@everyone I will write my introduction post up for all of you. However I can only make reference to the characters that are already finished so I am sorry for that.
Heres the finished sheet-probably gonna add a pic if he gets approved for movement to the character tab.
Subject File # 297600T
Name Subject claims his name is what sounds like a quick series of growling barks. His handlers have taken to calling him Growler.
Age Numerous organic pieces have been surgically removed for examination-test results date the specimen to be nearing thirty years old by our current understandings of time.
Appearance Almost stereotypical looking in nature the subject resembles most artistic imaginations of what is commonly referred to in public society as “Bigfoot” or “Sasquatch.” As would be expected in his natural state he is completely covered in a thick unruly mess of brown fury hair save for the majority of his bald face; the little skin that can be seen is of rather dark suntanned color that somewhat hides his weathered and calloused skin.
Nearing upwards of eight and a half feet tall the specimens longer arms and slightly cone shaped skull are but one of his many fascinating abnormalities-the very frame of his body being such a solid mass of boulder like muscle that it alone would warrant study were he just a mere primate. Despite the lack of fully developed lips, a problem that causes his tusk like bottom canines to jut out menacingly, his handlers swear up and down that he is always smiling: further tests are needed to confirm this.
After some convincing and an extended period of “good” behavior while serving in [redacted] we allowed him the requested pair of what had to be custom made jeans, an enormous brown leather duster (specifically fake leather), and a matching cowboy hat.
Classification Definitely not a member of another sentient race that has lived alongside humanity for thousands of years in secrecy, and definitely not some sort of “missing link.” Definitely not-the Knights have been doing their holy duty and making that the known truth since the dawn of the fowl creatures discovery.
Powers Enhanced Strength: Physically stronger than any average human and several high level types of threats encountered in field work.
PsyLingual: Our scientists have yet to discover if the specimen himself has some minor psychic abilities or if his species has literally mastered some way of vocal communication with animals. Whatever it is the results have time and time again shown that he can communicate with animals, primarily mammals and birds, to the point that it resembles a conversation to the passing eye.
Invisibility: Years prior to catching our first [redacted] the organization had been stumped in figuring out just how such a large creature had gone unphotographed and tended to disappear when pursued-truth be told we were all somewhat shocked when we discovered the main reason behind this was in fact an inate form of invisibility they possessed. Such a form of camouflage is unheard of in the animal kingdom and is truly a sight to behold; those that actually witness the specimen "cloak" often compare it to the old Predator movies when seen up close.
Artifacts or Skills The subject known as Growler was assigned to [redacted] on account of his expert tracking skills and stealth abilities. Although given no formal training in combat Growlers unnatural strength allows him the ability to handle most physical encounters with sheer brute force. When assigned to the [redacted] unit and asked for any desired weapons for fieldwork it declined and instead ripped a small tree from the ground-over the years his handlers have noted that not only has the subject continuously used the same tree like club but has overtime covered it with intricately carved and interwoven strange runic patterns.
As of yet all tests have been inconclusive when it comes to the possible magical properties of the numerous polished stones and hand carved trinkets that are woven into what could be considered his "beard."
Biography Official records state that the subject known as Growler was first identified twelve years prior to todays date. First encountered in [redacted] in the [redacted] National Park we immediately dispatched the Francis Unit with standard capture orders-standard orders being kill at the first sign of resistance.
What was meant to be a typical mission for the Knights turned into a grueling two year game of cat and mouse. Surprisingly through all this time not a single Knight was killed directly by the creature: broken limbs and accidental fatalities though were a completely different story. A year into the "project" and the assigned Unit had sectioned of a set range of woods, about 20 square miles, that the target seemed to stay within as if his chosen territory.
Our first real progress in apprehension was when we cut the budget to Francis Unit causeing many of the on the ground agents to begin using the forest itself for warmth during the winter months by hacking down trees and burning constant fires without abandon. Quickly a pattern emerged with agents being attacked when specifically assigned logging duties; knowledge we then used in several traps that lead to close captures.
A few months into the start of the second year [redacted] was granted his request of six class C flame throwers that were immediately put to use in a new tactic of just saying to hell with it and burning the whole forest down. Amazingly before the day was over the creature made himself visible in camp in a eerie display of surrender that resembled a human-on his knees and hands raised in the air in clear sign of submission.
From here the specimen was locked in restraining arm and leg bands classed at strength level [redacted] and was shipped to our scientific branch in [redacted] without problem. After the science department was done poking and prodding he was deemed "useable" by the many departments in charge of such a decision and was quickly given the rank Expendable and assigned to the [redacted] Unit.
