[hider=Elara Wren][CENTER][youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09wVPp9ur_Q&pp=ygUQaG9tZSBvbiB0aGUgcmFnZQ%3D%3D[/youtube][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/b3RmLjEwNi4xOWRkZDkuUld4aGNtRWdWM0psYmcuMA/half-awake-trial.regular.webp[/img][/CENTER] [i]"I never thought I’d be thrust into this role so soon. I don’t know if I’m ready."[/i] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Q24YNzz.jpeg[/img] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] [sub]Elara Sabrina Wren She/Her [b]|[/b] 23 [b]|[/b] multiracial [b]|[/b] 5’1 [b]|[/b] 113 lbs [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Struggling [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Skills & Talents[/sub] [i]"The thing about living in the mountains is you either learn a thing or two about a thing or two or you’ll never survive."[/i] [sup]___________________________________[/sup][/center] [hider=][sub][b]I can fix that ⫻[/b] Elara has had to become proficient and repairing and fixing anything and everything. While she is no expect, she can pull apart and repair a lot of common problems for most of her devices and especially her motorcycle [b]I can grow that ⫻[/b] Taught from a young age the value of sustainability. As such, Elara maintains a garden that supplies herself with various vegetables, and her special herb. [b]I can brew that ⫻[/b] As is tradition in the mountains, Elara has the ability to brew a batch of moonshine when needed.[/sub][/hider] [/cell][cell][sub][b] Appearance[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I will stop by Billy’s today and get another tattoo. Lord knows it won’t fix me but I’m willing to give it another try."[/i] [indent]Elara is short, thin, and outside of her prominent hips she does not have many curves. Her body is well proportioned, and if and were any taller she probably could have made a killing in the modeling world. Despite her stature Elara Carrie’s herself with confidence. Her body is lean, but muscular, and her head held constantly high. Her body is adorned with over a hundred tattoos. From the large pieces that completely cover her chest and breasts, to the completed sleeves that dot her arms, hands, legs, feet, and with none more visible than the various face and neck tattoos that frame her face. She has more skin covered in tattoos than open, and she is openly considering covering more of her face if time and money allow. As well, she has multiple piercings. Her nostril, and ears are pierced and her ears are beginning to fill in with jewelry. She also has her nipples and her belly button pierced. It’s hard for people to place a pin on Elara’s ethnicity. The Appalachian mountains have always been a melting pot of different groups, and she is simply the product of that environment. Both of her parents were multiracial, and their parents were multiracial. While she is just a few shades more tan than a typical white person by nature, she has still been exposed to the worst that the south has to offer over her look. Elara is the type of girl to forgo makeup. While she can put on a face, and does any time she travels to the North Side, she really does enjoy doing so. She has naturally clear skin thanks to her exposure to the grove of vitality, and she thinks that makeup is a colossal waste of time. Her sense of fashion is much the same. Her typical outfit is a worn out tank top with various holes and stains etched into the fabric. She likes to wear band shirts, and these are kept in at least a more consistent state of disrepair than the tanks. In the warmer months she’ll wear denim shorts, in the colder months denim pants. She does have an affinity for the boyfriend jeans cut with pants all the same. When she travels to the North Side she may dress up. She has a small, but growing collection of ‘fancy clothes’ that are considered out of style but she’ll be able to at least look the part if the need arises.[/indent] [/cell][/row][/table][sub][b] Psychology[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Listen, life is simple when you live by the golden rules. Be kind to others but don’t let them mistake your kindness for weakness."[/i] [INDENT][b]MAIN GOAL ⫻[/b] Elara has two goals in life. Her first goal is to always be comfortable enough to be able to live nicely, and to be strong enough to protect those close to her. Ever since the cataclysm she’s been one of the leaders of her coven, and she wants to make sure that this small group is protected and cared for. This extends to her personal life. She doesn't want much in terms of material wealth, but if she can create a space where she rarely wants for something the better she will feel about it. [b]PHILOSOPHY ⫻[/b] Hard work is the key to success. Life in the mountains can be hard. You don’t get the same opportunities that those in the city get and as such you have to build your own. [b]SECRETS ⫻[/b] Elara has taken one person to the grove without the coven knowing. They were bleeding, and would have died if not for the vitality magic of the grove. [b]SEXUALITY ⫻[/b] Straight but a little bi-curious [b]FEARS ⫻[/b] That the strange monsters that have begun to pop up in the mountains are a sign of something worse to come. The Tomes tell of an ancient evil locked away in the mountain. Although the details of this threat are vague, Elara believes that there may be truth to these legends. [b]WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻[/b] Elara helped fight during the cataclysm. She used her abstraction to provide support from afar and used her teleportation to transport wounded warriors to the healing crews. [b]FLAWS ⫻[/b] Elara is naive. Despite everything she truly believes there is good in everyone. As such, she has never met an attractive man she did but think she could fix. As well, she may open herself and the grove to outside threats because she may trust the wrong person. [/INDENT] [sub][b] Backstory[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"We had a simple enough life. I wish it could go back to what it was."