[OOC] Ologies: A Study of Arcane Specialists {Paranormal Investigations and more}

[jasonwolf]

“Magic's just science that we don't understand yet.”
-Arthur C. Clarke

Imagine now if man had taken as close a look at magic as they had at chemistry, biology, or astronomy. What possibilities could be true if science was taken hand in hand with magic rather than using it to supersede it? In truth people have. Only a thin veil lies between the life of modern people and the magic they left behind. Sometimes that veil tares. It’s that blurry shape in a vacation snapshot to Loch Ness, it’s the chattering laughter in an empty old building, it’s the strange man on the corner with glazed over eyes speaking only gibberish. People would much make up excuses. Write it off as a log, a creak in the floors, and the failure of the mental health system. Not everything can be denied though. When that shape gets too close, when the laughter becomes curses, and when the old man begins to summon and old god you may find yourself needing the assistance of the men, women, and others at Wells & Raick.

With the choice between an asylum and the private investigation firm most cases tend to walk in anxious and unsure. Some hope to be educated while others hope for everything to go back to the way it was. No matter how much they believe or deny no one is turned away. Money isn’t even required if certain criteria. Even in strange turns of fate those of a magical nature turn up because others have drawn too close. People always think they can just bulldoze any old thing or rip up a patch of forest. While they deserve their blissful ignorance it is still ignorance. With study you have gained the knowledge and aptitude to work at Wells & Raick at a three floor and basement office in the little town of Belfast

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A Summation of the Status Quo

Magic has always been there. A subterfuge to our reality. It has guided the course of man for centuries. It fascinated our ancestors, but eventually we came to understand it. At first it was barbaric imprecise ritual and rite, but with study we refined the techniques. Eventually schools of study were defined: Shamans or Rituologists, Alchemists/Alchemologists, Arcanists/Arcanologists, Hunters or Beastiologists, Shifters or Morphologists, and Demonologists. Thanks to the advantages of magic it is able to counteract some of its complicated nature when a student is dedicated enough. Usually around fifteen years of education is enough to educate someone to a basic to average level. Talent and the quality of the teacher will make that vary.

Shamans / Rituologists:

This is the oldest school, but its doesn’t mean it is outdated. The school has refined the art over millennium. It is highly connected to nature and is by far the most powerful school when looking at the raw ability of it all. A Shaman can take control of the elements in all their forms and accomplish great feats, but they have two fatal weaknesses both combining in the ritual. As the name suggests these specialists require a ritual to channel their magic, and while some are as simple as shaking a talisman others are grand multi-day works with hundreds of ingredients, actions, and sometimes even many shamans. Once in 1906 a shamanistic cult decided to try and eradicate the city of San Francisco to drive people away from the area they declared sacred. The group caused the massive earthquake and fire with a ritual that lasted a whole week. If certain powers hadn’t come together to deal with them it could have been far worse.

Alchemists / Alchemologists:

Alchemy is the most scientific study. While all magic is a science really this is the only one that involves test tubes. Alchemy is the method of using arcane ingredients and other materials to synthesize different concoctions. Alchemy has many internal fields, but any dedicated practitioner knows a fair share of each. Some of the most popular are metallurgy, equivalent exchange, and brewing. Metallurgy is the traditional metal changing talents, but also does some work with magically imbued tools though most is done by hunters. Equivalent exchange is the mages alchemy the ability to alter materials into equivalent objects requiring massive focus and a precise knowledge of not only the materials and magic but of what the mage intends to make. Brewing is the making of all kinds of potions, concoctions, and poisons. In a sense an alchemist can brew a ritual for later use, but there are limits on how much can go into a stable brew.

Arcanists / Arcanologists

The traditional witch, warlock, wizard, mage, and sorceress fit here. With knowledge of the raw arcana and mana that permeates reality they can affect the world in precise ways. They carry spellbooks in some form or another (masters doing it mentally) and an implement of some sort. Brief combinations of words and actions give them control over the arcana to do with as they please. Such simplicity and precision comes at the cost of greatly depleting their mana, a magic life force in all things. To cast spells without mana would cause great harm to a person possibly even death.

The spells cover near everything and as such arcanists usually pick one or two fields. All the elements are fields, nature magic, utility magics (lights, telekinesis, telepathy, etc.), and more.

Hunters / Beastiologists

These men and women may never cast a spell in their lives instead they rely on the magic in other things. They study magical creatures primarily and usually hunt or tame them. Alongside that they craft magical weapons and devices. They tend to work closely with or become alchemists, at least a metallurgist a small way, as well. They have by far the widest variety of options with all sorts of magic weapons and enchanted tools as well as hundreds of magical creatures to use (either alive or as materials). They do have the ability to use mana/magic, but it is usually used by their bodies to be slightly better than normal people overall and manifest a helpful trait or two like instincts or enhanced senses.

Shifters / Morphologists

Shifters do not use their mana in outward projections, but rather affect themselves in various ways. The three main groups are werecreatures, enhancers, and clerics. Werecreatures are straightforward enough this shifter can take on half or full animal forms based on skill. The number of creatures also requires a lot of training. Most average shifters take about three; a land, air, and sea creature, but there is no requirement of any sort on what are chosen. Enhancers keep their human form, but mold it in many ways. They can alter strength and proportions gain special talents and more for a short time. Talented enhancers also can change their full appearance for a long time to imitate others, but it takes a lot of their mana to hold the form. Clerics are magical healers that can use mana to cure disease and mend wounds.

Demonologists

While some have given the school a bad name Demonologists work both with and against dark magics. They work with the mysterious ether from the infernal plain to do fantastic feats. Using ether and mana is agonizing for the body and as such demonologists need a familiar from the infernal plain: imps, hellhounds, and such are popular choices. Some demonologists want more though and make bargains with greater demons. It has never been known for this to work out for the mage in this case. The magics granted by ether include: minor divination, raw magical control (blasts of raw arcana and other ways to weaponize it), spatial alteration (blink and portals), and the ability to commune with demons.

Bargains with greater demons can give much greater powers, but are certain doom to any fool who would try to make such a deal.

EDIT: It seems I have been hoisted by my own petard. Upon review I found that I never said it was required and as such the familiar requirement. For further reference casting without a familiar is akin to lighting your body on fire. It not only hurts like hell, but is terribly at risk of infection. Channeling raw ether is just something people aren't meant to do. The primary injuries hurt, but the steady onset of madness and infernal plagues usually are worse.

Because Poly created a character before I made this change, though I thought I added it, he has earned the right to run a character who can use infernal magics without a familiar. I'm just intending to classify this as a rare and difficult method that few would choose even if they had the choice.

Now while these are guidelines I haven't defined every last possibility. These are more meant to define how you can work with magic. If you want to make golem then you might combine demonology and alchemy or if you want to be a straight elemental mage you might do arcanist with one or two rituals. I do hope you have the self control to not do anything ridiculous. If you have a specific magic that you don't know where to put it ask me and we can figure it out.

