him to perceive using the senses of his Animations, at the price of his own, for as long as he chooses.
Ayana's most immediately outstanding feature is her long, hip-length midnight-blue hair. One would be hard-pressed to find her without it up in a ponytail though, in which case it only falls to the middle of her back. Her slightly untidy hair is only a few shades darker than her cool blue eyes, which seem to survey her surroundings with a hint of scrutiny that doesn't often fade.
The cool, dark aspects of her natural features carry over to her wardrobe as well. Ayana chooses her clothes based purely off of function, picking comfortable stuff without much flair to it - which, when combined with her usual sober expressions, can grant her a rather unapproachable visage.
When it comes to physique, Ayana is somewhat average, standing at 5'11". She does, however, weigh a tad bit more than the average, due to the defined musculature granted by her regular training - not so much so that one would notice at a glance, though.
Personality:
Ayana is a generally reserved individual, preferring to listen rather than talk. When she does talk, however, one wouldn't be blamed for thinking her a curt individual because- well, she kinda is. It seems she prefers to use as few words as makes sense to get her point across, which can leave the conversation rather dry, by most people's standards.
This is all true until Arlo comes into the picture. Her twin brother brings out a sense of rivalry in her that she doesn't seem to control well. While she is already a very competitive individual, her sibling only serves to enhance that further, causing her demeanor to be a bit more outgoing around him.
Much like his sister, Arlo possesses blue hair - though his is much shorter and cloudier in color. His unkempt hair is a close match to his bright-azure, energetic eyes. The energy behind such eyes matches his bright appearance, which comes in part from his jovial body language and fun wardrobe.
Arlo enjoys both comfortable and fashionable clothing, and takes pleasure in trying to find the perfect mix. His color palette really consists of anything he feels like wearing, but blue and gray are his favorite combo. He also enjoys matching with his sister - both because it's cute and it annoys her - so he will sometimes wear things outside of his zone.
When it comes to physique, Arlo is surprisingly rather fit. He has a lean and very well defined musculature - which he can attribute to his ardent training as a gymnast and acrobat of sorts. He often finds himself in competition with his sister, and as such never lets himself fall behind.
Personality:
Arlo is a much more outgoing individual than his twin. He's very talkative and exuberant, always looking to strike up a conversation or get into some sort of trouble - which he will almost always try to drag Ayana into. He's a bright personality and can be the life of the party in any situation. He's very competitive, much like his sister, and will never turn down a challenge if he can help it. He's been known to not be able to control his sharp tongue, or his "subtle" flirting.
Pokémon
Name:
Mish
Species:
Zorua
Gender:
Female
Ability:
Illusion
Moves:
Knock Off
Taunt
Copycat
Sucker Punch
Dark Pulse
Snatch
Name
Vesper A. Laurier
Age
23
Place of Residence
Glenview Apartment Complex: Second floor, Fourth room - #204.
Personality Traits
Although Vesper is confident and competitive once you get to know her, she's a bit of a wallflower to most. She's fun-loving and adventurous, but is more likely to take a less vocal approach to a conversation than most others, as she doesn't particularly enjoy being the center of attention. She has a broad sense of humor and doesn't hold her tongue, especially when she has something sarcastic to say.
Although she seems content to adopt a lowbrow or flippant visage, she is not without her deeper flaws. She tends to bottle her emotions, feeling they're only really relevant to her. She also has trouble trusting others in general. It is not unusual for her to be seen alone, but notably, she cannot stand silence- so she puts herself at arm's distance from others.
Background
Vesper was born in Albany, NY to a pair of White-collar parents who'd been together for four years. She was an only child, and as such, received all of their attention. Although her father was a politician and was regularly very busy, Vesper's mother was a teacher and took it upon herself to dote over their daughter both at home and at school. It was a welcome development to her mother that Vesper showed signs of advanced learning from a rather young age- and she wasted no time enrolling her daughter in advanced classes.
She attended these classes for a time before they discovered that Vesper had some form of neurodevelopement disorder. This disorder didn't have any blatant effects on the social side of her brain, but it did provide - or inflict upon, depending on how you look at it - Vesper a heightened predisposition for memorizing things. Smells, tastes, things she sees or hears; are all things Vesper can recall seemingly years after they are no longer relevant. As she grew older, Vesper came to both appreciate her condition as well as detest it. Although it was useful with her studies, she often found that she couldn't calm her brain, at times. This, combined with the constant pressure from her parents to be academically excellent, caused the girl a lot of stress in her later teen years.
Although she was more than happy reading and learning on her own time, Vesper soon came to despise going to school- it began to feel more like a prison than a place of education. And her mom was liken to an ever-watchful warden. In her last year of highschool, she decided to take matters into her own hands and removed herself from advanced classes, and resorted to stealing alcohol from her parents to calm her nerves. This didn't bode well with her parents, and the household quickly spiraled downward until Vesper finally decided to leave. She bunked up with her best friend at the time until she was able to work up some extra cash at tattoo parlor she'd temporarily hooked up with.
Eventually she'd scraped together enough cash to move away from all the things that made her feel like tearing her hair out- and city-hopscotched her way over to Boston Massachusetts, where she has been living for a bit over a year. The Glenview Apartments have been a peaceful home to her for the last four or so months- at least, as peaceful as it can get when you're getting shitfaced every other night.
Other Info
- Vesper works at a tattoo parlor, which she very much enjoys. - She adores her motorcycle. - Her birth name was Victoria, but she had it legally changed before she moved to Boston. - Vesper is a big fan of mma and practices it occasionally. - Vesper has a straight-line tattoo below her lip on the left side of her chin, and the fingers of her left hand have thick solid-black rings tattooed around each of them. - Vesper has developed a nasty Alcohol dependency, and feels the need to imbibe at least once a day, if not more.
Shizuko's most immediately noticeable feature is her slightly unkempt, snow-white hair. It is cut short, and frames her heart-shaped face well, giving her a naturally soft veneer. Her usually-sober expression, as well as the two long-healed scars upon her face, however, betray this softness. Her dark green eyes contrast her white hair and pale skin, giving her a subtly alert look that some may not notice.
She has a slim but leanly muscular frame, which doesn't truly divulge her enhanced strength. She is, however, rather short at 5'4". She has a small-ish bust and a naturally healthy posture.
When it comes to fashion, Shizuko isn't particularly picky. She favors clothing which isn't too restrictive, as she prefers a more natural feel. This, although she is a modest girl, can make for some less-than-modest clothing choices at times, as Human social conventions aren't exactly her strong suit. Fortunately, her favorite outfit is only really revealing of her shoulders.
Shizuko's wolf form is elegant, lean and strong. Her coat is white as white can be, and is very thick and soft. Her slim snout and deep green eyes give her a graceful visage - but such a look can easily be turned to something much scarier with a snarl and a display of her many, sharp teeth.
Personality
To mortals, Shizuko can seem liked a mixed bag. While the neutral expression that passively plays across her face doesn't exactly make her stand out, once one gets to know Shizuko they realize how buoyant and curious she can be. The girl quickly becomes attached to those who show her any form of kindness, or even attention for that matter - almost like a dog. She is obviously not well-accustomed to human social norms, as her understanding of personal space and privacy is quite limited. Oddly enough, the girl seems to see Humans, even those who she's just met, as some sort of close "cousin". She's a very energetic girl, and her calm visage is easy to break into excitement or curiosity.
Despite a somewhat-airheaded nature, Shizuko is rather good at her duties as an operative. She's observative, intelligent, and has great instincts. Her normal demeanor does not betray the fierceness with which she defends her friends and those she is charged to protect.
History
Being the close child of a god, Shizuko's life up to this point has been, perhaps surprisingly to some, largely uneventful. She was upbrought within the realm of her father, Horkew Kamuy, and as such has been rather sheltered, unexposed to the realm of Humans for the most part. Growing up alongside her many brothers and sisters isn't what one would expect. The duality of their nature made it a bit weird - some of them preferred their human forms, where others preferred the canid ones. Because they lived within the luxurious realm of Horkew Kamuy's shrines and traditional mansions though, they had little to worry about in regards to social norms - and followed more of an animalistic style of communality.
Shizuko found herself somewhere amongst the top third in the social ranks of her kin. She wasn't as strong-willed as some of her brothers and sisters, but she was moreso than most of them. This led to an interesting proposal of sorts as the girl grew older. Horkew Kamuy was renowned for his amiable relationship with the human realm - it was where his wife came from, afterall - and as such, it wasn't rare for him to send aid to the Humans in times of need. Considering his children were of Yokai-Human blood, it was less likely that they'd be treated poorly as well. These facts made it a sensible proposition to send his children down to help protect both the lives of Humans, as well as Yokai.
Shizuko was one of these chosen children. She has been living in the Human realm for about a quarter-year, training and working as an operative of the Akasha Agency - to ensure the safety of her Human ancestral-half. She occasionally visits her kin, and regularly communicates with them through prayer.
▸ Wolf-God Child ◂ Children of The White Wolf God have a natural affinity towards the Arts, each one of them maintaining different propinquities based on their own personality. Each of them also possesses a deep-rooted well of spiritual energy fueled by the ancient anger of Horkew Kamuy himself, which can manifest itself differently in each of his children. In Shizuko, this well of energy manifests in raw physicality when she manages to unleash it. In addition, children of Horkew Kamuy enjoy enhanced senses and physicality in their human form, and can also shapeshift into the form of a wolf.
• Anger Unbinding: In combination with her natural affinity towards Seihon, Shizuko can perform a short ritual that unleashes her well of ancestral spiritual energy. Unleashing this energy transforms her body into that of a large, animalistic beast much akin to what some would call a "Werewolf". In this form it takes an immense amount of willpower to control her actions, but in exchange she gains monstrous strength and durability, and powerful regenerative abilities. • Wolf-kin Body: Shizuko is capable of shifting into the body of a seemingly mundane Hokkaido wolf with snow-white fur. This form is mostly ritualistic in nature, but can find use on the field occasionally. • Enhanced Physicality: In her human form, Shizuko's strength and agility are both increased by approximately twenty percent, making her more physically capable than her unassuming stature might suggest. She has an oddly profound sense of coordination that seems out of place in a human body. • Enhanced Senses: Shizuko's senses are also enhanced in her human form, offering her impressively acute senses of smell, sight, and hearing, akin to that of a wolf.
Arts Specifics
▸ Seihon ◂ Shizuko's heritage grants her affinity towards the Seihon school of arts, which allows her a number of restrictive and protective maneuvers alike. She uses this school in a unique way at times, especially when she unleashes her ancestral powers - reverse-engineering its teachings, one could say.
• [Signature Spell] Spiritual Rend: Shizuko's digits can manifest ethereal claws that she uses to sunder the otherworldly effects of her foes. From rending attacks apart to disabling delicate runes or traps, these claws have a multitude of defensive uses. • [Signature Spell] Ethereal Shackles: Shizuko can summon sets of energy-stifling shackles. These otherworldly irons inflict upon the detainee a sort of sluggishness(unless they are deemed an ally by Shizuko), and prevents them from using extraordinary means of escape(such as teleportation, intangibility, body alteration, etc.). The shackles can be broken by Yokai if enough effort is applied. • [Signature Spell] Wolfwill: Shizuko can summon up to two 'shields' of transparent energy, each being able to take up two square meters(21 square feet) of space. These 'shields' can take any shape Shizuko wishes, and are particularly well-suited for blocking spiritual/magical attacks. Unfortunately the resistance they offer against physical threats is little more than that of a shōji screen, but they have the special ability to flash-chill or lacerate attackers that break them.