[/i] [indent]Elara was born and raised in the mining community of Ravens Rest nestled deep in the mountains over Cloverfield. Her mother and father were both adept’s, and magic was as much apart of her life as anything else even before she kindled. She went to school, a rather small but close knit education system and her graduation class would end up being only thirty people in total. When she was walking home from a friend's house she had a chance encounter with a terrible aberration whose glamor drew her in. Once it revealed its true form, and she kindled, she tried to fight back but was outmatched at every turn. She managed to teleport away and landed at the front of her house half dead, where she was discovered by her parents. Her memory goes blank and she remembers the presence of some old dog as her eyes lost their vision. She awoke in the grove. All her wounds were healed and she was pulled into the arms of her parents. It was here that she was told the truth of her family, and how their history was one of resistance, protection, and magic. She expressed interest in continuing that tradition and was brought into the covens ranks at the young age of twelve. She would spend the rest of her teenage years studying both the magic and the mundane, often feeling pulled one way or the other depending on the day. When she graduated she found work in the community where she could, and with the help of her parents she bought her own small cottage at twenty years old. The next three years Elara learned all of the rituals for the grove, falling in and out of love, and expanding on her home garden. When the cataclysm hit her parents and the rest of the grove leadership knew that they had to help fight, but forbade the grove from being used to help heal. It was in the final battle that the entire leadership, and all the elders, were killed. She did not have any time to mourn during the battle as she knew she had to do what she could to help end the threat once and for all. In the year and a half since she, and the rest of the grove, have attempted to return to some normalcy. She’s been more involved in the politics of the mountains and has been raising the alarm about the return of monsters[/indent] [sub][b] Abstraction[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]" I’ve been using a bow since I was a kid. Do you think I’ll miss, or do you hope I will?"[/i] [indent][b]TYPE ⫻[/b] Adept [b]ABSTRACTION ⫻[/b] Elara is a red purple adept who can shoot elemental arrows from a magic bow she generates, and also can shoot purple lux infused magic arrows to teleport. [b]ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻[/b] Elara can summon a magic bow. The bow itself is a vivid white color and sparks and shifts uncontrollably, arching to the ground with streaks of elemental magic. When Elara pulls the bowstring back it creates a magical arrow of her choice. The magical arrow can do one of a few different things. Fire Arrow: Elara summons a fiery hot arrow that is blazing hot. Fires dance off the arrow both before it is loose and when it flies. The fire arrow is an area of attack tool that engulfs the area of impact and surrounding area in a sea of fire. The fire is magical and has no direct way of getting through a strong emotional field but prolonged exposure to it will burn the target. The fire acts like a liquid and can coat a five foot radius in this inferno. Lightning Arrow: If Elara's target is more well defended she can conjure an arrow of lightning. The lightning is cackling even as it’s drawn and once it impacts it shoots lightning tendrils into the target. The attack is limited to the point of impact and has no crowd control opportunities. The lightning penetrates emotional fields and contemporary armor. Ice Arrow: As a fight develops Elara can limit an opponent with an ice area. If the ice arrow hits a target they will become encased in ice, and find them weighed down by it. This ice is magically heavy, and will force the target to deal with it or quickly lose energy. Water Arrow: Sometimes you need to fight with the strength of a coursing river. When Elara fires this arrow it covers a ten foot area in a half foot of water. Obviously this may not last long, but it is enough to get an area wet and the initial impact of the arrow has the most force. Combination Arrow: If the need arises Elara can combine three different elemental arrows together. Fire and Water will create a smokescreen of steam, scalding those caught in it. Lightning and water will create a shocking pool that will stun those caught in it. Ice and water will create an ice rink with a magically slick surface that will cause any and all to slip and fall. Teleportation Arrow: Elara will often need to reposition. She can shoot a purple arrow that will transport her to wherever it lands. She can pull the arrow off the string and use it to mark a circle around her or an object to mark an area to teleport. It will teleport to wherever the arrow lands so she’ll be to ensure accuracy. [b]LIMITS ⫻[/b] Elara only has one spell that will be effective against stronger apparitions. As such she’ll be to a more supportive role against these threats. Her arrows are not magically enhanced to hit a target so she’ll need to ensure she aims well. She’s immune to the arrows before their spells are activated, not after. As such, she must stay away from the various spells to avoid hurting herself. [b]WEAKNESSES ⫻[/b] The elemental forces behind her arrows are easily countered by their opposite elements. Fire is weak to water, steam is weak to wind, and ice is weak to fire. As well, while she may be immune to the effects of the arrow while on the bow string this will not last forever. The more age uses her ability the less she’ll be able to resist the elements. The teleportation arrow will teleport her exactly where it lands. This means that if it hits a building at a ninety degree angle she will teleport to the same spot feet on the building at a ninety degree angle. This is the same if she transports just herself, or others, so Elara will need to be accurate to ensure she’s not putting herself at risk. [/INDENT] [sup][b] Other[/b][/sup] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I just brewed a batch, want to get drunk?"