While no physical schools have existed since the sixteen hundreds the studies remain passed on by groups who remain in the shadows. Man would rather forget magic and it’s chaotic ways for a facade of normalcy and control. That is why the studies remain. As much as some wish to leave the past behind it always wishes to catch up. In the modern day organizations have formed to tend to issues of a magical nature. To try and keep things subtle it’s largely small groups acting on their own volition.

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Wells & Raick Private Investigations

The company takes its name from the duo who began it. Joseph Wells and Miranda Raick. The two were well studied in all the schools of magic, and for a time were the premier Arcanologists of the western world. The business was created in the mid seventeen hundreds when the two arrived from England to study the native people’s magic as it was far more connected to nature than anything seen before. Being on the frontier many people had use for the two magicians. Magic was far more common and the natives frequently used it to fight the invaders gunpowder and technology. The business was officially started by their apprentices when Wells and Raick retired and went back to England.

Since then the business has traded hands to apprentices through the centuries. Now it has offices in most of the states and the leadership is held by Seph Kane, a Morphologist and Hunter, and his long time partner Markiel Relovski, an Arcanologist and Demonologist. Always in search of new talent the two have recruited from throughout the world seeking those who may have the talent to carry the name.

So when you feel like you’re losing your mind let Wells and Raick give you peace of mind

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Employed Cast
(NPCs)

Seph Kane: The Mastermind of the organization. The offices in all the states are managed by minor mages who can deal with everyday goblins and ghosts, but Seph is the one in charge of everything. You may not expect much from straight appearances with his shaggy brown hair and youthful visage, but in his actual presence there is an aura of command and intensity. To stare into his eyes is to look into the building tempest before the storm of the century. He is a highly trained shifter that focused on the creature and enhancer schools. Alongside that he has a rather impressive knowledge of magical devices and weaponry as a hunter. Seph has been in and around magic his entire life and knows damn well the dangers that come with it. He takes his job very seriously, even to the point that he doesn't interact much with the mundane world anymore. He has deeper links to the magical community than even the town he lives in. He's neither anti-social nor rude, but he's clearly left the mundane world for many reasons some obvious like his work others deeply private. All in all he's a good man carrying heavy burdens.

Markiel Relovski: The face of Wells & Raick. Markiel is the friendly face you will likely see first when you arrive at the Belfast office, or if there is a matter that needs special attention elsewhere Markiel will be there as soon as he can. He clearly is driven by compassion, and he lets his emotions be known to all. He is rather strange for a demonologist. Typically those who study it are more reserved or intrapersonal. As an Arcanist his official designation is a Warlock. His magic centers around the alteration of the flow of space and time a very difficult to use field even with a life long dedication to the study.

Kelvin: A hellbeak owl and Markiel’s familiar. It has fiery orange and white plumage making it look like a two foot tall and more vibrant eastern screech owl. The bird’s screech is more akin to a blood curdling scream, but it usually will just chatter and snap its beak. Most days he will be very close to Mark, but he will also watch the office if Mark has to run errands.Being a hellbeak Kelvin can also light himself on fire and do simple fire magic. The hellbeak tends to dislike everyone, but is very easily bribed with spicy foods.

Maria Yung: W&R's quartermaster and enchantress. While not a field agent like the others Maria is an integral part of W&R serving as the resident crafting expert. While many of the crafting studies are used as sub fields to offensive methods Maria is purely a crafter and has learned how to make all sorts of magical devices and arcane weapons. She will do custom and specialized work, but it is not at all free. You will have to pay for the materials and time. Basic repairs and such are free of charge.

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Job Applications
(character sheets)

CS

Name: (Please provide pronunciation for words used to summon old gods)
Age: (Age is usually irrelevant to being employed by W&R, but too young or too old and you’d probably be unable to participate in most cases.)

Gender: (Please put down the gender based on the physiology of the character. This is just so I know what others would refer to them as on first meeting. Do whatever you want really otherwise.)

Species: (I nearly forgot this one. I’m open to most of the humanoid species. That really is the only limit is that you need to be able to pass as human. Pixies are too small, and centaurs are too big. Werecreatures are all covered under shifters. Lycanthrope is not a thing in this world.)

Appearance: (Some measurements are a good starting point. A general description of how your character looks. You should also cover their typical wardrobe. Any physical quarks like body language that really stands out.

Background: (Your history, defining moments, family, and the setting you grew up in. The core moments I want to know about are your first interactions with magic, the characters training, and how they got involved with W&R. Do try to explain where you came from here. I want to know the physical background that influenced you.)

Current Life: (To better explain how your character acts I would like to know how they act on a day to day basis. What do they spend time on? What makes them happy? What drives them nuts? This category also gives you a “run up” where you character can show current thoughts and such before they even post. This can help a lot for people who are supposed to have been working together for a while. I don’t mind if one or two people use this to explain them joining Wells and Raick recently, but it is a limited group.)

Personality: (This is the combination of your characters typical behavior and the much deeper parts of their psyche. I want to know motivations, values, hatreds, and fears. What makes your character tick? People are more than just extremes and caricatures even when they lean one way or another. Try to be more than one emotion embodied.)

Schools of Study: (Rituology, Alchemology, Arcanology, Beastiology, Morphology, Demonology. Remember the more schools you choose the less you have in each. Jack of all trades and master of none is very real here.)

Specialization: (The studies are still very broad categories. Within all of them are many different ways you can specialize. The schools define HOW you channel magic while your specialization is WHAT you do with your magic. Usually people can handle a handful of these or dedicate to one)

Spells: (Here I want a collection of your most common spells. These are the ones you have down pat and the ones you go to without even thinking. They should display the average of your skill. You likely can do spells that are much stronger, but will take much more work and as such you won’t be using them very much. Anything less than this should feel obvious for you to do. Ex. If you can cast a fireball then you can summon fire. A list with descriptions after is best so I can compare quantity and quality.)

Abilities: (This is talents/skills that are not magical. Hunters will have a varied collection here Alchemists and Hunters should put down the things they can make here. A list with descriptions after is best so I can compare quantity and quality)

Equipment: (These are the tools of the trade that you carry. Hunters and Alchemists will carry much more than the other schools as they rely on spells. The 4 casting classes will likely have an implement (wand, staff, talisman, etc.). Ritualists will carry ritual ingredients. Arcanists will need some form of spellbooks. Demonologists can use their familiars instead of an implement if they desire. Pets can also be put here. Only hunters will have combat pets.)

Other: (I feel these are rather thorough, but sometimes you just need a little bit extra that doesn’t fit right somewhere else.)

Jaklo Wright

Name: Jaklo Wright

Age: Twenty one.

Gender: Male

Species: Human

Appearance: Jaklo is 6’ 2” and around two hundred pounds.He has thick dark brown hair that is kept three or four inches long. He cares more that is is out of the way than how it looks. Most of the time it doesn’t matter as he’ll keep it under a cap. Jaklo has cold amber eyes. The irises glow when he uses his night vision. Jaklo has overall sharp features on his face.

As for his build Jaklo is rather lean, but not scrawny in the slightest. If anything he has some trouble building up fat, and he always has plenty of muscle from work.