• [Ritual] Spiritual Shell: Shizuko can employ this ritual to provide those affected a protective shield that they trigger at will to cleanse themselves of all current magical debuffs or maladies. This shield will trigger automatically should the protectee be afflicted with magic cancellation or any form of mind control. There are a few components to this ritual, which include an animal shell(be it a shed snake or insect skin, a turtle shell, etc.), a drop of blood from each protectee, and a soft-pointed star-shaped rune to stand in.
▸ Gishiki ◂ Children of The White Wolf God are usually well-learned in the art of diplomacy between Gods and spirits, seeking to keep healthy relationships with them and never wishing to step upon their toes.
Cali is a rather petite guy, standing at only 5'4" and weighing about 128lbs. Despite this, he has a lithe, cat-like musculature to him that one might only notice if they were studying him, for some reason. Aside from this hidden muscularity, Cali is rather soft-looking in physique; gentle angles and clear, fair, soft skin all contribute to a largely more feminine appearance. Alongside wider hips and a more prominent rump, with his short stature, he is often mistaken for a girl. Which always prompts a flustered scolding. Aside from his figure, one of the many things one may notice about Cali is his creamy blonde hair - that he is content to leave slightly unkempt - which contrasts interestingly with the dark-amethyst shade of his expressive eyes. This attributes to a slightly-exotic look which can draw a few eyes - but he seems mostly unaware of his own space in the social area around him - which can occasionally make him seem a bit airheaded.
Name: Chise Nozaki
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Appearance: Chise stands 5'4" in height and weighs about 124lbs, making him relatively petite. Despite this unimposing stature though, he carries himself with a form of unthoughtful confidence that one might expect to see from an especially-airheaded lion. Chise, though, is far from a lion. Alongside his petite stature he possesses soft features, and nape-length, unkempt black hair that frames his face loosely. This dark hair is in direct contrast to his fair skin and bright, blizzard-blue eyes, which look surprisingly piercing once focused on something. Additionally, the only musculature to his frame appears in his legs, and only due to the fact that he enjoys running. The accumulation of his features, alongside the fact that Chise likes to wear loose, "fun" clothing, leave him appearring quite androgynous - as most aren't even sure of his gender until they ask - and even then, he occasionally has fun with a little fib.
Personality: Were one to describe Chise's personality in one phrase, they might use the term "Wildcard". While this may appear to be true to anyone but his closest friends, there is some degree of nuance behind it. In truth, Chise does appear to have a care-free, bright disposition. He's very easily described as outgoing, and is often the most likely in a group to try and engage with others. He is a lover and proliferator of jokes and playful banter, and is always game for an adventure. It has been said by fellow students that one can rarely predict what Chise will do next.
Chise, however, is not one-dimensional. In fact, he is far more observative and thoughtful than one might think. One might even say he's too thoughtful. Verily, he takes any current situation in which he finds himself, and dissects it piece-by-piece in the back of his mind, almost like breathing. This meticulously thorough predisposition, while sometimes useful, is in reality a safety mechanism and leads Chise to be, in truth, rather paranoid. He takes into account and tries to prepare himself for all possible outcomes or events that can occur with a situation - regardless of how unlikely they are. This leads Chise to be somewhat untrusting of others, and he tends to keep people at arms reach, even if he might seem to be outwardly chummy.
Skills:
Quick-witted: Chise's mind is quick when it most needs to be. He's capable of thinking and reacting quickly to things others might not. His mind explores multiple avenues of possibility at any one time.
Quick-footed: Chise's body is equally fast. He possesses a quick step, and while he's not particularly athletic, he is accustomed to running and feats of parkour; pasttimes of his.
Physics nerd: While some might not see it as that useful, Chise is an absolute physics-nut. His grades in physics class have always been superb, and he readily sees ways in which any physics-based tasks can be engaged - which is quite useful for performing creative pranks.
Abilities: When manifested, Providentia splits into two pieces - the first being a coin through which a portion of Providentia's exceptional vision is imparted to the wielder - and the second being the main body of the Echo itself.
When looking through the coin, in a similar way as a monocle, it grants the wielder a weak spectral vision of what will happen at that specific spot a couple seconds ahead. The coin can be manifested seperately from the crow, and also works as a monocular.
The main body of Providentia, the crow, possesses a stronger sense of future-sight, as well as the ability to fly, naturally. It also boasts good physical stats - but its abilities currently end there.
Brief Backstory: Even from a young age, Chise had little going for him. He was borne to a household in which he saw no mother, and the presence of his father did little to make up for it. The man was abusive, and Chise had little reasnoning as to why, even to this day. Despite the seeming lack of logic behind such treatment, Chise eventually began to adapt to the cruel reality he was dropped into. Over the years, he grew capable of escaping and sneaking past the various abuses he would otherwise endure.
This growth, however, didn't come without its own price. Many defense mechanisms were buried within him as he found his way to relative "safety". He changed - and, in truth, one can never know who he would have grown to be without such mechanisms and developed mannerisms. Nevertheless, even if he grew further from his father and the old man grew less interested in directly abusing him with age, the damage had already been done -- but Chise was an.. oddly joyous-seeming personality. Something that he, in the back of his psyche, recognized as a coping mechanism. But what reason had he to fight it?
Eventually, when he grew old enough, he made the decision himself to move in with his Aunt. And it changed everything for him. Well, almost everything - he still had his.. damages. But, hopefully.. that was all behind him now.
Having now lived with his Aunt for a bit over a year and a half, Chise has been able to pursue more and more things that make him happy as time goes on - and his grades have even gone up, too! Now though, he searches for something that really uplifts him on a deeper level than shallow things like his current hobbies of parkour and playing dress-up.
[Student of the sciences] ⫻ Eksa is very well-educated. With multiple degrees in scientific fields such as medicine, chemistry, and biology, she has devoted significant amounts of time to her own intellectual betterment. As such, she is quite knowledgeable on matters pertaining to the aforementioned topics. [Sharp Mind] ⫻ Knowledge does not equal wit, but Eksa possesses both in spades. She's sharp - not only is she attentive, adaptive, and open to learning, but she does such things quickly. Her mental acuity is her strongest asset, most would say. [Steel-willed] ⫻ Eksa is not one to fold under pressure. As a technical medical professional, panicking isn't something she can afford, nor something she is prone to do. Aside from an unshakable psyche, Eksa is also one to detest surrender. She won't give up - and that is evident from her past. No matter how hopeless something seems, you can count on Eksa to be one of the last to admit such a thing.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "They always give me that look.."
Initially, Eksa doesn't appear too out of the ordinary. She stands a bit taller than average at 5'8" and weighs about 137 pounds. Her hair is a thick, dark brown mane which she infallibly wears in side-swept twists. Her equally-dark eyes sit behind a pair of thin-framed, circular spectacles that sit lightly over her broad nose and defined cheeks. Her high cheekbones and angular jaw shape, accompanied by the smooth, clear, light-brown tones of her skin lead her to generally be seen as rather attractive, conventionally.
Aside from her face, Eksa is similarly blessed with a womanly figure, though her wardrobe tends to conceal this - with the overcoats she always wears being the main culprits in such an act. Her general attire generally consists of darker shades; black, brown, khaki, etc., and is more often than not business-casual in style, with blazers and turtlenecks being a favorite of hers. Notably, Eksa does possess a bit of a quirk when it comes to her outfits - that being that she always wears an overcoat. She doesn't usually actually wear the sleeves, however, and just lets it hang from her shoulders. This article serves one purpose for Eksa, and that is to conceal her left arm - or lack thereof. Being that her arm was amputated a couple inches above the wrist, her partiality for overcoats stems from her self-conscious nature. Though this technique is only successful for preventing stares from passersby, and those who don't interact with her for long, in her experience.
Finally, aside from how she looks, there is one thing to note about Eksa that is inescapable - that being her voice. Due to an accident in her past, Eksa's vocal cords and lungs have been irreparably damaged. This has caused her to develop a croaky, pained vocal structure whenever she speaks. This, alongside her insistent, unpredictable coughing fits has led many-a stranger to ignorantly surmise her a particularly persistent smoker. Unlike her arm, however, this is something which she can't really hide - a fact which causes her much distress.
Overall, despite her pretty appearance, it is the focused nature of her expressions, her off-putting voice, and her broadened silhouette that has led some of her colleagues to dub her intimidating, of all things.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Ahh, I'm nae that kinda doctor, unfortunately."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Immediately, Eksa's goal in life is to help others. Though, in truth, she isn't really the kind to stew too much on what she should be doing with her life - but being that she has achieved a healthy education that now allows her to operate in pharmaceuticals, this aforementioned goal could be considered well underway. If she were to really think hard on it though, she could suppose her life has other purposes. She has always had an interest in the paranormal world she's involved with, but has had little extra time to explore it to a deeper extent. Acclimating herself further to such a realm could be a worthwhile adventure.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Eksa's philosophy is straightforward, yet compassionate. Oftentimes, things just.. happen. Not particularly because they're supposed to, or because someone or something deemed it so - but because they just do. And it can be unfair, and often is. But no matter what happens, perseverance is key. There is always a path ahead, no matter how hidden or treacherous. And there is always a second chance. And there is always someone out there who will stand by your side. Somewhere.
SECRETS ⫻ Eksa has.. a complicated relationship with who she is. Her personal deformities haunt her, and make her extremely self-conscious. Gazes and glances unnerve her, and talking in front of groups is.. unpleasant, to say the least. She doesn't trust others not to judge her for her distorted self, and as such, tries not to get too attached to people. Additionally, Eksa blames herself, in part, for her mother's passing.. if only she had been more careful, or.. been better, her mother would still be alive.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Eksa is bisexual, with a lean towards women. Though she could never see somebody liking her back, given her condition.
FEARS ⫻ Eksa is plighted with a few irrational fears, due to her past disturbances. She's an insomniac - she dreads sleeping, as she once suffered a coma that left her unable to help her mother in her most difficult moments - a fact that has lead to countless sleepless nights. The thought of never waking up terrifies her, as well. She also has a bit of an aversion to open flames -- not as severely as she fears sleeping, but enough to make her want to distance herself physically from such things. Additionally, she also fears that she will never be seen as normal. After her accident she has, in part of her own doing, never really re-acquired any friends. This has altered her perception of herself.
REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ Eksa' reputation with the old coven was pretty amicable. She was a friendly, adventurous sort with a fondness for learning about the other coven members and their paranormal features. She wasn't one to make many enemies.
ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻ Eksa's abilities as a black-lux adept were rather helpful in the battle against the stygian snake. With a penchant for manipulating apparitions, Eksa was quite influential in their skirmishes with the snake's abominables and apparitions.