[/i] [indent]Anyyyything else?[/INDENT] [/hider] [hider=Seren Ash][CENTER][youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9dfYKiRDAw&pp=ygUqaSBkb24ndCB3YW50IHRvIHNldCB0aGUgd29ybGQgb24gZmlyZSAyd2Vp[/youtube][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjEwNi5kZDE5NWUuVTJWeVpXNGdRWE5vLjA,/scaryartdemo.regular.webp[/img][/CENTER] [i]"I find it ironic. Defending this place all the while I could burn it all to the ground"[/i] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Atz2ptA.jpeg[/img] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] [sub]Seren ‘J’ Ash They/Them [b]|[/b] 19 [b]|[/b] Italian [b]|[/b] 5’3 [b]|[/b] 127 lbs [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Rage [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Skills & Talents[/sub] [i]" This entity wants me to be an agent of destruction. I will learn how to make it one of life."[/i] [sup]___________________________________[/sup][/center] [hider=] [sub] [b] Connections in places high and low ⫻[/b] Before Seren joined accepted their birthright in the coven they were a social butterfly who quickly made friends with people on both sides of the river. [b]A dab or two ⫻[/b] Seren is always ready for a smoke sesh. When they’re out and about you have an equal chance to pull a marijuana cigarette as you do a regular one from their pack.[/sub][/hider] [/cell][cell][sub][b] Appearance[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Why do you care so much about my style? Kinda cringe bro."[/i] [indent]Seren is not the tallest of women but they makes up for it with a surprisingly busty chest and wide hips. They tend to slouch their shoulders, and this makes them look a little shorter than they actually are. They keep their hair its natural dark brown color but typically wear it in a shag style. Seren can be lazy with the styling so some days it looks amazing and other days they look like crap Seren is half Italian, the other half is a bit of everything. They were born in Italy, thus getting them that coveted dual citizenship status. Their skin is a darker olive tone, their hair is naturally curly, and they have the ability to tan extremely well. They are still deciding if they want to commit to a tattoo or not, and have been talking it over with the other members of the grove. As well, they’re still considering if they want to get some piercings. As of now they do not have any but they think they’ll look very cute with a septum. Their fashion is one that is simple. They tend to wear baggy pants with the cuffs rolled up. They always have button up shirts that are always thrifted. And they have a wide assortment of rings and bracelets that are always present but never the same mix. When the weather starts getting more chilly they bring out their prized possession: their Red Bull Racing jacket. It is several sizes too big, and it once belonged to their father before he died in the cataclysm. If the need ever arises they can change up their style and go full masculine, with tucked in stylish button up shirts and a binder. If they go full feminine they’ll wear skin tight dresses and a full face of makeup.[/indent] [/cell][/row][/table][sub][b] Psychology[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I never wanted any of this. I could be Italy drinking on the beach but no. I’m stuck up this mountain."[/i] [INDENT][b]MAIN GOAL ⫻[/b] Seren has ahead wanted to be independent of their family and this goal has carried through to where they are right now. None of the inheritance went to them, and as such they are going to need to work to establish themself and then get out of the city. [b]PHILOSOPHY ⫻[/b] Existence is pain and it was a mistake to be born. Their whole life was dedicated to a vision of the future and they were forcibly adjoined to the apparition Cinder at a young age. As such, they have a cynical view of the world and the people within them. [b]SECRETS ⫻[/b] Three years ago a massive blaze destroyed a small section of the lower district. The district blames the developers from across the river for it and it ignited a city wide protest that lasted months. In truth, it was Seren. They were lost, and scared, and it was this fear that triggered a Wave of Fire that instantly ignited the buildings. The culprit is still wanted, and a reward is offered for leads. [b]SEXUALITY ⫻[/b] Queer [b]FEARS ⫻[/b] That they are destined to lose control and bring Cinder to the world. Their crime will be revealed to the world and that they will spend time behind bars. That they’re destined to exist in a state of perpetual poverty and that they’ll never be able to live the life of their dreams. [b]WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻[/b] Seren hid away from the fight for the most part but did participate in the fighting in the final days. [b]FLAWS ⫻[/b] Seren is highly opinionated and is not afraid to speak their mind. They have also learned to weaponize their emotions. They are emotionally immature and will not make amends when they’re wrong. [/INDENT] [sub][b] Backstory[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]" Born to be a monster. Raised to be a monster. I don’t think you know what that was like."