Jaklo prefers efficiency to fashion. He grades clothes by pockets rather than people’s names. He typically will wear regular shirts with simple solid colors, cargo pants, a solid pair of hiking boots and a long trench coat. He wears hats almost constantly. It’s just a thing he does. Caps, wide brim hats, beanies, anything he can wear comfortably.

Background: Born in Perry, NY to two completely average and oblivious parents Jaklo came into the business of magic through the work of an old hunter named Wulfegang Shelt. Jaklo was always a troublesome kid. Even in preschool he was highly aggressive and would fight the other children over even little things. He wasn’t cruel or evil, but his parents couldn’t channel his aggression through anything. This is where Wulfegang presented himself. The older man was known throughout the neighborhood. He was a retired park ranger as well as a big part of the community. He offered to homeschool Jaklo and try his best to help the kid. He remarked that “I was just like that at his age.” From there the story somewhat tells itself. Wulfegang did teach him all things he would be expected to learn in school, but he wasn’t just a park ranger. Wulfegang was a Hunter.

Everyday, even weekends, Jaklo got to see just why he was so different. Hunters can come in all kinds of forms, but Jaklo had access to a powerful primal side of himself. With training and practice he could be an apex predator. Left alone he would likely tear himself apart. Training started simple of course. You don’t normally hand a five year old a sword and drop them in the woods to fight monsters. Jaklo stuck it out with Wolf, a simple nickname for his gray haired teacher, until he was eighteen when he struck out to really test himself. He used the cover of attending college to let himself explore around the U.S. and see what he was capable of.

It was only a year later that he returned home for a break. He hurried to see Wolf, but found his house surrounded with people and an ambulance. Jaklo rushed in to find his teacher dead. He rushed to his side. Jaklo shook and shook Wolf grabbing onto his shirt. He was about to start doing chest compressions when an EMT pulled him back.

“He’s already been dead awhile. He died in his sleep last night.” The EMT tried to console Jaklo.

“What’d he die of? He’s been perfectly healthy. Just last week he was hiking the trails.” Jaklo growled, but there was far more pain than anger in his voice.

“He’s also ninety seven. When you get to be that age you sometimes just pass away.” The EMT said in flat honesty

“That’s bullshit.” Jaklo shouted before turning back to his mentor, “Wolf! God damnit Wolf! You can’t just do this to me. I’m not ready yet. Wolf!”

Jaklo fell to his knees every emotion boiling up: rage, agony, despair. He could feel a void in his being opening up. The funeral went on a few days later. Wulfegang was unmarried, had no children, and no contact with other family. Everything in his will went to Jaklo who was labeled as “student and the damn near closest thing I have to a son.”. Jaklo spent a good few months sorting through his mentor’s belongings as well as his own feelings. It was in the many collections Wulfegang had that Jaklo discovered a little group called Wells and Raick. Wulfegang was meticulous with journals and had a fair few photos. One that stood out was Wolf in his prime with a motley crew of men, women, and even some magical beings. They were all outside of a brick building with a big wooden sign that read “Wells and Raick Private Investigations”. The back of the old polaroid also had a note. “The gang from W&R after the big hunt.” It took a bit more searching, but Jaklo eventually found a phone number and a new path.

Current Life: Jaklo moved to Maine over a year ago and has been working for W&R since then. He has a tiny home that houses just him. It’s a simple little place basically a rustic but modern log cabin. Jaklo does prefer to spend his time working on his weapons and such, but even he has to get out sometimes. His usual haunts are a pub on main street close by to the office called The Tavern and the waterfront. The Tavern isn’t exactly a fantastic place, but the beer is cold and the company doesn’t drive him insane. Jaklo grew up near Great Lakes so he’s always been used to seeing big bodies of water and something about being there does make him think of home…and chips.

Personality: Jaklo has grown out of his overly aggressive childhood and become reasonably well adjusted adult. Wulfegang was right though Jaklo is not normal mentally. His mana is used to fuel his predatory skills and instincts. He seeks challenges and fights by nature. Age and wisdom lets him pick only fights that matter.

Jaklo is a largely positive person who lives for his job and gains great satisfaction from it. He’s glad he can help people and knows his mentor would be proud of his choices. He can appear a bit gruff with first encounters, but that’s just him not being in a social mood.He can be a good friend but only when he wants to.

Jaklo is driven by a strong sense of duty to his mentor. He could have had a really miserable life, and instead he gets to fight monsters for a living. He has plenty to be thankful for anf never forgets what Wolf did for him.

Nothing disgusts Jaklo more than people with no regard for the natural world. Now he won’t punch a guy for littering, but there are serious troubles going on these days because of moronic actions of rich people.

Jaklo has no extreme fears, but isn’t a fan of dying or anything horrible like that. At most he doesn’t want to let people down, and especially doesn’t want to fail hsi mentor. He wants to keep that legacy going strong.

Schools of Study: Alchemology and Beastiology.

Specialization: Arcane Firearms, Metallurgy, Brewing, Smithing, and Enchanting

Spells: Jaklo has only one spell. It’s a spell that lets him gain night vision.

Abilities: Tracker: Jaklo has been taught how to pick up on tiny details and follow trails made by his quarries.

Crack Shot: Jaklo has been working with firearms since he was young and is deathly proficient.

Ammo Assembler: Jaklo knows how to make magical ammo that will cause various effects when fired.

Toxic Concoctions: Jaklo has been trained to use venoms and make poisons.

Hunter’s Hand Grenades: Jaklo knows recipes for: firebombs, freezing catalysts, and smoke bombs.

Back to basics: Jaklo has a solid education with the most common weapons and improvised weapons very well.

Weapons not required: even with his bare hands Jaklo is a capable fighter.

Custom Engineered: Jaklo builds all of his own gear specifically for himself. He can make all kinds of bladed weapons, firearms, and armor.

The secret ingredient? MAAAAGIC: Jaklo can imbue his weapons and tools with magical properties. He can only get one or two simple enchantments to be stable on a tool right now.

Thrill of the Hunt: Jaklo has a deep rooted need to hunt. He has an extra sense akin to instincts that give him a little extra insight into beasts and monsters.

Equipment:

Arcane Justice: A quad-barreled shotgun/blunderbuss made of metal as black as the abyss. The barrels are engraved with alchemical patterns, but also have some inlaid silver for certain sigils. It has a full stock made out of white ironwood. Each barrel can be shot individually and loaded with either shells or literally anything that fits. Despite its status as a shotgun Arcane Justice can be highly accurate when loaded with rifle ammo. Jaklo refers to it as the firearm equivalent of a swiss army knife.

Ammunition Pouch of Holding: While true bags of holding are very very hard to make bags made to hold a lot of one thing or a lot of very similar things are much easier. The ammo pouch is about the size of brick and made out of dark red demonhide. Jaklo can reach into it and pull out whatever ammo he wanted to pull out so long as he put it in.

Legacy: A magical blade that can take on the shape of for different weapons. A large hunting knife for butchering kills, a short sword, a longsword, a falchion. The blade was a gift from Wolf and the start of Jaklo’s carrying on of Wolf’s legacy.