FLAWS ⫻ Eksa is, moreso than others, secluded. She has trust issues, is quite self-conscious of what others thing of her, and has made no real bonds with anybody since she was a teen. Her issues and anxieties have warped her since her childhood and have her sheltering her adventurous, fun-loving nature in a shroud of cagey uncertainty. Furthermore, she has been secluded from the paranormal world for a time, in favor of her education and work. She has, however, ensured her own paranormal abilities never get too dull.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I'd.. rather nae relive it.."
The tale of Eksa's life stems from a simple, if tragic, set of circumstances. The tale of two lovers - Ava Thresh and Mac Grieves - who knew no true love. In truth, Eksa's conception was unintended, brought on by the aforementioned two while Mac was visiting The States from Scotland. After his departure, it was brought to his and Ava's attention that she was pregnant. But where Mac had no intention of being a father, Ava was excited -- she had always wanted a daughter.
But fate would have it that she was ill-suited for motherhood. Her history of addiction and substance abuse wasn't something that was so easily cleansed by the pure-hearted desire to be a mother - no, in fact, the stresses of pregnancy and impending motherhood were vectors through which she would collapse to her old vices. She would, once again, enter a state in her life where her cares were few and irrational. Which left Eksa, newly-born, effectively motherless.. But she was fortunate enough that Mac, hesitant as he was to be involved in paternity, was not without a heart. He was her biological father, afterall, and he would see to it that she wasn't left to the mercy of the system, or some relative he'd never known.
And so Eksa grew up under his care in Glasgow, Scotland. Into her teens she would be seen-to by Mac Grieves and the company of his estate. Mac was a wealthy man who, although initially reluctant to raise a child, had a big heart, and accepted nothing but the best for his daughter. Their home - a mansion. Her schooling - the best. Her hobbies - droned over by her father, when he had the time. Luckily for her, his time was often consumed by his work as some sort of medical professional, as he said. So, while the circumstances behind her birth were perhaps contemptible, she grew up cared-for better than most. And this peacefulness of sorts lasted well into her teen years -- until she received unexpected correspondence - from her mother.
Over the almost-fifteen years of Eksa's life, she had never met Ava. Mac, in protection of his daughter who had been endangered by Ava's actions, hadn't allowed it. It was something daughter and father had argued over sometimes, but it had never really been a real issue, or something that even mattered that much, until now. With the correspondence came a request - Ava wanted to see Eksa, and not just for a meet-up. She wanted to be back in the girl's life. After almost an entire year of arguing, bickering, and the arduous convincing of Eksa to Mac, he finally folded. The decision was reluctantly made - the girl could, temporarily, move to The States and spend a semester with her mother.
And so she did - and one semester turned into several, even.
Eksa moved to St. Portwell, Oregon, and she.. liked it. It was weird, living with a woman who she.. never really knew, and was supposed to be her mother, but.. she did like it, nonetheless. The States were an adjustment, sure. But she grew to form a bond with her mom than one might expect of a daughter-mother combo. And while the schooling adjustments were equally, if not moreso, difficult, she found the people of St. Portwell to make good friends.
And even amongst all the acclimations she had to do, there was something more important, still. She had to hide her paranormal status from her mother. Being paranormal was something that she had ascertained only a year or two before moving to the U.S., triggered through a kindling event stemming from an exceedingly heated argument with her father over whether she should really see her mother. Fortunately, Mac himself had a hand in the world of the paranormal, and was there to guide her. Now was the first time she would have her own independent responsibility over her paranormal side, away from her father. And what better time was it to find similarly-afflicted individuals? It was during this period at St. Portwell that she'd make a number of advancements in her own paranormal abilities, as well as a few friends.
And for a time, her life was pretty happy, if weird. But fate always had its ways to turn the tables.
Towards the end of two years spent in The States, events took place that would quickly spiral Eksa's life into tragedy. The town was plagued by a paranormal enemy the likes of which Eksa could never have imagined - something that would spell the end of all she grew to know, should it not be stopped. But there were those who wouldn't just stand aside for such a fate- and those few managed to form a group called The Sycamore Tree Coven, which Eksa was recruited into. And for the purpose of stopping this enemy, Eksa made a sacrifice that would scar her for the rest of her life. In the battle against The Stygian Snake, Eksa fought hard.. and fell harder. She, at a point, managed to find herself outmatched by one of the Snake's abominables, and was struck unconscious in the midst of a burning building. She was fortunate that, in the chaos, someone was able to get her out of the danger, but by that time, the damage was done. Smoke inhalation and heat-damage had her hanging onto her life by a thread.
After then, she was rendered unconscious for months. Her father, upon hearing the news, immediately had her seized from wherever she was being treated and took her under the care of one of his own personal facilities - though not before doctors at a St. Portwell hospital deemed that Eksa's circumstances seemed insurmountably grim. Which was simply too much for her mother to handle.
By the time Eksa awoke, months later, her mother had fallen to her vices once again. And this time, they took her life. Eksa was stricken with overwhelming grief at the news, even as she spent the next few months in physical rehabilitation. It took some time for her to recover, both physically and mentally, but she could only imagine that her mother would wish the best for her and would want nothing more than her to live on.
And that she did.
In fact, Eksa was far from one to allow her tragedies to define her. Even before her final steps to recovery, the girl took it upon herself to continue her education - and her education was promising. She had always been a bright girl, but the vigor with which she applied herself after she got back into schooling was.. galvanizing, in a sense. She continued her path from where she left off - seeking virtuosity in the field of medicinal sciences, like her father.
And like her father, she would succeed. She was a quick learner, deft worker, and attentive colleague as she worked her way into the field as she, after many years, graduated from a Scottish university with several degrees - a doctorate among them. And from there she achieved her "dream profession" of becoming a pharmaceutical chemist.
Present day, Eksa enjoys a comfy lifestyle and a flexible job, and lives peacefully in Glasgow, Scotland.
Though, with a recent revelation brought to her attention by Auri Auclair, who managed to track her down, the members of her former coven were being.. murdered. Why? Who knew. But she doubted that someone so unhinged as to systematically kill a group of people would be hindered by the fact that she no longer lived in the states. No- that was little comfort, and as such, it seemed she'd be revisiting the states once again, to meet up with Auri and whoever else she'd gathered. The idea of getting brutally murdered wasn't one that was on her bucket list, so it was up to them to figure out how to stop it.
ABSTRACTION ⫻Black Lux. Eksa's channeler is her mother's medallion.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Eksa is a Black-Lux Adept with a strong aptitude for manipulating apparitions. She has dabbled very lightly in the black lux's necromantic side, but never developed it much.
Dominion ⫻ One of Eksa's most practiced spells is one which allows her to physically seize an apparition's body, or whatever sort of form they possess. Doing so engages the two in an ethereal grudge-match of sorts that renders the both of them quite occupied, as they wrestle for control of the target's body. This ability is useful for restraining an apparition or potentially even causing it to attack its allies, depending on how strong-willed it is.
Amplified Sealing ⫻ Eksa is a rather proficient sealer of apparitions. Sealing rituals that Eksa blesses with this spell are easier to manage, more efficient, and can imprison stronger apparitions. Overall, this spell empowers sealing procedures by a significant deal.
Seek Apparitions ⫻ Seek Apparitions is a rather self-explanatory spell. Eksa focuses her mind and reaches out, probing for an apparition through the world around her. Such a search can expand several miles, with time, and can divulge the location of even apparitions who are actively trying to conceal themselves. She must be looking for a specific known apparition, an apparition capable of a specific notable feat, or an apparition with which she or her companions are partially familiar.
Black Pact ⫻ Black Pact is an odd spell with interesting applications. The main crux of the spell is that it allows Eksa to communicate with otherwise unintelligible apparitions, and make pacts with their kin. Said pacts are a form of intellectual contract enforced by the magical powers of both Eksa and the apparition in question - meaning that said contracts are binding regardless of nefarious intent or askant power-disparities between the two participants. Such pacts are capable of performing rather unique feats in order to maintain their soundness; for example, an apparition could form a pact with Eksa to be freed from a sealing for a limited time before it is automatically shunted back into its prison. Another example could see the apparition lending its abstraction or other supernatural abilities to someone else.
Black Shroud ⫻ The Black Shroud is a spell made specifically to combat apparitions, and it has two primarily applications. The first is its ability to veil the user from the perception of all apparitions - be it vision, smell, hearing, or some sort of paranormal perception, this effect would render Eksa imperceptible to apparitions. The second application is an enhancing effect that braces Eksa's Emotional-Field against any effects stemming from an apparition. This simply causes her to be more durable and resistant to an apparition's abilities or attacks.
LIMITS ⫻ Eksa's Dominion is a spell which requires most, and sometimes all, of her focus, and engages her in a metaphysical battle with the target. This means that particularly strong-willed apparitions can overcome its effects, in which case her most potent spell is rendered ineffective. Amplified Sealing, due to it simply enhancing a sealing ritual, is obviously useless without the prep time required to set up the process. Seek Apparitions, while wide-sweeping and thorough, requires Eksa to define specific parameters -- she must look for a specific known apparition, an apparition capable of a specific feat, or an apparition with which she or her companions are partially familiar. The Black Pact is a spell limited only by its application - it serves only to ensure one keeps their word, even if they don't intend to. All participants, of course, must be willing and knowledgeable of all caveats, and are supernaturally informed of such things once a proposal is made. The Black Shroud is limited mostly by its specificity as a tool against apparitions. In any other capacity, it is useless. It is also noticeable that Eksa cannot use Dominion while using the Black Shroud for obscurity.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ (DO NOT FILL THIS OUT, I WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU)
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Hrm."
Eksa is accompanied, without fail, by a companion-apparition.
Marma
Age unknown | Marma | They/Them "..."
Description:
Marma is a benevolent, if completely reticent, apparition. Despite its refusal to really communicate at all with Eksa beyond a couple very rare occasions, it has deemed its place to be at her side. It has, over the years, been a boon to Eksa and a stalwart presence where she was otherwise completely alone. This has led to a bit of a bond forming between the two, despite Marma's unresponsive nature. Eksa has only seen Marma's true form one singular time, as the apparition disguises itself by possessing an article of clothing Eksa wears in the form of a leather cuff on her left bicep.
Abstraction: Black Bough
Marma's abstraction is called Black Bough, and this allows it so summon an inky, black limb to aid it in its needs. Said limb is usually rather herculean in strength, and can take many different forms, be they that of a tree branch, a tentacle, a paw, or even a regular hand - though all forms are befouled by a dark, smoky visage that betrays their true paranormal nature. While Marma seems to have no true purpose, this ability is one that it often uses to assist Eksa in her intents. Though, of course, this is usually kinda rare due to their need to shroud paranormal things from most of their surroundings.
_______________________________________________ Jasper Kim He/Him | 24 | Korean-American | 5'10" | 180lbs _______________________________________________ Polarized. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I guess I have a couple minor talents." ___________________________________
[Leadership] ⫻ Jasper is well-suited to being put in a leadership role. He's attentive, empathetic, and keeps a cool head in almost all circumstances. His tendency to treat everyone and their circumstances with respect, and his odd sense of wisdom almost regardless of the subject at hand, leads many to trust his judgement - at least in the various congregations he's been part of. [Fitness] ⫻ Jasper is pretty fit across the board. He's pretty strong, light on his feet, and has good stamina. Perhaps surprisingly, considering his line of work, he's more than capable of throwing hands due to his continued interest in mma sports, and even some training mostly from his late-teen years. [Multilingual] ⫻ Jasper is a fluent speaker of English, Korean, and Spanish, and is currently working on adding Mandarin to the list.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I make the cassock work, no?"