[/i] [indent]Seren was born in Calabria, Italy. Her father is an Italian man who married a woman from Cloverfield, and the two decided to make sure that their kids had the same opportunities in both countries. Their early childhood was unremarkable. It was pleasant but nothing really happened until they were seven. Their mother was a member of a coven known as the Keepers of the Grove and had seen a great evil in the leaves. They also saw that their child would play a pivotal role in stopping it and as such they forced their eyes open and then adjoined them to the powerful apparition Cinder. They do not remember much outside of the training, the pain, and the lack of friends. They were homeschooled until they gained control over the apparition. Many of the elders had to lend their magic to help the young child through this turbulent time period. They were socially stunted for a long time as a result of this but Seren worked hard and managed to make up for lost time and become one of the more popular kids at school by the time that they graduated. After Highschool expectations were high for Seren. They were supposed to go to the prestige Clovercity University, study, and practice their skills. Instead, they decided to come out as a transmasculine individual. Immediately they were cut off by their religious family, the money that was banked away for their tuition was rescinded, and they were forced out with a court order and forced to fend for themself. The lower district welcomed them with open arms. They quickly established themself in the local queer community, found housing, and then found a job, and then signed up for their first year at the Nimtaké Community College. They were getting ready for their second semester when the cataclysm occurred. They originally ran to the hills and hid, but once word got to them that their parents and the other elders were going to fight they joined to finally show their worth. They survived, but the leadership did not. In the aftermath, they were approached by Elara who offered them a permanent place at the Keepers of the Grove. They knew the rest of their birthright was taken from them, and that their parents wealth would only flow to their younger sibling, but they at least ensured that they would take the thing that was most important to their mother from them.[/indent] [sub][b] Abstraction[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"When you burn you’ll be one with the fire forever"[/i] [indent][b]TYPE ⫻[/b] Adjoined [b]ABSTRACTION ⫻[/b] Seren is Adjoined to Cinder, an apparition who grows stronger and hotter the more souls it consumes. [b]ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻[/b] Seren is Adjoined to Cinder, a primordial Apparition whose goal is to bathe the world in fire in order to allow it to be reborn anew. It does this by absorbing the life force, and soul if present. As it absorbs the stronger its own fire grows. The power is also tied to the emotions of Seren, specifically their fear. It will activate in a form of self defense if needed. The souls that are stolen with this magic are forever trapped in an eternal plane of fire. As well, if they themself take fatal damage they’ll be encased in a cocoon of fire and be reborn an hour later, draining the stored soul energy of Cinder. Smolder: The most basic ability, Smolder is a living beam of fire that can snake across an area. Currently if this beam hits a target it will be hot enough to cause burns within a few seconds of exposure. As well, it will sap away at the energy of the target. Cinder: Seren will often unintentionally cause their surrounding area to catch fire or nearly catch fire if threatened, or if they’re afraid. They can activate this ability at will. It covers a wide area and at the current stage it will simply feel like Seren made the setting extremely hot. If someone were to catch fire it will consume the soul of those it kills like their other spells. Fire Lance: Seren can point a single finger out, and often does so with a finger gun, and shoot a single intense streak of fire. The fire will burn but it’s a more directed and concentrated attack on the life force and soul of a target. On impact, red lines will spread across the body of the target. These streaks will last three seconds and will drain the energy rapidly during its duration. Fire Wall: If the need arises Seren can bathe every object in a one hundred foot radius. This spell requires Seren to charge up, and during it objects will progressively get hotter until they reach their combustion point. As Cinder grows in strength so too will the radius. Eventually, if a critical mass of souls are stored, Cinder could even cover the entire planet with this spell. After the fires burn, life will begin to sprout from the smoldering ash. A building that is ignited will soon begin to grow all forms of new plant life. [b]LIMITS ⫻[/b] Cinder’s strength is tied to the stored souls. As Seren has refused to fuel the fire they’ll forever be limited. [b]WEAKNESSES ⫻[/b] Cinder needs a reserve of energy to function properly and thus, Seren will need to drain the life force or soul of plants, animals, or people to function. As well, the process of collect this energy is addictive. Seren will eventually want to start consuming energy in this fashion and will become a liability. Cinder will also push for Seren to do this every day. It will cry, complain, and bemoan for hours at a time until Seren relents and takes some life force. The more she relents the stronger Cinder grows, and the stronger Cinder grows the more control they will have. [/INDENT] [sup][b] Other[/b][/sup] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Can we, like, not do this?"