I am the lord of the Broken Towers, the Misty Halls, Cold Comfort, Red Hill, and Joyous Guard, the master of Forlorn amongst my other lands and houses, men know me as Tam Lin, The Last Friend, Tirithon, a captain of Nuadha's host, Elcmar, Oisin, the Lord of Doors, Earl of Narrow Places and many other names. I invite you to my house.'
Age Subject Cu will reply the same as to every previous inquiry: The same age as his tongue and a bit older than his teeth.
Appearance
Subject appears to posses a certain aura around himself; observers describe “a sense of feral danger to him, lurking beneath the neat, suited exterior. Even his walk across the beach was the cool, controlled stride of a predator, utterly at ease in its environment. Closer to his appearance was almost surreal. His skin was perfect, without a single blemish, and had a pearl-like sheen; the pupils of his eyes were almost too large, and his eyebrows ended in a curious flourish. He looked as if an artist had been told the principles of human beauty but lacked any understanding of humanity. But beneath this form lurked something else. His skin at times rippled like water, or a dream, and the man seemed to move before his body did.”
It is in this form that Subject Cu interacts with most humans. Knights who are the seventh natural born son of a seventh natural born son claim to see something else, though these accounts seem to wildly differ.
Special Containment Procedures: Subject Cu is to be contained in a secure holding cell in Research Sector-██. Subject Cu is not to be removed from its cell unless approved by a Archbishop or higher clergy, before which Subject Cu must be heavily sedated. Even so, at such times Subject Cu is to be accompanied by two (2) armed Knights and guided by an iron collar, secured to two (2) iron poles 2 m in length, and held firmly by two (2) Knights or higher personnel while in transit. Knights should be seventh natural born sons whose father was a seventh born natural son. Any interrogations performed on Subject Cu are to be conducted inside of specifically prepared rooms (see document 015-I-N).
Subject Cu is to be guarded and researched by a rotating monthly shift. Those in charge of the design of the containment procedures are not allowed contact with the Subject; if at all possible this duty should be left to overseer level personnel. No one is to be allowed to view (on video or through a window) or be in the same room as Subject Cu for longer than five hours. Maintenance personnel are to alternate every day.
Evaluations are to be given at the end of the shift or whenever mental distress seems obvious. If psychological contamination is too great and poses a tangible danger, termination can be performed immediately by the on-site analyst. (The mental health offices are soundproofed for this purpose.) The doctor can terminate up to ten individuals at a time; any more requires the approval of the Archguardian. Vents in the ceiling require regular maintenance for this purpose.
Smoke detectors are not to be turned off for any reason; candles and incense lit in Subject Cu's cell are to be taken as an indication of a dangerous obsession. The leaving and offering of food, as Subject Cu does not require it, is to be viewed in the same light as well. All other signs of unnatural love and religious awe are to be reported along with these.
Subject Cu’s cell should be monitored at all times via a security camera. Should any abnormal behavior occur, Archguardian Cromwell is to be alerted at once.
Classification
Tuatha De Danan. Seelie. Unseelie. Faerie. Sidhe. Fallen Angel. All names for the same, wild magic that hunted Man before he could defend himself with iron.
Powers
~Shapeshifting : Subject Cu is capable of shifting his form into a wide arrange of forms and creatures, though such forms seem to be limited to living creatures. Likewise, Subject Cu’s physiological capabilities are far greater than that of an average humans, with his epidermal layer resistant to many forms of injury.
~Glamor: Subject Cu utilizes magic that can be used to make people see and think things he wants. Humans with weak wills can easily be pulled into mental trance that makes them highly susceptible to him.
~Nature Manipulation: Is able to exert a certain degree of control over his natural surroundings, though the extent of this power degrades the further he is from his source. Such things such as animal empathy and minor elemental control remain accessible to him in his current state, growing in magnitudes of power the closer he is to his Source.
~Immortality : Or at least exceptionally long lived; if Subject Cu is to be believed, he was present for the arrival of the Milletians in Ireland. Regardless, he has remained in the Order custody for the past two-hundred and thirteen years.
~Contract Magic: Subject Cu is able to unconsciously grant a person a power, an object of power or change nearly any event within their power to something as trivial as transporting them to a location or as simple as knowledge on something. He seems only capable of using this power subconsciously and only if a “bargain” is struck between him and the other party. Knights should be warned, however, that brokering such agreements are a Class 13 Heretical Sin and will result in immediate termination.