Visage: A long dark brown trench coat in appearance, but in truth it is a heavily enchanted piece of armor that protects every part of Jaklo even those not covered by the coat. There is a small barrier all around Jaklo when it is active. It is hardly indestructible and breaks easily to two or three good hits. The shield can recharge after a minute or two.

Other:

Mention all storage:

@Polyphemus@fdeviant@Wraithblade6@shinigami94@dragonmancer@HeirloomRoses@Austronaut@Witch Cat@AdobeFlash@R31GN

[Witch Cat]

AH, everything looks great and it's perfect! I'll work on a CS as soon as I can.

[Polyphemus]

Max Cotto

Name: Maximilian Cotto
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Species: Human

Appearance: Max is Caucasian. He is very tall, around 6'7”, but also very thin at 150 pounds, giving him a gaunt and stretched-out look. His hair is dark and longish, but very well cared-for, as are his nails and teeth- he practices excellent hygiene. His sedentary habits and indoors lifestyle have resulted in pale skin and red-rimmed eyes (brown in color). Max wears expensive and well-made clothing, but it is not flashy or ostentatious- conservative gray and blue suits are his preference.

Background: Maximilian Cotto is the youngest of four siblings, the heirs to the Sephardic Jewish Cotto family of Seattle. Not quite old money but not quite noveau, the Cottos were nonetheless very wealthy due to their real estate business and other investments. Max had no real need to work due to a sizable trust fund, and no real interest in the family business, which his father and older siblings handled. From childhood, Max was a bookish sort, an avid reader who was always interested in learning new things and with a special fascination in secret knowledge.

After graduating with a degree in philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley, Max left the country for what was something of a Cotto family tradition- traveling Europe and Israel to learn about Jewish history and tradition. While the family was not observant, they had deep respect for their roots. Max, with no real goals beyond scholarship, found the idea edifying and readily agreed. It was in a beer cellar in Prague that his life took a strange and improbable turn.

Fresh from visiting the museums, synagogues, and cemeteries of the ancient city, Max stopped in for a beer after a long day. Looking to practice his Czech, he got to talking to the man seated next to him, a fellow Jew and a Kabbalah student, one of the Jewish scholars who study mysticism and miracles. The two hit it off and ended up spending most of the night pounding back Staropramen beer and juniper brandy. Finally, after too many drinks, the Kabbalist (Max never caught his name) asked with a twinkle in his eye if Max wanted to see something really cool. He led Max outside into a quiet alleyway, used a piece of chalk to draw a triangle on the cobblestones, and to Max' utter disbelief, summoned a demon. The encounter hardly lasted a minute, as the Kabbalist asked a few mocking questions of the shadowy and otherworldly figure before sending it back with a perfunctory few words. The other man laughed it off, led them back inside for more beer. Max, however, was transfixed. For all his knowledge, all his learning, here was something he was wholly unprepared for. His interest and excitement were piqued. Despite his strict itinerary for Prague, Max began reading and learning as much as he could about the art of demonology. More popular and accessible texts pointed him in the direction of more obscure works. His interest only grew on his visits to Odessa and Jerusalem- in these places, he found that the Kabbalist schools often attracted Jews interested in learning true mysticism. There was genuine magic practitioners on the fringes of these esoteric schools, and Max learned much from them.

Upon returning to Seattle after two years abroad, it was with a new purpose that Max renewed his scholarship in earnest. Using the burgeoning Internet, he was able to find more books and information on the subject of demonology. When that failed, he made frequent trips abroad to learn more, finding new scholars to study alongside, new libraries to do occult research, new catacombs and abandoned homes to comb through for yet another secret diary or forgotten text. To his family and the general public, it was assumed he was just another Kabbalist, a Jew spending their life in study of holy books. He was written off as a useless and cuddly member of an otherwise respectable family, a jobless eccentric. Max put in rare appearances in Seattle high society. Max spent twenty years cultivating this image while building a massive library of more than 1600 occult books (while the number sounds impressive, several are repeats, several are fraudulent, and a good percentage are tame garden-variety occult books you can find at Barnes and Noble) and learning more about the art of demonology. Other magicians in the Seattle area eventually started to use him a resource, coming to him to peruse his library or ask questions of a demon, even asking him to perform the odd exorcism.

Over the years, Max has had numerous offers from various occult organizations to join their ranks, all of which he has turned down in order to lead his preferred life of asceticism and pure research. However, things have changed very recently, with the death of his father Solomon. After the appropriate period of shivah, his oldest brother Aaron (the new head of the Cotto real estate business) dropped some very obvious hints about Max finding a useful job or losing his trust fund. Unwilling to lose his funding for his research, Max dug out a months-old job offer from Wells and Raick and replied in the affirmative- they had been the most persistent in courting him, so he figured if anyone was owed a response it was that particular firm. The reply was almost immediate- while the West Coast positions had been filled, they had work if he was willing to relocate to Maine. With the death of his father on his mind and his position as the black sheep of the family even more apparent now, Max figure he could use a change, and so moved to Belfast.


Current Life: Max only accepted employment with Wells and Raick a month ago, and as such his time has been spent settling into Belfast. He's bought a rambling old house (cash up front, no loans, no mortgage) on the outskirts of town and has been supervising a few renovations to accommodate his library and modernize the kitchen (the man likes to cook, and substandard equipment just won't do). Other parts of his free time have been used on exploring Maine, day trips to Portland, Orono, Augusta, Brunswick, and Bangor to find bookshops that might get him a rare text, as well as specialty groceries and importers that will get his favorite beers from Europe. At work he has been diligent but quiet, not really getting to know any of his coworkers just yet. A little shy, he's the type to just keep his head down and get through the day, and since no major challenges have come his way he hasn't really made much of an impact on people yet. On the whole, though, he is content with his new life.

Personality: Max is typically quiet and introverted, to the point of being a little shy and awkward. That's not to say he's unfriendly or rude, however, and he believes strongly in hospitality- anyone coming to visit him at his home will find a cold beer and a hot meal in front of them in short order. Having grown up in a wealthy family, Max enjoys the finer things in life- good clothes, food, furnishings, and so on, with a special interest in beer. His focus is largely put on his magical studies and research, however. Max views demonology not as a means to an end, like some unscrupulous types, but as knowledge for the sake of knowledge. His desire to learn more may sometimes lead him into conflict with conventional morality, though.

Schools of Study: Max has devoted himself full-time to demonology for the past twenty years, and he knows that in this time he has hardly scratched the surface. His large library of occult texts has given him general and passing familiarity with other schools, but this knowledge is purely theoretical rather than practical- a good allegory might be someone who can recognize different makes of cars but doesn't know how to drive. Unlike many demonologists, he eschews a familiar but pays the cost in fatigue. Major spells drain him greatly and he often requires a period of rest before doing anything else.

Specialization: Max has specialized in the summoning and contact of demons, as well as demonic possession and exorcism.

Spells:

Wards- Max is able to construct barriers or lines that can hold demons and other supernatural entities at bay, though powerful ones can batter through them. These are usually marked by chalk lines or piles of salt, though other methods may be used.

Summoning- With the proper incantations and precautions, Max may summon the demon of his choice to the mortal plane, typically to ask for a favor or information.