[/i] [indent]Anyyyything else?[/INDENT] [/hider] [hider=Gideon Cross][CENTER][youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mWKDZRJWdF4&pp=ygUOYWxsIGJsYWNrIHNvbmc%3D[/youtube][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjEwNi5kZDE5NWUuUjJsa1pXOXVJRVJoY25KbGJpQkRjbTl6Y3cuMA/mouvere-and-apos.bold.webp[/img][/CENTER] [i]"Either we find some common ground, or I bury you six feet under it. Choice is yours."[/i] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/DIrW9AK.jpeg[/img] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] [sub]Gideon Darren Cross He/Him [b]|[/b] 57 [b]|[/b] Vaguely European [b]|[/b] 6’4 [b]|[/b] 232 lbs [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Control [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Skills & Talents[/sub] [i]"I have built an empire from nothing more than my own blood, sweat, and tears. Imagine what I can build with my fortune behind me."[/i] [sup]___________________________________[/sup][/center] [hider=] [sub] [b] Wealthy beyond words ⫻[/b] Thanks to his unique position among the Lower District Gideon has seen a massive influx of money. There is a skill involved in using it, and Gideon is strategic with the application of it. [b] Street Smart ⫻[/b] Gideon has been involved with the crime scene in Cloverfield since he was a kid. He has a sixth sense for investigations, and those who try to follow him. [b]A strong presence ⫻[/b] A lifetime pursuit of being the best is also reflected with his body. He is strong, with a mix of raw strength and old man strength.[/sub][/hider] [/cell][cell][sub][b] Appearance[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"You always need to dress to impress."[/i] [indent]Gideon is a tall, attractive, and muscular man who radiates importance no matter the setting. He is unblemished, with no tattoos or piercings. He keeps his beard trimmed to an acceptable level, and his hair is meticulously cared for and he often finds himself at the local barber shop. He has many visible wrinkles on his forehead and his cheek. He has never had any work done, nor does he plan on it. Life has been kind to him thus far, and he plans to age gracefully as it continues. Even as a lowly initiate in the criminal underground Gideon preferred to dress nicely. He does not like the high quality and high fashion suits that are a dime a dozen. Instead, he goes to the same local tailor that has dressed the industria influential members of the community. His suits are still high quality but they’re not from one of the big name brands that dominate the landscape on the North Side. His muscular frame is always on display even through his suits. This creates a natural intimidation due how tall he is and thus allows him to always have an upper hand in the underbelly of the city. While he is acutely aware of personal space he will use his body to put pressure on people by breaking it [/indent] [/cell][/row][/table][sub][b] Psychology[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]" Did I ever think I would give up my company to help protect the city I love? No. Do I regret it? Not a chance"[/i] [INDENT][b]MAIN GOAL ⫻[/b] Gideon has a dream to see the Lower District thriving in a way that maintains its culture and differences from the North Side. While he is not as wealthy as other powers at play, e still puts his money where his mouth is and is constantly investing into new projects. Most recently he has bought hundreds of generators to help the people of his town keep the lights on during the blackouts. As well, everyone who works for him is considered a part of his extended family. He genuinely wants to do well by then at every opportunity. He often mentors those in search of it, pays better than any other criminal outfit, and ensures that everyone is financially accounted for. Gideon knows that a happy, healthy crew is an easy way to ensure longevity so he goes to great lengths to ensure that he always delivers. [b]PHILOSOPHY ⫻[/b] Success is a ladder and some people start at the top. In order to be the most successful person you need to always be willing to pull those above you down. [b]SECRETS ⫻[/b] His company was not destroyed by the cataclysm. He arranged for it to be destroyed during the battle to bury the secrets of the crimes that were committed and the ties he’s always had since he founded his business. [b]SEXUALITY ⫻[/b] Straight [b]FEARS ⫻[/b] Having the skeletons in his closet being revealed. The cataclysm did much to distract the authorities, but it’s only a matter of time before the spotlight is back on him. He fear’s that he will fall in his bid to protect his city. That the crime that he organizes and sits at the center of will eventually spiral out of control and do untold damage to the city. His biggest fear is that his family will be caught in the crossfire or be used against him. Everyone in his organization is like a second family to him. As such he fears that they’ll be hurt or killed. [b]WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻[/b] He was an active fighter in the Lower Districts. [b]FLAWS ⫻[/b] Gideon is vain, opinionated, and has a cruel streak. He is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his town but is often willing to go too far. He is also cursed with a short temper and a fury unmatched. This is especially evident if someone hurts someone in his crew or close to him. While he does invest a lot of his money into saving the town he still could be doing more without hurting, and this financial reluctance is a sign of a greater problem with his selfish self. [/INDENT] [sub][b] Backstory[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Keeping crime controlled and organized is no joke. Someone had to do it, and I think I’ll take it another step further."