Jasper is relatively difficult to pick out of a crowd while in plainclothes - standing at 5'10" and weighing about 180lbs, he is pretty average in his dimensions. His medium-short, dark-brown hair is most usually lightly kempt, and kept in no particular style. His eyes - which sit beneath dark, expressive eyebrows - are a warmer, calm caramel color. His face is readily capable of expressing his emotions, and often does so even if he doesn't intend to. Said face possesses fair, smooth skin and soft yet angular features, which leads him to regularly be described as a pretty attractive guy.
When it comes to his frame, he obviously takes care in keeping himself in shape. When not hidden under sleeves or whatnot, it is clear that he works out, with ample definition especially pervading across the muscles of his torso, arms, and shoulders, while still maintaining a light frame. He carries himself with a casual, carefree air - any tenseness in him being a matter of note. He tends to fill his wardrobe, without taking into account his various Cossacks and clergy-attire, with clothing that he thinks looks good on him or just feels nice to wear, without any particular palette.
The oddest thing one can always depend on about his appearance, though, is the presence of some sort of light source he carries with him - most usually a small, electric lantern.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Mn, well, I suppose I could be worse.. but I could also be better."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ As a whole, Jasper's goal in life is to leave the world a better place than he left it. Not every deed he does is good - and God knows that he is far from perfect - and he's perhaps one of the more unorthodox pastors resting under His gaze - but he does his damned best to offset his sins with acts that will, in the end, leave his neighbors and his faith off for the better. In recent times, his attention has been drawn to the southern district of Cloverfield - a stark contrast from the north side that he was raised in. His sense of empathy has led him to split away from the sense of luxury he's used to, and instead begin a path to try and stem the bleeding, at least socially, of the lower district - as much as he can hope to, no matter how minutely.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Jasper sees good in everyone, and can almost always find the silver lining. He's open-minded, and always sees things as having a purpose - but not always a purpose that one can comprehend. Misfortunes are just a part of how the world is, and fortunes and revelry are to be thoroughly cherished. Being of faith, he is not stranger to adversity in himself or others - people suffer, but he will do what he can to mitigate that, even if he has to shoulder a couple sins to do so.
SECRETS ⫻ Jasper tries not to reveal the nature of his affliction with The Shadow. He fears people will not trust him as strongly should they know he is not in control of such a dangerous thing. Additionally, while he isn't entirely secretive about being sinful, he tries to make a good example for others and hide such things when he can.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Bisexual.
FEARS ⫻ Jasper has a great fear that The Shadow will hurt someone using his body, and he won't be able to stop it. Were he a more careless person, maybe he could work towards harnessing it - but the thought of what might happen is something that truly scares him.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Before and during the cataclysm, Jasper lived in the northern district of Cloverfield. When hell came to earth, while he wasn't exactly suited to fighting paranormal beings, Jasper did what he could to uphold the psyche of those he could in such trying times. Using the faith, alongside his social skills, as well as what resources he could muster for those whose homes were decimated in the destruction, he did what he could, be the help mundane.
FLAWS ⫻ One could say that, in some ways, Jasper is held back by his faith - in that there are some things he will not do which others might. Though, he doesn't see it that way, of course. Additionally, he is always loomed over by his fear of The Shadow that resides with him - an apparition which he has seemingly no control over.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Nothing much to note, really."
The story of Jasper's life is mostly a mundane one. He was born to a widowed mother who passed when he was born, and as such was raised by his grandparents, who were taken care of by the local church. This made the faith a big part of his life. Every Sunday, and very often more days than even just that, were days fully devoted to the faith for him. He grew up contributing quite a lot to the church, and he grew up thoroughly enjoying the sense of community that this setting gave him. Everyone watched out for one another, and the ugliness of the world was easy to forget in the comfort of faith.
Of course, he was still young - so while he was devoted to his faith even from a young age, he did explore areas outside of it(and still does, tsk tsk). He found trouble more than a few times in his younger years, and never really grew out of being an adventurous spirit. Starting his own number of fights then, he has since tempered himself quite a deal - and it would be quite the rarity to witness him starting a fight.
As he grew older, he began to become one of the strongest pillars of his community. And not just for his community -- soon, his influence began to spread to neighboring churches, which he began to support as well. Whether it be through supporting community fundraisers, aiding in refurbishing downtrodden churches, helping the misfortunates in any particular community, or any other numbers of things, he grew to esteem even amongst people who weren't of faith. This was all, fortunately, aided by the sizable inheritance left to him by his parents - an inheritance that he has known only to use for the benefit of others. He has never needed for comfort, but he has done his best to utilize his means to do the best he can for others.
Despite his blessings, however, everyone has their moments of weakness. Their own crises that warp their perception of the world, for better or worse. Seeing the destruction of the cataclysm was indeed a warping thing for him - he had never seen destruction at such a level.. and it made him question why it was that such tragedy was allowed to burden innocent people. For a time, he questioned his faith, and while he eventually steeled himself and restored the depth of his belief to its full state, it was in these moments of weakness that an apparition dug its claws into him. The Shadow, from that point on, has become a threat that looms in his very own shadow.
He has, however, persisted nonetheless. In the past year especially, he has made it a goal of his to put his means to use in the southern district of Cloverfield more personally. He has moved into the district and now is more involved with the suffering and aftermath that still hurts the area all this time after the cataclysm.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "It's.. maybe better if you don't know.."
TYPE ⫻ Aberration (Adjoined)
ABSTRACTION ⫻ The Shadow - "The Shadow", as Jasper calls it, is an apparition that latched onto the priest in his darkest moments. He knows not why the apparition chose him as its victim, but it now skulks over Jasper's shoulder, waiting for its opportunity to assume control of his body, for reasons unknown. It is kept at bay only by sources of light, and seeks to engulf its victim in darkness.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ The Shadow is an apparition that resides within Jasper, and seems to express its Abstraction through sheer physical prowesses, and the ability to domineer Jasper's body and shadow. In the few sparing moments that Jasper has faltered in keeping it at bay, The Shadow has displayed power tremendously surpassing human capabilities. The Shadow, while its intents and character are largely unknown to Jasper, seems to take care in preventing his demise as much as it can while in its dormant state. The Apparition frequently possesses Jasper's shadow in physical form, and manipulates the environment around him at its own whim - and through this method can even stave off danger from him in tiny, fleeting bursts of strength.
Despite the rather adverse nature of The Shadow's occupation, its presence within Jasper does confer onto him a small measure of the apparition's abstraction - an abstraction which seems to be largely animalistic in nature.
Ever since The Shadow's presence, Jasper has noticed that he possesses sharply enhanced senses. His vision is sharper, more focused. His ability to react to things around him is also heightened, and he feels more.. coordinated in his movements. His sense of smell is also rather good - though he often wishes it wasn't. Furthermore, his hearing is exceptional - surpassing human standards alongside his other senses.
Apart from these small boons, there is another avenue through which Jasper can acquire more strength from The Shadow's abstraction. While the apparition is kept at bay by the light, Jasper can allow himself to enter more dimly lit areas -- the darker his environment, the more access he has to The Shadow's abilities - but also the more he feels control of his own body slipping away. And as such, he never entertains the idea of utilizing this method. At least.. not yet.
If he were to immerse himself completely in pitch-black darkness, he would acquire a level of strength and speed which would monstrously surpass the capabilities of even most apparitions - warping his body to grow more and more shadowy and beast-like, even if only until he sees light again.
LIMITS ⫻ The Shadow's abstraction seems to be almost completely repelled by the presence of light of any kind, be it artificial or otherwise - making it almost completely inaccessible during the day. Jasper, additionally, imposes limits upon it himself by refusing to use these powers for fear that The Shadow would take over his body - and nothing short of preventing a massacre would sway him to use even half of the potential power in his hands.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ (DO NOT FILL THIS OUT, I WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU)
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "..."
The.Shadow
??? | "The Shadow" | ??? "..."
Description:
The Shadow, as Jasper calls it, has no true name. It is an old apparition which lurks in the shadows, ever-watching all events that play out before it. An apparition permanently shrouded in darkness, one would be safe to assume that Jasper is the only being to know of the apparition's existence. As such, virtually nothing is known of the creature that now resides within the priest. Over the past year or so, it has remained a silent threat looming over Jasper's head and, as far as he knows, it has no means with which to communicate with its host.
Behaviorally, there have been some observations that Jasper has made, even if small. Once, when Jasper put together a plan to test The Shadow's nature, he took himself deep into the woods at night. He found a place miles away from civilization, and waiting there until sunrise was a mere thirty minutes away. And then he shunted his lantern off.
When Jasper regained his senses, he found himself slathered in blood and gore - of what he did not yet know. Around him, in a patch of woods unfamiliar to him, trees were gouged and torn from the earth, snapped like twigs and laden with bloodied claw marks. As he looked further into the morning haze, he saw a great number of woodland animals, from those as small as a rat to even a deer, splayed haphazardly across the earth, numbering in multiple dozens.
From this, he at first gleaned that the apparition was a bloodthirsty beast who seemed to kill only for sport and glee. Yet.. there was something he was feeling that he couldn't immediately understand. As he knelt in the field, his body quivering - whether out of fear or exhaustion - there was a sense of.. unhappiness within him. Yes, he felt a spell of sympathy for the poor creatures that he had unwittingly slaughtered, but there was something else.. there was.. remorse. But it wasn't his. From this, he could only decipher so much - but the only thing he did know was that The Shadow was dangerous.
And from then on, it has been locked away. Aside from a dull pulling sensation that instills in him an unwilful desire to step into the darkness, Jasper hasn't heard or felt anything from The Shadow since - at least not that he can tell - and the apparition has only, oddly enough, protected him or idly prodded at the environment around them.
Abstraction: Stygian Savagery
The Shadow, in its own element, is an immensely powerful being. Its physical strength and speed when engulfed in darkness are, in most likelihood, unmatched by any apparition or abstraction known or unknown. It seems to have complete domain over its environment when it is free to act as it pleases. It seems almost as though nothing escapes the apparition's notice - almost like it has some kind of third eye which allows it to root out what others could never hope to know was there. In its full form, The Shadow doesn't have much of a traditional body to speak of - it appears as a wispy shadow in the form of some sort of canid head, and shapes its body out of the shadows that surround it as it needs. In the absence of light, it can control the environment itself as if just the area around it was part of The Shadow's body - allowing it to form attacks or move from any infinite number of angles. Claws, jaws, and crushing weight all loom within the shadows in this apparition's preferred environment. But, of course, once the sun rises.. the apparition must slink back to obscurity.
Nagi isn't particularly outstanding on the physical side, despite her penchant for sports, only standing at 5'6" and weighing 129lbs. Her frame is slim and only barely athletic, but one can still see some measure of tonage in her muscles. One thing that may stand out in particular to some however is her snow-white hair which, although dyed, looks rather natural on her. Although it falls just past her shoulders, she almost always keeps it up in a bun or ponytail. When it comes to her sense of fashion, well - there isn't really any. She doesn't mind much what she wears as long as it's comfy, and she has little proclivity for wearing things like makeup or jewelry.