Exorcism- More or less the opposite of Summoning, Max can also force a demon to return to its home. If he did not personally Summon it, though, this is often a lengthy and difficult process. In particularly troublesome cases may require several assistants.

Arrows of Buer- It's a dangerous world out there, and so Max keeps one purely offensive spell ready to go, though he dislikes using it. With this ability, Max may fire an arrow of pure arcane force at his foes, strong enough to put a hole through a truck's engine block. However, since it greatly drains his stamina, he cannot keep up a barrage of arrows for long.

Abilities:

Polyglot- Max has a talent for languages- he can speak and read English, Hebrew, Russian, and Czech fluently. He reads Arabic, German, French, Aramaic, Spanish, Romanian, and Yiddish but does not speak them.

Research- Thanks to the resource of his personal library of grimoires and other books, Max is able to readily do research on a variety of occult topics.

Equipment:

Notebook- Max is a man who wants to learns as much as possible, and as such is often taking notes on anything he encounters. Specifically, he has several incantations for summoning specific demons, as well as reference charts of reliable demons and their attributes.

Smartphone- It's still the 21st century, after all.

Pocket Ouija- It's crude and unsafe, but it works well enough for making limited and brief contact with otherworldly entities.

Hand of Miriam- Max wears a simple steel Hand of Miriam necklace, like many other Sephardic Jews. He doesn't actually know if it genuinely protects from evil spirits, but hey, why not?

Bag of Salt- Max carries around a plastic quart bag of purified rock salt, which allows him to quickly construct a Ward or magic triangle in a pinch.

Shofar- A bugle made from the horn of a ram and the principal tool of a Kabbalist exorcism. The sound of one being blown is anathema to demons.

Smith and Wesson 629- The snub-nosed revolver isn't for use against demons, that would be stupid and pointless. Rather, it's a last resort, one final and permanent way to prevent himself from being possessed- an ever-present danger in his line of work.

Hopefully this works for you. If you need me to make any changes or elaborations, just say the word. Thank you!

[R31GN]

Baron & Baron

Baron & Baron

---

N A M E
Jacques Baron

A G E
25 (244, technically)

G E N D E R
Male

S P E C I E S
Demon-tainted human

A P P E A R A N C E
Jacques stands at 6'5", and sports a lean build -not terribly muscular, but not out of shape either. Too skinny to be considered conventionally attractive, yet not hard on the eyes. One of his more notable physical features is his lack of a right arm. Nothing but a stump at his shoulder, it was long ago replaced with a robotic prosthetic in sleek black and grey. The flesh surrounding his stump is ashen and leathery, resembling that of a corpse. Perhaps even more noteworthy than the prosthetic are his tattoos -intricate designs and sigils that wrap and twist around his body. They span from just below his neck to his waist, winding down his good arm just to the elbow. While they appear first to be tattoos, closer inspection reveals them to look almost seared into his flesh like a brand on cattle. His face has a small scar less than an inch across just above his right eye. His eyes themselves sport dark brown irises, easily mistaken for black in poor lighting. Dark circles wreath his eyes, accenting bags caused by stress and lack of sleep.

Typically, Jacques is seen dressed well. Day to day, he is seen wearing a full suit -most commonly full white, with a silky black button up, and a vest of some varying color from day to day. Depending on the occasion, he may or may not put in the effort to wear a tie, though this is a rare sight. When feeling more casual, he will leave behind the suit jacket, rolling the sleeves of his button ups to the elbow. When wearing this more casual outfit, he tends to wear black slacks and white button up more often than the reverse. Around his neck on a small chain is an almost comically antiquated key, in rusted iron red. On his wrist he sports a shiny platinum watch, with a minimalistic face of simply two hands. Ever present in his robotic hand is a walking cane -simple black design, topped with a silver grip.

One looking at Jacques would notice first his seemingly laissez-faire attitude. In standing, he leans back to form an oddly obtuse angle with the ground at almost all times. Given a wall, counter of suitable height, or a table, he'll be seen using it for support. When such a crutch isn't available, Jacques puts his weight on the cane he carries so frequently. Everything he does, from speaking to walking, he does at an almost infuriatingly slow pace. His movements and words are always carefully measured, a necessary precaution to prevent any incidents relating to his extreme clumsiness.

B A C K G R O U N D
The year, 1788. The place, France. A country on the verge of revolution faces problems far deeper rooted than the overturning of a king. Beneath the streets, hidden in the shadows, an ancient demon of immeasurable power stirred. Likely the cause of the raising chaos in the region, the demon known only to a very few locals as Baron had gone unchecked for far too long. A cult of demonologists live at the fringe of the city, shunned as witches, plot a solution to the utterly inevitable downfall of France, and likely all of Europe after that.

Plans were drawn, and resources were collected by the witches, who set a massive pyre in the square of Paris. Along with the fire and a thousand arcane reagents was the sacrifice of thirteen children -each child hand picked to be innocent and of pure bloodline. The demon, taking notice of the plot against him, reared an ugly head from the shadows to disrupt the ritual. Baron; however, was not the only one who seemed disapproving of the ritual. Records of history have expunged all note of the demons presence -those who recall the events from memory will more than likely fail to recall that which came to stop the demon. Tales passed down from generation to generation describe it only as a burst of light from the sky -simultaneously taking the sacrifices to safety and smiting down the demon. Fools regard it as an angel -those who know better believe it to simply be a more powerful demon.

...

New York, New York, 1923. A young child aged no more than ten is found wandering the streets, pale and wasting away, right arm missing. As luck would have it, or possibly fate, a philanthropist of a man was the first to find the boy, and took him in. A lawyer by trade, at least on paper, the man was in possession of far more... interesting talents off of the books. A master of the arcane, the lawyer by name of Frank Murdoch was a generous benefactor. Though he refused to teach his new prodigy the secrets of the arcane, he introduced him to the world of magic. Mr. Murdoch took special note of the boys interest towards demonology in particular. Their companionship was regrettably short lived -Mr. Murdoch refused to deal with demons in any way shape or form, but he made rather regrettable deals with some shady characters. When Frank was unable to pay a debt, the debtors came in storm. Realizing his time was coming to a rather swift end, Frank left the world in one final act of selflessness -sacrificing himself to hide away and save the child.

Though the debtors came with a violent vengeance, they appeared to be satisfied on taking the life of Frank Murdoch and moved on after his blood was spilled. This left the young boy, a teenager now, heartbroken and alone. Whisked away from his life under unknown circumstances, only to have his new life torn away from him in a bloody mess. Had his relationship with Murdoch been stormy? Absolutely, the two seemed to disagree at every turn. But still, he loved Frank like a father, and was devastated at his loss. Depressed, he spent years locked away within the estate of Mr. Murdoch, studying all he could from the plethora of knowledge stacked on bookshelves. Though he briefly skimmed through all schools of magic, he was determined that Diabolism was the only place he would find the cure to his woes, and a way to save the life of his father.

Eventually, Jacques' sweet memories of Frank Murdoch turned bitter, leaving a sour taste in his mouth. Years of dealings with various demons gained him naught but pain and suffering, and he soon saw his 'father' to be at fault. He felt betrayed, abandoned by the man, and made an oath to himself to trust no one. In the rather mislead belief that only time now could heal his scars, Jacques found an arcane ritual from his fathers books -one to put him into an impenetrable stasis for a lifetime.