[/i] [indent] Gideon was born and raised within the Lower District. His early years were nice and simple, if a little poor. He found work at a factory right out of school and worked there until he turned twenty five. The Lower District had a way of claiming even the most pure of souls. One night on his way home he was arrested for a crime he did not commit, was held in jail, and was put on trial for it. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in jail. Gideon made many friends in his time in jail, none more so than Jack Nickolas. Jack was a bar owner, and ran a small drug operation out of the bar. He was locked up on other charges and the two connected over their shared hatred of the North Side. The two became fast friends and when he got out he joined Jack at the Hollow. It was here he met his future wife Sarah. Like him she was from the lower district and wanted more out of life. And like him she was more than comfortable taking shortcuts to get there faster. Within a year the two were married. Over the next five years Gideons first four children were born, forcing his time and attention to matters at home. After five years his relationship with Jack began to sour. Gideon was a de facto leader of the Hollow at this point and everyone in the organization looked up to him in some fashion. A heated exchange turned violent and Gideon killed Jack. He pinned the blame on another local gang and led the Hollow on a bloody rampage. After the dust settled he was confirmed as the new leader of the hollow, and has kept expanding it ever since. He quickly got the local police force, PRA, and federal agents on his payroll. Unlike the other gangs and criminal elements he was not afraid to let magic lead the way, and this gave him an advantage in war. Even as he began to grow wealthy through the various rackets he ran he never forgot his roots. Over the twenty years since took control he has consistently put money back into the community. Whether that was paying for the renovations for the community center, establishing a scholarship fund, or volunteering to give the unhoused population a warm meal and gifts during the holiday season. As his legend grew so too did his voice, and as his voice began to bellow more and more eyes started to fall on his business dealings. A year before the cataclysm a new police commissioner began to crack down on corruption. This probe eventually began to point back towards Gideon. He knew that he would be caught eventually but was pleasantly surprised when the cataclysm gave him an opportunity to clear the field of these new obstacles. The police commissioner was killed during the chaos, the evidence was destroyed when the police station exploded, and all the eyes that watched for his fall shifted elsewhere In the year and a half since Gideon has expanded his empire even further, establishing a strange criminal government out of the various factions of the lower district. And now he finally sets his eyes on the North District.[/indent] [sub][b] Abstraction[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Listen. People just work better when they have competent leadership. And when they see I am willing to put my fist where my mouth is."[/i] [indent][b]TYPE ⫻[/b] Adept - Brass knuckle as his channeler [b]ABSTRACTION ⫻[/b] Gideon is an green-pink lux adept who has enhanced strength, speed, and durability from the green lux and the ability to learn the weakness of an opposing fighter with his pink. [b]ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻[/b] Gideon’s life has been one fight after the next. Ever since he kindled he’s had an advantage over those he fights. Gideon is able to use his magic to enhance his fighting capabilities, and he’s used this to great effect in his expansion into the criminal underworld. Hit them hard: Gideon is a strong fighter by nature. He knows that you don’t have to be flashy, you just have to hit someone harder than you get hit back. As such, when he places his brass knuckles on his hand he can channel his green lux to boost his raw strength to a level just above peak human. He can lift hundreds of pounds, throw punches that will break bone with ease. His speed is also enhanced and he’ll unleash a flurry of blows before a typical person can react. He can run as fast as the fastest sprinter and can jump further as well. Don’t let them hit you back: With his pink lux, once he makes contact with his fist he’ll have a connection with his target that will allow him to know what they’re going to do next. In a fight, he can use this to know how they plan to strike before the punch is even thrown. If he needs information he can place his hands on someone and get a limited sweep of information but he can not search for specifics or force them to show him something. [b]LIMITS ⫻[/b] In order to use his pink lux he must make contact with a target. As well, he only gets a glimpse at the very next action they are doing. It’s not a future sense, it’s just a real time peak behind the scenes. He’s not able to maintain the strength, speed, and durability for more than five minutes at a time. [b]WEAKNESSES ⫻[/b] Gideon will feel a magical weakness fall over him after the magic subsides. He’ll be weaker, slower, and more frail than normal. The duration of this affliction depends on how long he keeps the magic active. If he goes to the full five minutes he’ll be in an incredibly vulnerable position that enemies can easily exploit. As such, he must be sure that he picks the right time to use this ability. As well, if he hits a particularly strong emotional field his pink lux will open a two way connection. While he’ll be able to get his peak behind the curtain his opponent will be able to do so as well. [/INDENT] [sup][b] Other[/b][/sup] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Can we wrap this up? I have seven kids at home who expect me soon"[/i] [indent]Gideon is a collector of muscle cats.