What Are They Like?
Nagi is a pretty laidback girl. She leans a bit towards the extroverted side, striking up conversations with those she finds interesting, and even cracking jokes with strangers. This, combined with the fact that she's a rather difficult person to vex, makes her easy to get along with in most cases. It is notable that she is so laidback that some people view her as aloof, even in more serious situations. She is, however, rather earnest when it comes to helping her friends, even if she doesn't show it.
Though it is hard to annoy or anger her, she is very protective of her friends or those she would like to befriend, and has snapped at people on a couple occasions due to their bullying of her friends. In such cases, she can prove to have a rather sharp tongue.
What's Their Story?
Nagi was adopted as a child by two very affectionate Tokyoites. While they weren't very economically fortunate, they had wealth in their love for the young girl. As such, she felt very nurtured and cared for growing up. When she began to show interest in sports from a young age, her parents were more than encouraging, and enjoyed watching her grow into a little sports enthusiast. At first she seemed like a rather promising player in several sports she tried - basketball, softball, and even soccer. As she grew older it turned out she was pretty good at all three, which was fine-and-dandy, but the girl did not have a propensity for teamwork or for following the lead of others at all. But in the same hand, she wasn't a leader herself either. This left her in an odd spot that made her inconsistent in her usefulness to any teams she was a part of, and as such, not many saw promise in her. She was really hoping for sports-based scholarships as she reached the end of highschool, but she didn't quite fit the bill.
Although she was a bit disappointed, she was never one to dawdle on the unfortunate things in life. She kept playing sports until the end of highschool, at which time she took a year off to take time for herself. After that year she begrudgingly applied for more mundane scholarships and money grants to enroll herself in college part-time. She's been attending college for the last two years - well, mostly; she's not enthralled with the idea of enduring all the schooling, and her grades suffer quite a bit because of it. She is, however, still sticking with her love of sports. Not that that matters much- she's still just as bad a teammate as she was in highschool. And she doesn't even have a job, so.
Why Did The Wish Choose Them?
In terms of working well with others, Nagi is towards the very bottom of the totem pole. She's not great at following orders, giving orders, or having any sort of initiative, really. She's not intent on fixing this or really improving herself in any way, and just deflects all her problems with an aloof handwave.
What "Hero" Will They Embody? Why?
Nagi embodies the Hero of Defense; in conflict she's more of a passive person, and has a streak of altruism when it comes to her friends. She will protect her comrades fiercely if pushed to it, putting her stoic mind and body in the way of harm so they don't have to.
What Belongings Will They Take With Them?
- Cellphone - A few small Super-bounce balls - Heelys
Talents & Abilities
Mundane Talents
Hand-eye coordination - Nagi's coordination is superb. She's great a catching, throwing, and other manner of similar activities.
Quick - Even playing a more defensive role, Nagi is pretty fast. Soccer and Basketball are great activities to train one's footwork.
Calm - Nagi isn't much of a panicky individual. She has a more stoic demeanor in regards to her own feelings, and is difficult to upset.
Aaxie, as one would probably expect from a voguish pop singer, is a rather fashionable individual. Her heart-shaped face is framed partially by her tussled blonde hair, which is usually styled in a messily textured, long-pixie cut. Beneath her thin eyebrows rest a set of striking and expressive bright-cherry-red eyes, which she usually contrasts using opposite-colored earrings, of which helixes are her favorite. It's easy to find her youthful lips formed into any form of smirk or smile.
When pertaining to physique, Aaxie isn't a slouch when it comes to keeping in shape. She's still a bit on the smaller side, standing only at 5'4", but weighs a little more than average at around 140lbs due to her regular workout routine. Her shoulders are slim but defined in musculature, and the same can be said for her arms; she can at least elicit a few hoots with some flexing. Although it doesn't particularly help with her career, Aaxie especially enjoys powerlifting as a hobby, which is also somewhat evident in her legs and general physique. All in all she's a leanly muscular, yet petite, girl.
When it comes to her wardrobe, she mostly just wears whatever she feels like. She doesn't stick to one particular style and just mish-mashes her wardrobe together on a whim. She does, however, very much prioritize comfortable clothes and smallish accessories that she thinks are attractive or otherwise cute, such as chokers, various types of earrings, thigh straps, etc. etc. She's also no stranger to the occasional cross-dress-ish outfits - if it's cute or cool, she'll wear it. One thing she refuses to wear though is makeup - although she does enjoy eyeliner, that's the extent of her makeup desires.
Personality
Aaxie is a pretty lively girl. She's outgoing, playful, and curious. She gets along with most people, and those she doesn't(usually through them not liking her), she'll still probably try to get to know them. She enjoys being adventurous, and is usually easy to talk into trying new things. She's a decidedly down-to-earth girl, and doesn't give off any signs conceitedness, often genuinely downplaying her popularity or achievements. Although it's difficult to find the girl in a downcast mood, she does have her moments in her lone time. On the note of serious topics or situations, the girl has a surprising amount of firmity in her beliefs - social, political, or otherwise - and, on the softer side, is always willing to lend a shoulder to cry on to those in need.
Backstory
Aaxie had a simple and cushy upbringing. She was born in Sydney, Australia to two successful doctors. Being an only child, she was very much expected to carry on the family profession - which she entertained for a bit. But in reality, she wasn't entirely interested in becoming a doctor. She defiantly attended vocal and singing classes through money she stole from her mother's purse on a regular basis - reasoning that they definitely wouldn't miss it. She got away with doing so for a few years before she eventually confessed her desires to be a singer to her parents, who quickly brushed off the idea - but when they heard her sing they were visibly shocked. Okay, maybe singing wasn't such a bad idea for the young girl, but they didn't particularly like the type of music she chose to sing. They convinced (read: forced) her to choose something "more classy than rock or metal". Feeling a little heartbroken, she chose the next closest thing: pop. Her parents still weren't too thrilled, but at least it wasn't metal.
With their daughter's newfound talent at hand, they hurriedly rushed her into vocal classes, unknowing of the ones she previously took. She sailed through the classes, thoroughly enjoying the praise she received at her well-controlled vocals, but she was equally conflicted that she wouldn't be performing what she truly wanted to. She pushed through regardless, and quickly found herself sponsored by her own parents with everything she would need to start a singing career.
She was 17 when she started gaining popularity. Her vocals were a hit immediately, possessing a bright and easily flexible voice with a ton of range, making it easy for her to sing in ways other young artists couldn't. Over the next few years she became very popular, easing comfortably into the top-echelon of singers - she wasn't a household name, but every music-nerd worth their salt knew her name. Not that she particularly sought the attention or needed the praise - in truth, the girl loved making others happy and sharing her passion for singing, and would try her best to inspire her audience. All the while though, she felt her true desire sit heavily in her gut. She would give anything to sing what she truly wanted - that being rock and metal music - but it seemed like she was meant to sing pop. Or at least, that's what everybody else seemed to think. And who was she to tell them they're wrong?
Skills
Aaxie's practical skills are pretty few, due to the nature of her career. She's a very talented singer, and has a penchant for making things look nice, whether it be hair, clothes, or whatever else. She's also a talented lifter and could serve as a decent fitness coach. Beyond that, her skills are limited. She does know a few self-defense techniques though - learned at the behest of her career team, of course.
Abilities
Aaxie's Arcana grants her the obvious enhanced physicality as well as a handful of magical effects that reside within the Water and Psychic elements.
Swerve [Psychic]: Enables the user to alter the accuracy of attacks that she focuses on through an invisible psychic beam - hindering her foes or aiding her allies.
Detainment Bubble [Psychic/Water]: Creates a tear-shaped bubble of psychically-infused water a few meters across to capture enemies or their attacks. She can control and manipulate this bubble as she pleases, and can expel its contents violently - enabling her to send attacks back at opponents. She can only hold something in the bubble for around six seconds before it destabilizes. When idle, the bubble floats next to the user.
Frost Bite [Water]: The user summons water before it bursts into flaky white snow, which falls into her hands in the shape of dual Frost-axes. They function as normal axes, but inflict a painful slowing effect onto those they wound.
Bellow [Psychic]: Releases a powerful boom of sound that violently concusses anything in a four-meter cone from the user. The bellow grows stronger the emptier the cone's area is, so it is extremely disruptive against projectile attacks, making them fly very much off-course - but even one person being within its area will weaken it to just a moderate concussive blast that's capable of rendering civilians unconscious, and stun Persona users with a deafening toll. Can also be cast as a stationary trap which will trigger intelligently via the user's whims.
Arcana
Aaxie is blessed by the Arcana of Temperance - featuring the compromises she endures in life, the duality of her desires and her true destiny, and the synthesis of realization that is to come.
Shadow
The Shadow of Aaxie's psyche is formed through her nigh-crippling fears of rejection and outstanding failure that she keeps at bay deep down. Despite the success of her career, she still is very much afraid of being suddenly shunned by everyone. She disappointed her parents in her younger days and felt how hurtful it was to be unappreciated, and the memory of that urges her to chase a twisted compromise of her own dreams.
The regular form of her shadow is simply an ichor reflection of Aaxie's own visage, albeit dressed a little more biker-y. However, the 'monstrous' form of her shadow is a bit more unnerving, as it forms into a featureless, robotic mannequin of sorts. The face is blank yet somehow glaring, offering only an invisible stare and hushed yet coarse musical cords flowing through a small speaker that replaces its mouth.
Persona
Talos, The Bronze Automaton. Talos represents the epitome of being what you are destined to be. Talos was created to protect, and that he did. Aaxie's destiny seems to be that of a singer - but one must realize their destiny in its entirety to truly reach their potential - hence, her Persona is a defective manifestation of The Bronze Automaton. He takes an old, alien form of dusty bronze and ancient materials - tubular vessels lay exposed at his joints, housing the magical energy that runs through his body. Dirty, scratched plates of bygone metals form the exterior of his body, and a blank, wearied face plate appears ever-watchful to its surroundings.
In its current defective form, Talos still possesses a great hardiness, offering him minor resistances to Earth and Psychic elements, and major resistances to the Air and Water elements. He is, however, very vulnerable to the fire element. Aside from Talos' immense strength and fortitude, he has a solid grasp on his raw ability to manipulate the magical forms of the Air element, and the physical forms of the Earth element, putting them to great use defensively and offensively.
Vesper's most marked feature at first glance would definitely be her short, carmine-colored hair, which almost always falls unkempt over the right side of her face. This, in combination with her usual tattered-denim and leather wardrobe, gives a bit of a punk/street-esque look to her. Her expressive, rosy eyes compliment her slightly darker hair, and make her neutral expressions seem softer than she'd like.
The girl's physique itself is clearly rather toned. She's more than okay with showing off her lean musculature - and the sleeveless shirts she wears make this easy. She stands at a decent 5'8", making her taller than most other girls, but even this doesn't betray the true strength of her figure.
Notably, she possesses an ornate tattoo on the uppermost part of her left arm, and a wicked, briar-like tattoo over her right eye.