...

On his awakening, Jacques found himself in an entirely alien world. A small town by the coast -Belfast, Main, appeared to be his new home. The year 2016(?) and he had no idea how he had been moved to this small town, but he was soon confronted by Seph Kane and Markiel Relov, seemingly intrigued by the time-travelling diabolist. Even disregarding his shenanigans spanning several centuries, Jacques showed talent in troves. While he found his studies after the death of his father to be inconclusive, he was able to, in the process, hone an already incredible talent for demonology. Though his talent for other magics was clumsy at best, he was a natural prodigy of the diabolic.

Tl;Dr/Timeline

Tl;Dr?
1788, Paris, France there's a massive demon attack. A cult sacrifices a bunch of kids to stop it, but an unknown force ends up whisking away the kids and smiting the demon. 1923, New York, NY a one-armed child is seen limping around. Cool-guy arcanologist Frank Murdoch saves the kid, tells him about magic. Frank gets in debt with the wrong people, and gets magic shiv'd. The kid gets all angst-y and starts summoning demons to bring back Frank
The kid gets daddy issues, and casts a magic coma on himself. The kid wakes up face to face with the dynamic duo themselves Wells and Raick? Batman and Robin? Will Ferrel and Pharrel Williams? Seph Kane and Markiel Relov. Then goes on to train his diabolism further.

Timeline
1781:

Jacques Baron is born

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1781-1788:

Normal childhood

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1788:

Jacques Baron (9 years old) half-sacrificed, then hidden away

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1788-1923:

Jacques kept in stasis by mysterious force

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1923:

Jacques (9 years old) reemerges, is taken in by Frank Murdoch

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1923-1930:

Jacques training under Frank Murdoch

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1930:

Frank Murdoch is killed, orphaning Jacques (16 years old)

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1930-1939:

Jacques self training

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1939:

Jacques (age 24) puts self in magic stasis

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1939-A year before present:

Jacques (age 24) wakes up under counsel of Wells and Raick

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A year before present-Present year:

Jacques acclimating to the new year, as well as training.

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Present year:

Jaques (age 25) doing the best he can

C U R R E N T L I F E
While not officially on the payroll of Wells & Raick, Jacques has been on a hunt guided by the organization. A demon of renown has been set free, a centuries old contract having hit it's expiration date. While Jacques has been making what seems to be great progress towards the binding of this beast, he is still far from a solution to the problem.

P E R S O N A L I T Y
Jacques' apparent laissez-faire attitude evident in simply looking at him is no facade. One of his most prominent traits is his lack of apparent care. He tends to have trouble understanding consequences, instead seeking out instant gratification. He also has trouble taking things seriously. He tends to make wisecracks whenever he deems it fit, whether or not it is truly tasteful.Linked rather closely to his careless attitude is a chronic sense of boredom that plagues Jacques. Jacques has trouble finding interest in anything that doesn't show immediate results, and gets bored quickly with things and even people who don't further his goals.

That being said, Jacques' personality also shows a careful, measured side. His big picture skills are rather lacking, but in the face of immediate danger he is ever present, acting and reacting only with the utmost precision, as long as his relative clumsiness doesn't get in his way, that is. His paranoia is likely his greatest asset in this -having so much experience with demons has taught him to be paranoid of everything. Nothing is true until it's done as far as Jacques is concerned. Because of this paranoia induced stress, Jacques is often pushed to make impulsive decisions on the spot, often dangerous calls, despite seeming calculated and in control.

Hand in hand with this impulsive behavior comes his most dangerous trait -years of suffering and trials, as well as demon taint in his blood, has given him a deadly temper. He often has a rather inappropriate rage in reaction to relatively small transgressions. He has trouble controlling this often unsanctioned anger, especially when in reaction to perceived threats -most notably to his status. He is almost arrogant in his diabolism, truly believing himself to be one of the, if not the, premier demonologist worldwide. He takes great offense to those who challenge that claim. His anger is also directed towards his own 'daddy issues' so to speak.

Of course, there is more to Jacques than just these negative traits. Though he has trouble putting enough effort into anything to care, when he finds a person whom he truly cares for, he is unfalteringly loyal. Despite his anger issues, vengeful is not a word one would use to describe Jacques. He is very forgiving, even of those who directly betray him. On a more general note, Jacques truly enjoys happiness. If he's in a good mood and sees an opportunity to make someone smile or laugh, he will take it happily. Seeing others sad tends to only bring down his own mood.

S C H O O L O F S T U D Y
Diabolism (Demonology)

S P E L L S P E C I A L I Z A T I O N
Jacques specializes in the field of binding and controlling in regards to diabolism. Rather than making deals with demons to improve his own mastery of the arcane, he binds them to his will, surrounding himself with loyal familiars.

S P E L L S A N D A B I L I T I E S
Personal spells:

• Silence- Cast with a simple hand gesture that is, by this point, muscle memory for Jacques. Manifesting as a ring of magenta-pink energy that flies true in the direction cast, Silence is a rather weak spell that has very little tax on Jacques' natural reservoir of mana(? No idea how the hell that works yet). In effect it is simple -it hits with the force of a medium-strength punch, and has the unique property of dispelling magic for as long as it lasts. That being said, it lasts for about half of a second after contact. While generally useless in truly stopping anything of arcane nature, it serves its purpose in being extremely disorienting.
• Binding Pact- An incantation personalized to the needs of Jacques, the Binding Pact is what Jacques has used to subjugate demon after demon. At his best, Jacques can recite the entire incantation within a minute. It relies on the nature of the demon or creature he is trying to bind to determine it's success. When preforming the Pact, Jacques channels his arcane power through some form of implement, which almost always is the difference between a successful and a failed binding. Following true to the chemical property that 'like dissolves like', the Pact is far less likely to work should his implement be related to the nature of that which he is binding. Rather, Jacques relies on using the inverse of that which he is binding. For example, should he wish to bind a demon of destruction, he may use a bandage as his implement for better results, or a magical healing potion for almost guaranteed results. Inversely, should he wish to bind a healing spirit, he would use a torch, gun, or something similarly destructive as an implement. His most powerful personal spell, it is very predictably extremely taxing on his mana reserves. At his best, usable once per day.