Weaknesses -Subject Cu finds himself physically unable to cross the threshold of a home, even if threatened with the destruction of his Source, unless he is invited. Addenudum: If an iron horseshoe is placed above the door, Subject Cu cannot approach within thirty feet of the building.
-Subject Cu finds himself physically unable to touch any creature so long as is wearing some form of red thread, even if threatened with the destruction of his Source. Synthetics such as nylon and other polymers have no protection, nor does this protection safeguard against other forms of assault, such as humans under Subject Cu’s glamour.
-Subject Cu finds himself unable to perform glamours or manipulate nature in the presence of rowan wood. The amount of such wood present effects the overall radius of this barrier. A block measuring a single cubic foot of such wood extends a defense of three feet, a three foot cubic block would extend nine feet.
-Upon contact with treated and untreated iron, Subject Cu’s highly resistant epidermal suffers injury akin to that of a third degree burn. According to the subject, the mere presence of iron is enough to induce feeling of nausea and illness and subject will make every attempt to avoid at all costs.
-Subject Cu finds himself physically unable to cross a line of salt, even if threatened with the destruction of his Source. While he is perfectly capable of going around such a barrier if permitted, the act of stepping over seems entirely beyond him. The distant he maintains from such defenses varies depends on the amount used.
-Subject Cu is incapable of lying. The subject has only ever been determined to tell the truth, however, the extent of "what the truth is" varies wildly. Oftentimes, when interrogated, the Subject will talk in circles with their riddles, cryptic meanings, or sometimes just nonsense. While snippets of factual information has been gleamed from careful analysis of these conversations, all interrogators thus far admit that such efforts are exhausting. The subject bends the truth so hard, it almost threatens to break...
Artifacts
The Crown of Thorns: In times of severe need, the Order is permitted to grant Cu access to his Crown of Thorns, a blasphemous artifact of the First World similar in name to the holy object of christ. This crown of briars is everblooming and everdying in all manner of forest flowers. The crown serves to amplify Subject Cu's already considerable power, to roughly 50% of that the Subject's prior to the removal of his Source. Only a trio of Archbishops, the Archguardian, or the Holy See itself can grant use of particular artifact.
Document 379-09: The following is an interview conducted between Paladin ██████████ and Subject Cu.
Paladin ██████████: There... it's on.
Subject Cu: I still don't understand all the theatrics. I mean, I am flattered to receive company, but this collar is rather unbecoming. Can we not speak like gentlemen?
Paladin ██████████: Repeat into the recorder what you told Father Richards... before you plucked out his eyes... or I swear I will smash that egg myself.
Subject Cu:...no manners at all... fine. Let me tell you a story. Some four thousand years ago, it may have been closer to ten but such things are unimportant, I met Death, the Last Friend as some know him. I was arrogant, sure in my own remarkable abilities. Death is not common amongst my species, we ... we do not always understand him. I was, for the only time in my life, rude. He laughed at me, once I had finished making a fool of myself. It was horrible. Then he made a promise, a prophecy if you will. The details are not important, but it is coming to pass. When first the prophecy was made I took the essence of my life and I sealed it away. I put it under ward and watch, in the place your little Order decided to disturb. Quaint, isn't it? Where was I? Ah yes, my treasure. I sealed it away, for he had promised that only when I had been betrayed, only when the secret of its location was stolen that I would need to act. Only then that I should prepare myself to battle for my life. I have, of course, done my best to mollify him over the millennia. You may have seen him ride with us from time to time, and he visits me once in a while. The plans of Death though are not so easily overthrown. There will come a day, I am sure, when you too must dance his dance, you will discover he has planned every step. If he has nothing else, he has time. Now, I believe you have a question dear at heart that's burning on your mind...
Paladin ██████████: Death himself is after you? You believe there is a way to defeat him?
Subject Cu: There are mortal legends of how a man may play chess with Death. Stories of how one may cheat the Devil out of his due. Those are allegorical, yet they have a point to them. Death is a game we play every day. If one plays a game frequently enough one lose eventually. The point, however, is to continue winning for as long as possible. And I, Paladin, have all the time in the world... can you say the same?