Personality
Vesper is a little bit of a mixed bag. She's a very rough'n'tough-type gal, and makes sure everybody knows it. She doesn't hold her tongue, and has the strength of character to match her muscles. She's a bit of a troublemaker in that she doesn't particularly adhere to rules, having a sort of "rules are meant to be broken" viewpoint, and goes about things the way she personally wants to.
In the same hand though, she's not a malevolent individual. She can be abrasive and tease others, but she'll help those in need should they seem unable to help themselves. She's definitely not a goody two shoes, but she's capable of performing selfless acts, rarely. If you tell anybody though she will break your spine.
Brief Backstory
Vesper comes from a substantial ancestral line of artifact hunters. On her father's side, a long line of hunters with their own personal goals. On her mother's - people dedicated to the benevolent Burial Agency. This history of artifact hunting made it pretty likely that the girl would be shepherded into a career as a hunter. But she definitely didn't mind.
Even from a young age the girl was intrigued by the idea of being an explorer and hunter of powerful artifacts. It was maybe a bit of an odd thing to want as a child, but adventure was in her blood. And it showed. The girl caught on fast as she grew. The tales and various things her parents and grandparents told her of got her so excited she felt like she couldn't even wait to get going. Of course, she had to. But when she became old enough, there was no stopping her - she was almost a prodigy of sorts.
Her parents hardly even needed to help her step up into her place as the latest generation of Romilly-family Hunters - a family that wasn't too well known, but respectable enough in their accomplishments. The fact that their DNA gave them Beastfolk features was measurably helpful, even if some disliked them for it. Despite the discrimination they faced, the Romillys were never ones to shy away from conflict - and that same fighting spirit is what runs through Vesper.
She has been hunting artifacts as a solo hunter for a bit over two years now, and has so far made her family proud. But she wants more. She wants something bigger. And she will get it.
Skills
𝓢 - Martial Arts [Pugilism, MMA, BJJ] 𝓢 - Rural/Urban Traversal [Parkour, Spelunking, etc.] 𝓢 - Dope Motorcycle skills 𝓢 - Proving you don't need magical abilities
Abilities
𝓢 - Snake Physiology:
- Vesper possesses physiological features attributed to many types of snakes. Not only are her muscles particularly dense and very efficient at storing energy, providing her explosive strength, she is also surprisingly flexible. - She boasts an enhanced sense of smell that is extremely sharp, and special enhancements to her biology allow her to detect extremely minute changes in the temperature of her surroundings. - The inner structure of her skull has been altered by her mutated DNA, and allows her brain to sustain much higher levels of G-forces than a regular human.
Equipment
𝓢 - Vesper possesses an artifact by the name of |Endless Grasp: Voidelash|. This artifact isn't particularly powerful, but it does have measurable use. Not only is it fully prehensile in the hands of the user, it is also incapable of being severed, and can stretch to about 20 feet. It is also capable of storing physical (non-artifact) objects within itself, up to about a quarter of a ton in weight. Simply touching the whip allows one to summon items from it. 𝓢 - Vesper arms herself with a magitech-powered revolver that has both a lethal and an incapacitation mode. It can also fire flares and pitons, and probably other types of ammunition if it is tweaked a bit. 𝓢 - Vesper owns what would be a rather antiquated motorcycle that was passed down to her by her grandparents. It has, over the years, been upgraded and modified with more and more modern faculties, but there are a couple bits and bobs left from the more ancient years that one wouldn't notice if they were unfamiliar with the vehicle.
Faction
Independent
Umbri Ulysses
Personality
Umbri is what most would call.. well, weird. At first glance, she seems like a normal girl - buoyant in her demeanor and seemingly on the more care-free side. However after one gets to talking to her for a bit, her more eccentric carriage becomes apparent.
The girl has an almost oblivious air about her, which makes for an odd combination alongside her insistences that she's "the best detective in Vacuo". Just from how she conducts herself, one wouldn't be blamed for brushing off these claims as a young person's silly fantasies - but whether she seems to fit the role or not, there is some merit behind her assertions. Even if she's a bit of an airhead, the blonde-haired girl is surprisingly inordinately intelligent and is an adept problem solver, even if she can go about her investigations in unorthodox ways.
When it comes to people, Umbri is amicable enough; she doesn't particularly have interest or disinterest in others, though deems contacts and friends useful enough to keep around. She has an odd way of going about treating others, depending on the circumstances, ranging from aloofness to almost chivalry-esque favor.
Appearance
Umbri isn't particularly outstanding on the physical side, standing at a short 5'3"(160cm) and not being especially thin or broad. Her heart-shaped face is framed by golden-blonde hair that falls to her shoulders - and were it not for the Deerstalker cap she always wears, one could notice the matching feline ears that sit atop her head. Her eyes are bright, sky-blue and often make her face seem vibrant and alive.
She has an odd sense of fashion, her favorite outfits consisting of somewhat outdated articles of clothing like Frock-coats or Ulsters, as well skirts and bows and such. Her wardrobe consists of more neutral colors like various shades of brown and white, with specks of red and blue scattered about.
Gimme a bit of a basic backstory? Focus on just the major stuff, any minor details can be discovered in the IC.
| Semblance: |
Semi-reference? Umbri's Semblance, which she calls "Aura Avatar" due to not fully understanding it, is a rather simple one in that it causes the efficiency of her Aura to be significantly increased. As such, she can achieve more with measurably less aura usage than others. Where other hunters can create barriers with their auras, Umbri can create an avatar that encompasses her entire body. This avatar is rather large, capable of equaling more than doubling the detective's height, and is exceptionally strong and durable. The shape of the avatar is rather simple, taking on a large humanoid shape with simple blade-shapes on the elbows. It is usually slightly translucent in appearance, taking on a yellowy tint, but Umbri can alter its hue and outward opacity to the extent she desires - even going so far as to grant some camouflage. Unfortunately, the avatar isn't very agile and makes it impossible for Umbri to use conventional weapons or Dust - and is measurably more difficult to improve through training when compared to other Semblances.
Due to the efficiency of her Aura, weapons that she channels seem to be more effective than others.
| Weapon and Fighting Style: |
Umbri's weapon of choice Forward Notion 1 is an electric-dust-enhanced cudgel that transforms into a compact submachine gun with a quick rate-of-fire. She isn't entirely confident in her combat abilities, but when she needs to use them she prefers to do so with the ranged form of her weapon. If things come to hand-to-hand combat she will use her Semblance over the cudgel if at all possible.
Umbri's greatest fear is failure to fill her late father's shoes. Even if it is a task she imposes upon herself, she would feel as though being a bad detective would equal being a letdown to her father.
Her fatal flaw is likely her self-assured hubris in that she's the "best detective", which leads her to overconfidence in some cases, sometimes making her miss social details. Her air-headed demeanor can also get her in trouble at times due to her seeming lack of seriousness.
| Miscs : |
Anything else you might wanna add to flesh out the details a bit
Sheet credited to Buddha(slight edits taken from Sanguine rose).
Akimitsu Academy is known amongst its peers as a young and flowering institution wholly devoted to the educational enrichment of all enrolled students. Hosting attendants between the ages of 16 to 18, the academy delivers the full experience of a three-year high-school term to its students - who are notably international in makeup. There is something special about Akimitsu, though. It is further known amongst its peers as a cultivator of many-a highly-talented Kendo students, several of whom graduate from the academy's dojo and advance to admired careers in the arts and traditions of Kendo.
This proclivity for producing quality Kendo practitioners has caused Akimitsu Academy to grow popular amongst parents and other benefactors who wish to send children or students to a school that could enhance their growth in the sport. However, the academy is one of great integrity and finds its enrollments untouched by the esteem of potential benefactors - instead, it views each student in their own light, and accepts those which it does with its own verdict. This has led more than a few competitive Kendo teams, backed by aforementioned denied benefactors, to develop a grudge against Akimitsu's teams.
And on Akimitsu Academy's Kendo team is where you find yourself. The academy actually has a few teams, comprised of the junior Kendokas, the intermediate Kendokas, and the advanced Kendokas - the latter two of which are incorporated into the academy's competition teams. You hold a place on one of Akimitsu's several competition-teams, and as such will be one of the intermediate-to-advanced Kendoka of 16 to 18 years-of-age - a student that displays significant skill in Kendo, but evenstill possesses their own notable flaws.
Yo! Here it be, your Kendo-Club SoL RP! So yeah, we gonna be a buncha goobers in a competitive Kendo team, attending school together, and whathaveyou. I've a few plans in terms of arcs for competitions and such whenever those happen, but overall its a lil malleable world for us to all work with centered around the school, so any arcs and ideas you got, throw em out there! For now I'll include some info on the school, but I'm not gonna make the initial thread post too thicc.
_____ INFO ‾‾‾‾‾
Akimitsu Academy POIs
Akimitsu Academy, while well-funded, is not an institute of extravagant appearance. It has an appeal to it in its clean, simplistic design that one can hardly deny -- and while it may not possess fancy fixtures, profligate ornaments, or particularly impressive architecture, it possesses more than enough resources and space than is necessary for the uses of its students and staff.
Akimitsu possesses a couple smaller courtyards, but Courtyard A is its largest by a decent margin. Courtyard A is a broad, bright courtyard that acts as a popular hang-out spot for many students between their academic responsibilities. Students have grown to moniker this specific courtyard as "Red" due to the red benches sprinkled throughout it, something that differs from the smaller yards. The courtyard is surrounded on three sides by wings of the main building, and has a nice little fountain.
Akimitsu's Cafeteria is one of decent size and excellent quality. It has many seating options and appreciable scenery, with a few plants sprinkling the space. On one side is a wide fixture of steps leading up to various halls for departure to classrooms. On the opposite side of the area is a set of doors and large windows; portals directly connected to Courtyard A. Betwixt the aforementioned sides is the cafeteria's serving counter, where staff dishes out luncheons to its students that would put many other schools to shame. Not only are Akimitsu's lunches very healthy, but they are equally savourable and variable, to boot.
Akimitsu Academy's gym is one of serviceable size, featuring a wide basketball court that provides space for whatever activities are required during the course of the day. Aside from Kendo, which never sees the gym, Akimitsu does have a basketball team as well - but no other official teams, yet.
As seen from the rp banner, Akimitsu's Dojo is a dedicated space that offers a bit of a different atmosphere from the rest of the campus. The dojo is separated from the main building of the campus, requiring students to travel to the back-side of the schoolgrounds, to a different structure, to enter. The dojo, as opposed to the bright, clear colorations of the main building of the campus, possesses a mellow, more traditional palette that enhances the air of respect that the place seems to demand of itself.
The dojo itself is a medium-sized building with several ancillary rooms and structures connected to it, each with their own special purpose tailored directly to the needs of the dojo. Entering the dojo from the front, one is greeted with a wide hall in which they can then move to the various preparation rooms, changing rooms, storage rooms, etc. At the end of said hall rests a final, wide sliding door that opens up to the dojo itself. As opposed to the rest of the school, where practices are more internationalized for ease of the student body, regular shoes are not allowed in the dojo building and must instead be exchanged for slippers at a traditional genkan.
Akimitsu Academy Staff
Hikaru Juno
Hikaru Juno is your homeroom teacher. Generally, homeroom teachers receive the same students year-after-year of highschool - so during this time, they are held responsible for you personally. As a result, a homeroom teacher and their students will more than likely form a relationship -- whether it be one of trust and welfare, or one of reluctance and badgering, is to be decided by teacher and student alike.