Familiars:

• BARON, THE SUBJUGATOR- Baron the Subjugator, known once as the demon responsible for the French Revolution, is a powerful demon of unknown form who has bound himself to Jacques, and is quite likely the source of the young mans skill in handling demons. After being smote in the year 1788, the demon was forced into hiding. Injured within an inch of his life, the demon bound his essence to one of the surviving child sacrifices to save himself. Over the centuries of Jacques hibernating, Baron has slowly been rebuilding his own power. While nowhere near as powerful as he once was, the demon is certainly a force to be reckoned with.
  Baron presents himself as the patchwork of tattoos burnt into the flesh of his companion, Jacques. When manifesting his 'true' form, Baron appears as a mass of writhing tentacles of impossible number that protrude from the body of his benefactor. These twisting tentacles are of a smoky texture, fading in and out of reality in a pulsing manner, and glow with energy while channeling magic. Glowing eyes blink in and out of existence as the tentacles swirl, ominously staring at all around.
  The demons powers are of enough caliber to make all but the most confident of Demonologists hesitant to face his might. A set of magics based almost entirely around the capture, subjugation, and eventual assimilation of other demons, Baron makes the perfect compliment to a Demonologist. In addition to providing Jacques' ability to Silence others, Baron is able to lessen the mental resistances of those in the area with his magic, making victims far more likely to succumb to Jacques' Binding Pact. While his physical abilities are rather limited, his tentacles are not simply for show. In a pinch, they can be used to restrain aggressors with terrifying effect, with one caveat. He has trouble dealing with multiple at a time. The more targets Baron attempts to restrain, the less tentacles he has at his disposal, thus the weaker his grip becomes.
  Baron is heavily invested in the survival of his compatriot Jacques, for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, because they are rather inseparable in a literal sense. Though neither have sought one, there are very few spells available in the world capable of releasing Jacques from the grasp of the demon or peeling the demon from Jacques' soul. However, the demon stays with his human friend for a reason past that -he feels connected to the man, quite likely because of their literal connection, and sees potential in him. Thus, both are satisfied to keep their symbiotic relationship for the foreseeable future.
• Quas, Wex and Exort- A trio of imps under the indefinite service of Baron and Baron, each has a different specialization. Due to the nature of their Pact, Jacques can only summon one at a time. When Quas is present, he exudes an aura that bolsters Jacques' defense against the arcane. Without Quas, an average fireball would likely take Jacques out of commission, but with his assistance, Jacques would likely survive with 2nd degree burns. Quas also has the ability to enter a state of intangibility. While he is untouchable, he is also unable to affect the world in any meaningful way. Wex improves Jacques' mental barriers, allowing him to resist posession as well as spells that target his mind. Wex also has perfect memory, able to recall any information he is given. As such, Jacques has given him full access to his library -this gives him the opportunity to preform research on his opponents on the fly. Exort improves Jacques' physical defenses while present. Under the influence of Exort, Jacques has shrugged off small arms fire with nothing but a later bruise. Aside from this, Exort... well, he really doesn't do much aside from the occasional pun.

E Q U I P M E N T

• Textbook behavior- Jacques carries a tome filled with pages on pages of text and pictures, detailing thousands of arcane creatures, specifically detailing demons and the like -summoning rituals, bindings, weaknesses, etc.
• The Boy Scout- At all times, Jacques carries on him the most basic items to use as implements in his Binding Pact, so as to always be prepared. These include medicinal herbs, a candle with matches, an inkwell and pen, a pair of manacles, and a book of symbols, as well as more mundane items.
• Handy-capped- His robotic arm -a simple prosthetic model made by the bebionic company. While it has little function past basic gestures and grips, a specialized magnetic grip is keyed to his walking cane.
• "Lightning bolt!"- His walking cane has a rechargeable stun gun built into the tip -one that will only activate when used in tandem with his bionic arm.

O T H E R
-/-

Well, I think I touched on everything. Let me know if there's anything you need me to change.

EDIT: Beat me to the punch, it seems, Poly. Well played, sir. Well played indeed

[jasonwolf]

@Polyphemus I'm absolutely loving the religious background. The only problem is that the familiar is a requirement. People can't channel ether. Ether exists in the infernal plane as a kind of antimatter to mana's matter. The familiar being from the plane is the only way to channel it into our world short of massive rips in space time that would let all kinds of demons and lords of hell through. It's why they can also be used instead of wands. So you will need one.

EDIT: It seems I have been hoisted by my own petard. Upon review I found that I never said it was required and as such the familiar requirement must be redacted at the very least in this case. For further reference casting without a familiar is akin to lighting your body on fire. It not only hurts like hell, but is terribly at risk of infection. Channeling raw ether is just something people aren't meant to do. So Poly you are clear to run without a familiar and only be fatigued. We will classify it as a rare method to demonology and as such all other demonologists will require a familiar to cast without serious consequences.

[jasonwolf]

@R31GN Everything seems to be in order, but the character is very... borderline. It has a lot of possibilities to become a bit too much. As such I'll be keeping a close eye, and in character there will be many keep a close eye on the Barons. It would be very bad for a prestigious group like W&R to end up associated with a demon like Baron.

Remember Demons are smarter than you, stronger than you, and they sure as hell care far less about people.

[R31GN]

@R31GN Everything seems to be in order, but the character is very... borderline. It has a lot of possibilities to become a bit too much. As such I'll be keeping a close eye, and in character there will be many keep a close eye on the Barons. It would be very bad for a prestigious group like W&R to end up associated with a demon like Baron.

Remember Demons are smarter than you, stronger than you, and they sure as hell care far less about people.

@jasonwolf

Okay, cool. I'll make sure to keep demonic squid boy under control

[Polyphemus]

@Polyphemus I'm absolutely loving the religious background. The only problem is that the familiar is a requirement. People can't channel ether. Ether exists in the infernal plane as a kind of antimatter to mana's matter. The familiar being from the plane is the only way to channel it into our world short of massive rips in space time that would let all kinds of demons and lords of hell through. It's why they can also be used instead of wands. So you will need one.

EDIT: It seems I have been hoisted by my own petard. Upon review I found that I never said it was required and as such the familiar requirement must be redacted at the very least in this case. For further reference casting without a familiar is akin to lighting your body on fire. It not only hurts like hell, but is terribly at risk of infection. Channeling raw ether is just something people aren't meant to do. So Poly you are clear to run without a familiar and only be fatigued. We will classify it as a rare method to demonology and as such all other demonologists will require a familiar to cast without serious consequences.

@jasonwolf

If you prefer, I can add one instead of just being grandfathered in. Your world, I'm just living in it.

[jasonwolf]

@Polyphemus With the way the world is I think it's far more fitting to have someone who is a bit different in this sense. I wouldn't want everyone to be super different, but one is good and I feel with the circumstances it is a good idea.

[Polyphemus]

Sounds good. I'll just play up how much it tires him out and note that summoning demons is physically painful to him.

I guess one thing I forgot to mention is that Max is terrified of the idea of being possessed or beholden to a demon, which is the main reason he doesn't have a familiar- he views that as the first step on a slippery slope.

Am I good to post to the CS tab?

[AdobeFlash]

Atlas

Name: Atlas
Age: Looks 21(148 years, but who's counting?)