Skill ~ Would be considered the Order's greatest source of knowledge on ritual and sacrificial heretical magic... if they could ever get him to speak plainly about it. ~ Field tests and demonstrations have shown to Subject Cu to be especially skilled in a wide variety of fighting styles, though specialization was focused on pre-Iron Age weaponry. ~ Is a shameless womaniser, and appears to radiate some degree of subconscious seduction to fairer sex. Ensure only male Knights secure him. ~ Keep all manner of instruments away from the Subject. Subject appears to have an above average degree of musical talent, and may incorporate such objects in attempts to glamour others. ~ Barring the event of a Judas Level Containment Event, Subject Cu is deemed a non-expendable resource. The subject's knowledge on faerie methodology and anatomy has proven invaluable over the centuries.
Once we're able to extract the whereabouts of Tir Na Nog out of him, destroy that egg. Humans have suffered from his kind long enough. -Senior Knight Cleric Jeremia Mundenburg
@Dawnscroll He seems quite powerful but it kind of fits... Hmmm... Accepted!
@everyone: You can take some liberty with my post, for example how your opinion of Jeremias predecessor was, how they were brought to the chapel or what small welcoming gift your characters received.
@Dawnscroll I really like the Idea of his Soul being in an egg. Do you know the russian folktale of Koschei? And too be fair he is nowhere near Alucard in power.
@The Narrator Lol, that was my inspiration actually!
And he totally is. Alucard would have to find his egg first... and if Cu ever swallowed the egg and got back most of his power? Fae Lord to the max! X3
...okay, I know he might still get curbstomped. Let me have my fantasy?
In her true form, Belze is easily 2m tall, 70cm of which is the height of her upper human body (from the tip of her head to the abdomen). The human part of her sports unblemished, ash-grey skin, looking as if it's chiselled from stone. Of course, it is mere human flesh. The fingers of both hands end in sharp claws, the same shade of dark grey as her spider half. She has mandibles poking out in between her thin lips. Like all Mygalomorphae, their mandibles point downwards and do not cross each other.
In her glamoured human form, Belze stands at 168cm.
Classification Arachne/Jorogumo These long-living, half-human-looking half-spider race is made up of females only, for they reproduce with unsuspecting males of other species before either killing them off or keeping them in a state of comatose, wrapped in a cocoon of webbing for further use. Most Arachnes have long lifespans. Arachnes are split into various Houses, categorised by habitat/environmental nature and led by the Brood Mother, with a handful of Brood Elders as second-in-command. The Brood Mother is usually followed by two Brood Guards, sometimes more, depending on the size of the House. Each House has their own territory, but it is not uncommon for neighbouring Houses to descend into conflict over territorial disputes, or simply being the case of one House targetting a weaker one. Arachnes share a Brood mentality, where the Brood Mother is the supreme leader, and the most important member of them all. By nature, they are ruthless towards enemies, indifferent towards those they deem neutral and relaxed amongst confirmed allies. Each House has their own unique ability.
Those of the House of Mygalomorphae are a sneaky bunch even if some are rather big, and prefer to observe before striking.
Powers 1) All Arachne have supernatural durability due to their exoskeleton, and can stand both cold and heat (not to the extreme ranges, but higher/lower than most beings) 2) Their regenerative abilities only kick in when they suck the fluids out of a prey 3) Their sting induces paralysis. Of course, stronger beings require a larger dosage, and beings immune to poison are naturally immune to the Arachne's sting 4) They can shoot webs out the rear and from their claws 5) Arachnes can telepathically summon help from normal spiders under the Mygalomorphae category (for example: trapdoor spiders, tarantulas, funnel spiders, etc) - House Mygalomorphae's unique ability: Chameleon-like camouflage
Skills
Positives - Like all spiders, she is an excellent weaver - Extremely stealthy and agile despite her size - Deadly at close combat - Good at ambush and guerrilla tactics - Extremely patient
Negatives - Only one House of Arachnes is able to wield magic. Unfortunately, Mygalomorphaes is not the one. - While she technically can wield a gun or the like for long-ranged combat, her multiple eyes does make it inconvenient and distracting, so she doesn't do long-ranged - Overly-cautious and analytical - Lightning is the one element she dreads facing - When forced to engage in outright combat, she will keep fighting no matter the injuries she sustains until either she dies or her opponent does
Weapons or Artifacts: The only artifact she has is called "Brood Mother's Justice". It takes the form of claws which melded with her fingers and appears to be an original part of her. It has no magical properties other than being extremely durable and sharp. There are only three such artifact, and every Brood Guard of the House of Mygalomorphae bears it as a symbol of their status. Only in death does the artifact detach and is handed over to the new Guard.