That said, Hikaru is a bit of an oddball among teachers. Most students meet him and immediately develop the sense that he's.. well, weird. With a tall, lanky visage accompanied by dark hair and dark eyes, a scar across his cheekbone, and a voice that comes across almost like a snake's hiss, one wouldn't be frowned upon for finding him at least a bit odd. But Hikaru, as an educator, is nigh-unmatched. His dedication and thorough efforts to upbring and develop his students is held to a measure which one could only imagine. He is known amongst his peers as the go-to teacher for bringing students back from the brink of expulsion - he has a way with inspiring and engaging students like no other, and is unending and selfless in his efforts to do so. It is not something that he speaks about - just something he does. In truth, it seems at times that Hikaru is entirely unaware of himself or his own health, and instead possesses a sense of tunnel-vision that rests only upon helping his students.
This, however, doesn't take away from his peculiar person. In fact, Hikaru is strange in most-all senses of the word. One moment, he can exude an off-puttingly bright disposition, commending a student on their work and progress -- and in the next, bearing down upon another with the heat of a thousand suns for not putting their name on their homework. It seems, at times, that even other teachers fear the unpredictability of his wrath.
Aso Ren
Aso Ren is a homeroom teacher, but he is not yours. Like Hikaru, he is a Japanese-American teacher that operates in your home-wing of the school - one of the two who do so, the other being Hikaru, of course. Mr. Aso is a simply good teacher who naturally seeks to improve his students, and holds a mystified respect for Hikaru's dedication to you and your peers. He is a much more mellow personality than your homeroom teacher, but despite that, has become one of Hikaru's only close friends amongst the staff.
Pik Numan
Pik Numan is your math teacher - and is considered a conventionally-exceptional instructor when it comes to the subject. He possesses a talent for breaking up math in ways others would take much longer to manage, in order to explain it to students. His brain seems to work almost instantly when met with virtually any math problem. Unfortunately, Mr. Pik's dull and monotone demeanor means that most students find themselves completely unenthused by his teachings and dread the atmosphere of the class itself.
Avus Mann
Avus Mann is currently the only teacher currently employed at Akimitsu Academy that has no roots in the nation of Japan, instead hailing fully from the Americas - and he is your science teacher. Avus is an older, respectful gentleman who holds a never-ending delectation for the sciences. Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmentals, and Astronomy are some of his favorites, as he says.
He primarily teaches the first listed three, for purposes of curriculum, but will take any opportunity to share knowledge on any of them, no matter how small. Avus is considered a stellar teacher, as his delight when dealing with the sciences can be pretty contagious to the right audiences, and he makes it his life's work to inspire a younger generation to indulge in the fun that the sciences can be. Admittedly, Mr. Avus finds joy in simply talking about the sciences, and doesn't really think about teaching them in a way that could engage the students that are more.. slacking. But, maybe he could be prodded to..
He is also a fan of dad-jokes.
Toga Endo
There are several Kendo instructors within Akimitsu, but Toga leads the lot of them as the oldest and most-experienced Sensei. Sensei Toga has been committed to Kendo for over two decades, and despite his age is still very-much-so committed to the traditions and arts of the sport. Sensei Toga is a renowned and respected Sensei in the world of Kendo, and although he has his enemies, he is never openly trifled with -- at least not to his face.
Sensei Toga generally doesn't directly teach students, but he has been known to rarely visit their practices. He always attends competitions of his students, though.
Tomiko Dango
While there are several instructors in the dojo, Sensei Tomiko is yours directly. Tomiko is a middle-aged Japanese woman with around a dozen years of Kendo experience. She is a woman who takes the sport seriously, and seeks to spread the joy which it brings her to the generations after hers. She holds a great respect for the sport and will stand for no tarnishing of its name, or the sacred place that is the dojo.
However, she is not a straight-laced as one might think from her thorny exterior. She has her playful and understanding sides, as well. She is among the best sensei in the dojo when it comes to connecting with students and uplifting their true potential. She can be harsh sometimes, but that harshness can come with a surprisingly soft touch, too. Don't let her true compassion fool you, though - her spicy attitude isn't just for show; she's known to rip trouble-makers a new one.
Toka Sato
Toka Sato is the principle of Akimitsu Academy. She has an oddly nervous and fidgety demeanor, but a truly kind heart - she likes to personally check in on classes, occasionally. Her anxious nature, oddly enough, seems to falter when it is most convenient.
Susan Nakamoto
Susan Nakamoto is the head lunch-lady at Akimitsu Academy. She occasionally serves the cafeteria, and is in charge of the menu and supplies for the cafeteria.
Sato Kubo
Sato Kubo is the school nurse. Her services are not usually needed, so she most-often tends to manage scrapes n stuff that the basketball team suffers. Aside from that, she tends to get bored and wander the school in search of entertainment. Despite this, she always seems to have an odd way of being where she needs to at any particular moment.. She seems to have a particularly bashful nature, especially around specific other staff members.
At passing glance, one would be forgiven for immediately thinking Shion a girl. Albeit his unkempt-looking hair is short, it is also quite fluffy and possesses a traditionally-feminine rosy-pink tone. His bangs are often prone to brushing into his face, occasionally covering the similarly-unique hue of his grape-purple eyes - which are often enhanced with his personal application of black eyeliner. Additionally, Shion's facial aspects are rather feminine; soft yet angular features and fair, clear skin accompanied by thin, expressive eyebrows.
Aside from his head, Shion doesn't have anything particularly special to note about him, physically. Admittedly, he does possesses a physique a bit feminine for most boys his age - being that he is rather petite at 5'4" and with little visible muscle. Despite his soft appearance though, he does have some musculature to him in the areas that are most manipulated in Kendo - those being the back, arms, core, and legs.
Personality:
Shion is a bit of a wildcard, some might say. In general, he's a boy of many facets - he is very-much-so an ambivert, and his day-to-day self flexes this duality often. He's not scared of being loud, nor of being unheard. He's fun-loving and animated, but equally capable of solemnity or aloofness that might seem off-putting coming from a bright, quip-cracking personality like his. He is a naturally competitive sort, and possesses the tenacity to compete against the odds in whichever field it is that he desires. He's more attentive than one might expect from a boy as air-headed as he can sometimes be, and is all-too-interested in learning specific fields that might seem a little random - like martial arts, or chemistry.
Bio:
Shion's life has been rather simple, if unfortunate, up to this point. Now living with his grandmother in an oddly large home for a Japanese citizen, Shion had been raised solely by his mother up until the age of 13. Until then, the two of them had lived alone, spending their days together as his mother, Aiko, worked from home. His life was one of normality and happiness - despite his father not being in the picture - and he would always return home from school to the waiting arms of his mother, who greeted him and treated him with all the love one could muster. But for some, fate deemed life would not be so blessed. At age 13, Shion lost his mother to a genetic disease with which he did not know she was burdened. From that point onward, he began to live with his grandmother Miu - a distant, if generous and benevolent, entity in his life.
He is, at least, a little fortunate in his inheritances granted by his mother. His closet is full of her belongings - memories of the only person who he was ever truly close to. Additionally, Shion seeks to carry on her legacy in Kendo. Aiko Sasaki was a world-competitor in Kendo some years ago, having to quit due to health. Shion keeps tapes of some of her competitions, watching them from time-to-time when he needs inspiration or comfort. It is her legacy in the sport that causes him to hold a deep respect for Kendo, and the drive to be the best than he can be - and better.
Kendo:
One might expect Shion's Kendo style to mirror his personality, and they would be right - though maybe for the wrong reasons. Where he is a rather balanced character who is equally prone to outwardness or reticence, in Kendo he is a defensive, counterattack-specialist. In shiai, Shion almost never deviates from the balanced Chudan stance, and develops a sharp eye and a reactive disposition - looking for even the slightest moment where his opponent's attack leaves them vulnerable to one of his own.
Not only is Shion's style one that takes advantage of the aggression of the opponent, but Shion is also a bit of a trickster when it comes to his own forms of aggression. Generally, the most common form of strike in Kendo is a cut, but Shion finds some success in a proclivity for thrusts - a faster and more deceptive, but more easily deflected, attack. Fortunately, this works well for him, as it is more difficult to articulate one's shinai during the recovery of a deflected or bypassed attack.
Additionally, Shion's interest in martial arts and swordsmanship as a whole leads him to have developed a taste for.. innovating. While being mindful of what maneuvers fit within the rules of a competition, Shion likes to include a number of techniques that aren't something a Kendoka would teach you. Stuff like techniques from European or Italian manuals - exotic things like that. Of course, these techniques can be hard to find uses for in practice, and aren't hammered into him for weeks by an instructor - so they could cost him.
Finally, there is Shion's behavior within Kendo. In all his flexibility, Shion's demeanor during true shiai is one that is very-much-so at odds with what people know of him. Were one to watch Shion closely, they would notice the very moment he reaches first sonkyo, any modicum of a smile, smirk, or really any emotion, vanishes. He eyes lock onto his opponent, and he develops an aura of seriousness that one can almost feel. The only reaction that one could distinguish from Shion's visage, in that moment, is the movement of his eyes as they flick from detail-to-detail, scanning his opponent in almost machine-like fashion. One could become so engrossed in the the polarity of the change that they could very well be startled by the curt, powerful burst of vocals that are Shion's kiai.
Shion is an exceptional Kendo student in his own right, but he does have his flaws. While he obviously isn't incapable of aggressing a defensive opponent, Shion's specialty lies in his eye for counter-attacks, and he is much more comfortable in that field of use. Additionally, he has been known to lose practices due to his use of the aforementioned exotic techniques - as his level of exercise with some of them is lacking, compared to normal Kendo maneuvers. This has gotten him scolded on more than a couple occasions by whichever sensei was teaching him at the time.
◼ B U I L D || Average, Slim ◼ H A I R C O L O U R || Pale, White ◼ E Y E C O L O U R || Steely Blue ◼ H E I G H T || 5'6" ◼ W E I G H T || 139 lbs ◼ S C A R S || N/A ◼ T A T T O O S || N/A ◼ P I E R C I N G S || N/A ◼ O T H E R || N/A
C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T
Pallyx is a roguish, if kind-hearted, girl that was dealt a bad hand. While she spent the majority of her life growing up as a regular girl, the late revelation of her powers flipped her life upside down. Receiving little parental attention from her mother and father growing up, due to their busy political professions, she was one to always make her own engagements with others to make up for that. This lead her to grow up social and develop a lax personality that viewed most things as not-too-serious. However, when it was discovered that the mystery illness that she grew up with was no less than a symptom of her hyperhuman nature, she couldn't just brush off what followed. Some could say she was fortunate, having her powers only discovered at the age of no less than 18 - but the betrayal of her parents felt all the more dreadful. Sure, it took them over a year to decide to kick Pallyx to the curb, but during that time she endured too much emotional abuse to be left the same.