Gender: Male

Species:Vampire

Appearance: About 6'0", with messy blonde hair and muddy red eyes. Pale skin, Caucasian, and longer nails. Average facial features, excluding a small scar below his right eye that causes pain. Doesn't care to hide his fangs, as his hygiene is one of his few redeeming traits. Easily blends into crowds

Background: Was transformed into a vampire in the year 1889. A college student, working at Oxford University, London, he had a promising life ahead of him. His name at birth was Adam, and he lived a happy life. Coming from a fairly wealthy family at the very end of the Industrial Revolution, Adam imagined his life as going smoothly, figuring he would create a medicine company with his expertise, and grow even more wealthy. He had no idea of the horrors he would witness

One late afternoon, Adam was walking in the 'shady' part of town when he came across a caravan advertising rare ingredients at low prices. Figuring this could help him with studies, he stumbled into the smoky room. An old man sat at the end, looking through some papers. He approached the old man, and inquired about the ingredients. The old man went on and on about his stock, but Adam immediately dismissed almost each and every one as a fraudulent version of some existing chemical. After inquiring about anything worthwhile, the old man pulled out a small wooden chest with a lock on it. After fumbling around to open it, a stench filled the room. 3 hunks of rock sat in the chest, which Adam would later identify as brimstone, meteorite, and solid hellfire. He immediately purchased all 3, and ran back into the lab to begin work on his new pet project.

After a few days of fiddling with the stones, Adam unwittingly created a new gas that not even he knew about: one that attracted paranormal beings. He had been working late, and a small lab fire, mixing with the brimstone, obsidian, and chlorine Adam had been working with, created a smell extremely attractive to beings such as vampires and demons. It was no surprise Adam was cornered by a vampire the very next evening. Working late yet again, Adam had spilled blood while cleaning some equipment. This sealed his fate, and as he stumbled home he was attacked by a member of the undead. Adam was well read, and so knew of these creatures. He ran into the countryside, feeding on the occasional sheep. He lived in fear of society, as the urges to feast on human flesh grew.

33 years after he was turned, World War One started. He had been lurking around a small village when the news hit, and figured he could use it as an opportunity to get some food. He hid under tarps, hiding under cars until he arrived at the training camp, taking the place of a recruit looking quite similar to him: one Atlas Johnson. Somehow hiding his terrible secret, he made it to the trenches. The horrors of the gas warfare, along with the monstrous Panzer units, scared Atlas for life. He fought until the war ended, hiding in rural Siberia until the second World War broke out, taking the distracted U.S.S.R as an opportunity to escape.

The moniker Atlas stuck, and so he jumped from country to country, war to war until eventually settling in Brooklyn. He began researching the occult once again, and ran into the mysterious Seph Kane. Due to Atlas' experience, and knowledge in alchemy, he was recruited. Atlas chose Belfast due to isolation, and the abundance of wild game to feed off of.


Current Life: Due to sunlight aversion, set up in a rickety mine filled with bones and gold, both of which are useful for alchemy. He only goes out at night to drink at whatever local bar is open, usually keeping to himself in a corner. When he must go out in the day he has a parasol he bought in Florence, circa 1950. Barely interacts with the locals

Personality: After all these years has become very apathetic. Due to the horrors witnessed during war has a distaste for blood, which causes some turmoil when it comes time to feed. No longer believes in any higher power, and just wishes for the sweet release of death that will never come naturally. Has become an introvert due to aversion to sunlight, and turned to the demonic arts in hope of developing a hobby that wasn't 150 years old. Talks to his raven too often.

Schools of Study: Alchemy, Demonology

Specialization: When it comes to alchemy, he is very knowledgeable in poison brewing and the science behind 'holy water', but has failed at that aspect. Uses demonic arts to get rare materials and learn more about the chemical makeup of the infernal plane.

Spells: Ice Burst: The only spell Atlas bothered to learn, it allows him to freeze objects, create hunks of ice, and lower body temperature, the last of which was never a problem for a vampire. He is very used to it by now, though using it too often will tire him out, leaving him incapacitated. This makes him wish to avoid using said spell, out of paranoia.

Abilities: Knows the chemical makeup of most plants and animals, and so can make 'quick fix' potions such as healing and poison. Is also semi skilled at acrobatics, but often slips up and falls

Equipment: Poison Bottle: Filled with a nightshade-venom mix that he has been working towards perfecting for centuries
Erlenmeyer Flask(4): Used to make potions
Bag of Ingredients: Small ingredients used in Alchemy
Raven:Pet

Familiars: Archfiend
The very same raven he uses as a 'pet' doubles as a familiar. Used mainly for gathering magical materials, with very litte fighting power. Very agile

Other: Hates harpsichords.

my first rp on this forum. let me know if anything needs changes.

[jasonwolf]

@AdobeFlash I do hope you will let me reserve some judgement on this one for now. I've already let in two demonologists, and I'd like to see what others have to offer before I start really picking players. Also as far as vampires go we would be using entirely traditional ones meaning sunlight burns you to a crisp, blood drinking and/or cannibalism is required, you're character is nocturnal, etc. Oh and I will make you count pieces of rice. Vampires are typically not something you want to be. If you know your stuff about vampires and want to play around those limits to also have their strengths then you may, but I hope you know I take that species lore seriously.

[jasonwolf]

@Polyphemus Yes Max is definitely in. I do hope to see how he behaves around Kelvin. @R31GN You can also add Baron.

[R31GN]

Well, since Baron is kinda borderline now, i wouldn't terribly mind rewriting Baron to be a Shifter rather than a Demonologist so that AdobeFlash won't overcrowd the demon department. Might take awhile, and depends on your thoughts @jasonwolf

[jasonwolf]

@R31GN yes but for all we know right now we may end up getting four shifters. I suppose I probably should have held of judging any of the Cs's yet, but that's what excitement will do to you.

[AdobeFlash]

@jasonwolf i'll just cut all the demonologist stuff, and I am also serious when it comes to species lore, so I'm happy to comply. I'll keep the raven but cut the demonology, so just focusing on alchemy.

[R31GN]

@R31GN yes but for all we know right now we may end up getting four shifters. I suppose I probably should have held of judging any of the Cs's yet, but that's what excitement will do to you.

@jasonwolf

That's fair, I was just thinking it might be a good idea since my guy already overlaps pretty heavily with Poly's and it's a lot easier to get variety in Shifters than in Demonologists, I'd think.

[Witch Cat]

@jasonwolf
So, reading through your first post again and coming across the needing a familiar thing. I was wondering if you'd allow the possibility of using objects to channel magic. Like wands, rings, and each could channel magic a different way. Combing these "channellers" could also open up more precise spells. I was also thinking that casting without a "channeller" would be like flipping a coin. While on fire. The pain factor would still be there, but the spell the caster is attempting to cast should be more wild and uncontrollable, with always a chance it'll go wrong. Horribly wrong. Adding this layer of suspense in action-packed scenes when a caster is knocked down to an inch of his life, and very desperate.
Only a suggestion.

[jasonwolf]

@Witch Cat I feel if that was a thing it'd require a lot of ingredients from the infernal plain, and I really think the familiar is a better choice. One of the core concepts of demonology is that you are making a pact with a demon. It's not looked down on massively since usually Darwinism takes care of the fools, but that really is a core concept to it. It's you giving the demon access to earth and in return the demon gives you infernal magics. The core of it is the pact.

[Witch Cat]

@jasonwolf Oh no, I wasn't talking about just Demonology, I meant for all spells. While I get where you're going with this, I don't think it'd be very fun to always have a cat at hand to cast any spell. For "Low-Tier" spells, and such, it wouldn't hurt to allow someone to have a wand to wave to cast a spell.