Personality Positives - Extremely patient - Able to think on her feet in the heat of battle. Cool under pressure - Works hard to eliminate personal flaws as best she can. Even as a Brood Guard (and mainly because she is one), she firmly believes that there’re still things to learn and skills to polish every day. No one’s perfect, after all.
Negatives - Overly-cautious and analytical - Has a tendency to over-estimate her opponents and under-estimate herself. This doesn’t usually happen, but when faced with someone she knows outclass her, she tends to second-guess her actions. - Has an explosive temper and will become reckless when the Brood Mother is threatened. (Doubly so now, as her new Brood Mother is rather young.)
Biography Hatched from a small cluster of eggs spawned from a Mygalomorphae Arachne and a Manticore, Belze, although the runt of the clutch, was still blessed with a large form thanks to the male's genes. From the moment she could see and weave her own web at the age of six months, the female who gave birth to her - Fyre - took her clutch siblings and herself away from the nest and threw them out into the wide expanse of the Mygalomorphae's territory. Left to fend for themselves, they needed to survive until Fyre came for them again. How long that will be, they had no idea. But that was Arachne tradition. As Fyre was a warrior of the House, her offsprings would be set on the same path, and only those who had the ability to survive as a hatchling would be welcomed into the fold of fighters.
So for days Belze crawled through the territory, more often than not taking advantage of her camoflague ability to sneak away from danger than engage in a fight. She saw the gruesome end one of her siblings suffered by being too arrogant. Mygalomorphae's territory it may be, but that didn't mean the Arachnes chased away every other creatures. Because if they did, what will they eat? As she was now, even a hellhound pup would have no trouble ripping her in two. Less than a year old, Belze was only two feet tall.
Despite the various dangers, she survived by consuming smaller insects and animals until Fyre returned. The clutch of thirteen was now five. Proven that she has what it takes to be a warrior, she and her siblings were shoved to train with the veterans, learning to take advantage of their stealth to ambush and attack, to spin traps and use their multiple eyes effectively. For four whole years this went on, until they were deemed good enough to re-integrate into the House as full-fledged warriors. Before they could actually call themselves Warriors of the House, though, there was one last trial. To bring back the corpse of a creature on par or stronger than themselves. Belze caught within her traps a young witch and didn't hesitate to suck her dry.
From there on, Belze led the fairly exciting life of a warrior, patrolling the territory, training the hatchlings, participating in skirmishes against other Houses and fights between creatures looking to take over Mygalomorphae's territory. Of course, there were the occasional humans who hunted the supernatural, all of varying capabilities. She was lucky enough to survive each encounter. Perhaps it was due to this that she was picked as the next Brood Guard at the age of eighteen human years when one died. This also marked her first time seeing the revered Brood Mother face-to-face.
However, a decade later, tragedy befell the Mygalomorphaes. Skinwalkers launched an attack on her House in a bid to move into the Arachne's territory due to the barren state of their own. During the conflict, the Brood Mother was critically wounded when the Guards were swarmed. Victory for the House was bittersweet that day and went uncelebrated. The Brood Mother's heir was relatively young, and amongst the three appointed Guards, only Belze survived as the previous Mother's Guard. After failing to protect the previous Brood Mother, Belze took it upon herself to be the new Mother's shadow. Unfortunately, in the middle of the third year serving the new Mother, she fell victim to The Order.
At first, she tried resisting, taking advantage of the fact they didn't seem inclined to kill her just yet. However, what she least expected happened. The Knights of the Order managed to pinpoint the exact location of the Brood Mother's nest. Any further resistance from her would result in the death of her charge. Unable to see a way out, she caved. So it was in her thirty-first year that she was blackmailed into working for the Order in exchange of her House's continued exsistence.
@Dawnscroll, I love how you added actual mythological weaknesses to your character. @Loki Odinson, deep breath, my arachnophobia is screaming, XD.
@Milkman, I think there is. Last time someone joined, the DM said that there was room for one or two more. You can make that an 'or two', I am sure.
Hah, found a song that fits Willow perfectly if he ever turns to the dark side, xD. And, Jeebus. My reply had a bunch of spelling mistakes. Should have fixed all that, now. Have to re-read my stuff before posting.
Love the posts guys-I will have something up as soon as I get home from work tonight. If things start movein without me my post will basically focus on Growler getting all excited about his gift and saying thank you.
@The Narrator, I took some liberties with describing the cell Willow had. Hope it was okay. I thought it would be fitting to have a more proper and noble interior, given the Knights’ culture.