After that point, Pallyx just managed to make ends meet through various.. less-than-legal business practices. She tried her best to continue her post-secondary schooling, and was barely able to keep it afloat. But it wasn't easy. She endured many transfers through different institutions, either due to various anti-hyperhuman policies, and maybe even a couple imagined transgressions that Pallyx's newfound paranoid psyche synthesized on its own.. but, eventually, she met with the opportunity to attend P.R.C.U. And she didn't let the opportunity go to waste. After a bit of time, her psyche shifted back towards a more stable position and she grew to really trust the institution over her first year of attendance. In fact, her education under the university took a very fortunate turn as it captured her aptitude for what subjects she really excelled at, like physics and literature, and managed to help her shore-up her weaker areas, like mathematics. As such, Pallyx is keen to brave her second and final year of education at P.R.C.U.
D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C D E T A I L E D A P P E A R A N C E & A E S T H E T I C
Pallyx is most often distinguished from a crowd by her unusual paleness. Her stark ivory hair is styled in a rough, unkempt bobcut that frames a face most-often suffering from an unusual pallor. Despite this pallid appearance, she seems to otherwise be perfectly healthy. Her facial features are softly angular and lend her an expressive visage. In contrast to her otherwise bright attributes, her eyes are a dark steely-blue color, and her expressive brows are similarly dark.
Across the rest of her body, there is nothing special to note. She stands at a regular 5'6" in height, with a slim physique. She does possess some musculature on an otherwise soft figure, most of which is focused in the thighs and biceps.
When it comes to wardrobe, Pallyx isn't a picky customer. She will wear a vast array of different clothing for different purposes. Whether it's supposed to be cute, utilitarian, cool, or whatever else, she'll wear whatever she feels like on any particular day, if she's not in school uniform. She also doesn't subscribe to any particular color palette, welcoming vibrant clothes, dark clothes, and whatever in between. She is very fond of hats, though.
M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y M A N N E R I S M S & P E R S O N A L I T Y
Pallyx is a tad divided in nature. On one hand, she grew up fun-loving, airy, and banter-y. She's never been one to recoil from a conversation offered, and has never had much trouble with making others or herself laugh, or with making friends. Overall as a person, she's lighthearted and receptive. But part of her is not so laid-back. While she's never been stranger to tossing some concerns to the wind, events of recent years - with the discovery of her hyperhuman powers especially - have triggered something in her brain. She's developed a more paranoid side that just wont let some things go. She's reaped a few small quirks, like trying to avoid classical "bad luck" gestures or opening packages she receives in the mail with a welding mask on, and cant help but obsess over certain ideas - but she does all she can to hide her paranoia behind her usual cool-headed behavior.
▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅
▅▅▅▅▅
A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S A B I L I T I E S, L I M I T A T I O N S, & W E A K N E S S E S
H Y P E R H U M A N A B I L I T Y || Hyper-hunger __PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION || Esoteric __SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION || Somatic __POWER SCALE || TBD __THREAT CLASSIFICATION || TBD
Pallyx's hyperhuman ability is a mutation which alters her body in several ways - principal among them being her capacity to absorb HZEs from others. She accomplishes this absorption through touching a target - though its effects aren't entirely immediate. While her initial touch is enough to make using one's powers more of an effort, the longer she stays in contact with a target the more HZEs she drains from them - eventually rendering them unable to use their hyperhuman abilities until their HZEs regenerate.
Absorbing the HZEs of others serves two purposes, though; the first is obviously that they will have their powers disrupted, and the second being that Pallyx uses said HZEs to invigorate her own physicality and healing factor. Initially, said healing factor is functionally nonexistent - but grows in potency as she absorbs more HZEs. Sapping an opponent or two for a prolonged enough time can even render her healing factor potent enough to heal otherwise fatal wounds. The enhancement of her physicality is best described as a simple buff to her physical attributes - eventually lending her strength much more explosive than what her appearance might let on, and letting her move faster, too, as a result.
Aside from the combat-effective mutations of her body, she also has some other small mutations. Behaviorally, Pallyx seems to be endlessly hungry, and only grows more ravenous with the use of her power. When at her resting state - that being having absorbed no extra HZEs from anybody else, which is most of the time - she develops a worrying paleness of the face and a sickly cough; features which seem to be impervious to conventional or supernatural medicines. Her other physical mutations include obviously pronounced canines, a significantly elongated tongue, as well as excessive production of saliva. When she sleeps she drools. It's kinda icky.
L I M I T A T I O N S || Touch, Range
Touch is key when it comes to Pallyx's hyperhuman ability - although her absorbative power can manage to surpass regular clothing with ease, gearing oneself up in anything thicker than leather will render it hard for her to effectively absorb from you. Distance is also, obviously, her enemy.
W E A K N E S S E S || Delayed power, Frenzy-prone
Pallyx's hyperhuman ability, unlike many others, isn't at its most effective right off the bat. She has to maintain prolonged touch in order to absorb enough HZEs to disable someone's powers and bolster her own - and until she can do that, she's basically a normal girl. Additionally, Pallyx seems to take on some worrying behavioral changes when she absorbs a significant quantity of HZEs - a clear flaw in her mutation. The more she absorbs, the more brash, aggressive, and irritable she becomes. She can even manage to forget friend from foe. But in the end, the hunger that she endures renders it difficult for her to stop herself once she's started.
P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S )
Trying to decipher Pallyx's goal in life is like asking a dog what toy it wants to play with - it doesn't know, it just wants to have fun. She just plays whatever hand is dealt to her in life at any particular moment - spending little time on deciding what she wants to do in the future. If forced to confront what she might really want, well.. it might be as simple as some form of stability. She's never had a real family, or friends that got past the elbow. Maybe at some point, that'll change. But until then, she'll keep entertaining others as long as she gets some sort of fun out of it.
S K I L L S & T A L E N T S S K I L L S & T A L E N T S
◼ Illegal Shit || Pallyx is no stranger to morally gray circumstances. She's performed her fair share of thefts, scams, and even shoved a police officer into a pond once. Anyways, she's pretty good at lying, can hotwire cars, and knows how to get closed things open, in one way or another. ◼ Sleight-of-hand || Pallyx is pretty good with her hands. Discreetly hiding or swapping objects with others, sneaking things away, or even seeming to make things vanish are all pretty easy things for her.
T A L E N T S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
◼ Light-footed || Pallyx is naturally pretty stealthy. She can move quick, and she can do it quietly, too. She often uses this to scare her friends by sneaking up on them. BOO! ◼ Sharp || Pallyx is much sharper than her airy demeanor might let on. She has a perceptive eye and is a pretty quick thinker, all things said. It isn't often that she loses her cool, either. ◼ Party Tricks || Over the years, Pallyx has picked up a vast wealth of useless party tricks. Her favorites are drinking flaming booze, and various tricks she can do with her unnaturally long tongue. Some friend circles have even viewed her like a magician, in some lights.
C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L C H A R A C T E R A R S E N A L
◼ Uniform || Pallyx, obviously, conforms to the usual attire regulations for school hours. While she was initially not a huge fan of wearing a uniform, since she's one to thoroughly enjoy accessorizing, she has grown to kinda like it. It helps that she thinks she pulls the fit off pretty damn well - the militant style looks good on her. She'll also never complain about getting the opportunity to wear a beret, since she's prideful in her ability to shape one to her liking perfectly.
I T E M ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
◼ Random garbage || Pallyx is a bit of a harpy when it comes to squirreling things away on her person. She seems to have an endless stash of useless artifacts on her person at all times - ranging from stuff like yoyos and cards to Chinese finger traps and trick coins.
T O O L ( S ) ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
◼ Multitool || Alongside all her useless crap, she carries a multitool that seemingly houses every instrument under the sun. It's got screwdrivers, corkscrews, various edges, a glass cutter, a laser pointer, and all manner of other things tucked away inside.
A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S A D D I T I O N A L N O T E S
E N T E R I N G I N T O Y O U R F I N A L Y E A R, W H A T A D V I C E D O Y O U H A V E T O A N E W S T U D E N T?
"Aha, you want me to give advice? You must be desperat-" A short series of tight coughs interrupts. "-kmn. Well.. if I were to offer some advice, I might have to sound like a broken record. Enjoy it. Time spent here is time spent among friends. I reckon life won't always be as easy as it is here, 'less you're really lucky. So just have fun. Oh- I guess you can learn some stuff, too. If you're into that."
W H A T W E R E Y O U R A S P I R A T I O N S W H E N Y O U S T A R T E D H E R E? W H A T C H A N G E D, W H A T S T A Y E D T H E S A M E?
"My aspirations, huh. Honestly, I don't know what I was lookin' for. I think I was just.. I don't know, tryin' to retain some sense of normalcy. It was a tough time. Thinkin' back on it, I don't know why I was stickin' to my education the way I was - I wasn't even tryin' that hard. I just needed.. somethin' to hold onto." After a pause, Pallyx clears her throat shortly. "Heh. That got a little reflective, huh..? Anyway...."
I F Y O U C O U L D M A K E O N E C H A N G E T O Y O U R T I M E A T P . R . C . U ., W H A T W O U L D I T B E?
"Heh. Not to get all sappy n' stuff, but I don't think I'd change much'a anything. This place's been good for me. I reckon it's been good for a lotta people. Maybe it's not perfect, but it's damn near close enough to where I wouldn't wanna mess with it myself."
☯ Baxter, Harper ☯ "Ms. Baxter, eh? We haven't mingled much, but she seems alright - though a bit straight-laced! The whole archery thing is so dope."
☯ de Leon, Calliope ☯ "Ahh, the Ice Queen~ Though we haven't talked too deeply, I got a feelin' there's more to her than meets the eye. She's with Banjo of all people, and that proves it."
☮ Galahad, Gil ☮ "Gil! Charmin' bloke, ain't he? Heh, his company's not too bad. Unfortunate that's he's bri'ish, innit? Hehehe~"
☯ Mitchell, Aurora ☯ "Aurora, hm. She seems like a thoughtful gal. I reckon she's a reliable friend, considerin' the ones she keeps. Maybe I'll see this year!"
______________________________________
☯♥ Cahors, Amma ♥☯ "Mmm.. I reckon Ms. Cahors is one I wanna keep my eye on. She's unnervin' to most, but I think maybe she's just a bit misunderstood. Though maybe I just like things that're too sour for me~"
☯ Hisamatsu, Mei ☯ "Mei seems like a stand-up gal! She likes a good time and that's good enough for me!~" ▅
☮ Olyphant, Banjo ☮ "Aha.. haha.. hahaha- Oh, Banjo.. what a silly dude. Never fails to keep me in high spirits! He's a good guy." ▅
☮ Tyler, Rory ☮ "Rory! Rory's pretty cool. He's a nice, fun, straightforward personality. Loyal and dependable - all you could want in a friend, really!"
______________________________________
☮ Barnes, Haven ☮ "Oh, Haven! I love 'er. She's my kinda girl! Confident, open, not too apprehensive, either. Plus, she helps me get through math tests, somehow.. She's great!"
☮♥ Kruger, Katja ♥☮ "Muscles is a charmer, that's for sure. Hardheaded, energetic, temperamental, what's not to like?? Is it bad that her lack of personal space is.. adorable?"
☮ Roth, Lorcán ☮ "Fire and Ice huh? Who knew we'd hit it off? I'll admit, I was concerned at first, but he grw on me."
‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