[/INDENT] [/hider] [hider=Freya Collins][CENTER][youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K1uuK4QdvGY&pp=ygUTYXB0IHJvc2UgYnJ1bm8gbWFycw%3D%3D[/youtube][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/b3RmLjEwNi5iNzE5ZGQuUm5KbGVXRWdRMjlzYkdsdWN3LCwuMA,,/cavatine-demo.regular.webp[/img][/CENTER] [i]"I think people from the Lower District are lazy. They have the same opportunities in this beautiful city."[/i] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/EGtxD4l.jpeg[/img] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] [sub]Freya “Li Hua Wang” Collins She/Her [b]|[/b] 22 [b]|[/b] Chinese [b]|[/b] 5’5 [b]|[/b] 119 lbs [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Snob [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Skills & Talents[/sub] [i]"Oh I’m just a simple baker! I just like to cook."[/i] [sup]___________________________________[/sup][/center][hider=] [sub][ [b]Kitchen Witch ⫻[/b] Freya is a renowned baker. Her shop is known far and wide, and she often pushes the bar forward for the small business food scene. [b]Small business struggles ⫻[/b] When age first opened her bakery she struggled. As such, she has an innate ability to overcome adversity. [b] Popular online ⫻[/b] With two million followers across all platforms, Freya is a successful influencer who is always posting cooking videos, following the latest trends, and even dancing. She’s been nearly canceled twice due to her stance on the lower district. [/sub][/hider] [/cell][cell][sub][b] Appearance[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I need to be cute at every moment otherwise I will break down.."[/i] [indent]Freya is an average woman who is neither tall nor remarkable at first glance. They tend to keep their hair at a simple, but clean, bob length. There are a few blonde streaks left at the end of her hair, a testament to a foolish decision she made a few years ago to go blonde. She’s been on an ‘Inner beauty and Outer Beauty’ focus lately and she’s trying to get back to her roots. Her makeup has also reflected this, instead of the bright and flashy that define many on the North Side. She goes with the ‘natural look’ style of makeup and still wears that full face everyday to hide the scars of a war long since won against acne. Next door to Freya’s bakery is a rather cute and quaint vintage shop known as The Vintage Vault. Freya enjoys buying most of her clothes from here. From the dresses and skirts that dominate her every day to day to the powerful pants suits that she wields as a tool of power in any important meeting. While she has two full closets of more modern clothing there’s something so simple, and nice, about this vintage style. Freya is Chinese, and she does her best to maintain the rigorous skin care routine and beauty standards of her home country. As such she often keeps her skin as pale as possible by bringing sun umbrellas, wearing sunscreen at every moment, and by taking a hundred trips to the local Chinese Massage Therapist for further work. Despite this she is still a naturally more tan complexion than she would like.[/indent] [/cell][/row][/table][sub][b] Psychology[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I just want to show you that a better life is possible with hard work, dedication, and the will to do more."[/i] [INDENT][b]MAIN GOAL ⫻[/b] Freya wants to become successful with her career. Her bakery has a focus on French, Chinese, and fusion pastries. She is known as one of the better bakeries on Main, and her close proximity to the Metropark means that she is always busy. [b]PHILOSOPHY ⫻[/b] Hard work, at least the illusion of it, will lead to the life one yearns for. The only thing holding one back is their own lack of desire to do better. [b]SECRETS ⫻[/b] Her bakery, the schooling she got, and the apartment that is featured in every TikTok video was paid for by her father, Wei Wang, an extremely successful real estate developer. Wei Wang is a polarizing figure who has big plans for a revitalized Lower District, one that will inevitably force out most of not all of the poorest individuals there. As such, she has adopted the babe Freya Collins to distance herself from it. She knows if this is revealed to her massive internet following all her comments, and posts, about the Lower District will be seen in a new light. [b]SEXUALITY ⫻[/b] Painfully Straight. [b]FEARS ⫻[/b] Actually having to pull herself up by her bootstraps. She is talented and skilled enough to stand out, but without having the cash to pay for the various forms of advertisement, without having the building, and without having the good will she’s generated would make that infinitely harder than she can take. [b]WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻[/b] She was escorted far away from the city by her fathers security team. [b]FLAWS ⫻[/b] Freya is insecure. They have multiple Google alerts setup on their office to see when she is trending, or what people are saying. She gets too overjoyed at positive comments and too upset at negative ones. At this time there are seven videos of her crying on TikTok where she talks about taking a break from all social media only to return a week later because her only form of validation is found in these channels. Freya is vain. She cares more about what others think of her than she actually cares about what makes her happy.[/indent] [sub][b] Backstory[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I was born into simplicity and have made my own way in the world."[/i] [indent]Li Hua Wang was born in Dalian, in the Liaoning province in China. Her father owned one of the biggest property development firms in all of China and he was hired to take the growing city's skyline to the next level. She was the top student in all her courses. There was something so nice about growing up in a city that had seen several cultures build it up. From the grand Russian architecture near the center of town, to the countless authentic Korean restaurants and shops, and to the Japanese cherry blossoms on the south end of the peninsula. The day she moved to America was one of the saddest days in her life. Instantly everything that was once grand, personalized, and unique was replaced with the dull drab that Appalachia was. While Cloverfield itself was an exciting city and as a young kid visiting all these new places was truly fun. Yet as the seasons dragged on the more she realized that this city lacked a soul. It was bright, glamorous, modern, and big but it did not have a distinct identity that her home had. She fell into a depression in her late teens and, in a bid to help his daughter, Wei gave his daughter a few options. He had noticed that his daughter found joy in the darkness with cooking. He gave her a way out. There were many culinary schools in France. When she finished Highschool he gave her the ability to study her passions, without strings, in a city with as much soul as any in Europe. Li accepted this option and moved there at 17. It was here that a chance encounter with a vampire and their prey kindled them. Instead of helping the victim she ran. She tried to hide away from her magic. After four whole years she finished her studies, returned home to open her own bakery, and began to go by the name Freya. Before she could do any of that the cataclysm happened and she watched the destruction from afar. Once the smoke cleared she managed to snag her building and began renovating the building. She opened her doors a year ago and has been busy ever since.[/indent] [sub][b] Abstraction[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]" I’ve learned that if you eat this you’ll tell me the truth. And if you eat that you’ll explode in bloody fashion."[/i] [indent][b]TYPE ⫻[/b] Adept - channeler is an old wooden spoon [b]ABSTRACTION ⫻[/b] Freya is a blue adept who can place curses on the food she bakes that will cause those who eat it to tell the truth, tell convincing lies, feel better or worse and even explode. [b]ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻[/b] Freya channels her magic through the wooden spoon and this causes her food to adopt cursed qualities. The power of the curse depends on the emotion that is filling it. Each curse will require a specific thing to break it. A desire to know more: If Freya desires information, and her intent is so, the baked goods will compel the target to tell the absolute truth for five minutes. This spell, like all of her baked spells, gets around emotional fields and will begin once the baked good is finished. These spells cause the baked goods to have thin, blue lines cooked into the dish. In order to break the truth spell the target will have to want to tell the truth instead of being compelled to it. Baked with love: Sometimes someone needs a push in the right direction in matters of love. As such, Freya uses the quickest way to one's heart literally as this spell caused a person to fall madly in love with the first person they see. This love feels very real to the target, and they will stop at nothing to win over their new forever person. The magic also tends to make them more animated in their displays of their love. This will include standing outside of an apartment with a boombox playing some downright romantic song while procession their love with oversized signs layered on top of one another. The only thing that will break this curse, its stipulation, is true love. The kiss from their true love is enough to break the spell. Not baked with love: Sometimes someone needs to be punished. If. Freya infuses her magic goods with angry emotions she can cause one of two reactions. One, the target will become extremely bloated and their body will run cold with one so severe that not even the hot scaling water straight from the shower can touch it. In order to break this curse the target will simply need to find some tums. However if the food was infused with so much hatred there is very little that can stop it which will eventually cause the target to explode outward from the stomach. [b]LIMITS ⫻[/b] The target must eat the full baked good for the curse to activate. As such, if the taste is spoiled at all by the magic it will likely lead to the target not finishing the food and thus the curse will not take effect. She also does not have control of the basic once it’s baked into the good. Each pastry will be a proverbial grenade ready to go off. Thus, if she makes a cursed cake she must ensure it is disposed of properly. Each pastry will have magic lines baked into it, with different colors will denote the curse. The love potion spell will have pink lines, the truth white, and the explosive one red. Thus, an eagle eye viewer can see which pastries are cursed and which ones are not. [b]WEAKNESSES ⫻[/b] The curse magic is always being infused into her baked goods. Normally she does not put anything specific into the curse as she’s unaware she is doing it but if she’s positively angry while baking she can inadvertently curse her patron’s to an explosive death. [/INDENT] [sup][b] Other[/b][/sup] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"I will never let those ordering apps to break what I’ve built."[/i] [indent]Freya has a secret alternative TikTok where she has been known to post a thirst trap or two.[/INDENT] [/hider]