Character Name Here, or get a banner from 1001fonts.com
"Character quote here."
_______________________________________________ First Middle Last
Pronouns | Age | Ethnicity | Height (In Inches) | Weight (Pounds/LB) _______________________________________________ Single word that defines your character. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Quote about Skills here." ___________________________________
[REMOVE THIS. A list of everything your character is good at... just, uh, keep it realistic. If I see one judo black belt with survival skills training, cooking, and rifle training, I'm gonna slap a bitch. REMOVE THIS.] [Skill name here] ⫻ (Brief (or lengthy) explanation of skill/talent here)
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Quote about appearance here."
Essentially how your character looks. Be detailed here. Go over skin color, build, height, hair (including color, style, etc), scars, and other body alterations (Piercings, tattoos, etc). Along with describing clothing style but that's optional.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Quote about personality here."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ (What does your character hope to accomplish in life?)
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ (What is your character's outlook on life?)
SECRETS ⫻ (What is your character hiding?)
SEXUALITY ⫻ (Your character's sexual preference?)
FEARS ⫻ (What does your character fear?)
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ (Basically, where was your character during the Cataclysm? If they did not participate, write N/A)
FLAWS ⫻ (What holds your character back?)
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Quote about backstory here."
Pretty standard affair. I'm not going to expect a super long essay here, just the basics and whatever.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Quote about abstraction here."
TYPE ⫻ (Put Adept, Apparition, Aberration (Afflicted/Agent/Adjoined/Abscised/Abominable), Blind or One-Eyed-Open)
ABSTRACTION ⫻ (Put the name of the Abstraction here, with a one-sentence description of what the Abstraction does. If Adept, put what Lux they have, and what their channeler is.)
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ (Go in-depth with what exactly the Abstraction allows them to do. Please be as detailed as possible because if it's not in the sheet; they can't do it. If Adept, detail every individual spell.)
LIMITS ⫻ (What are the limits to their abstraction? The stronger/more complex the ability, the more limits I want. Remember Emotional-Fields will inhibit the use of certain abstractions on other Paranormal beings.)
WEAKNESSES ⫻ (DO NOT FILL THIS OUT, I WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU)
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Extra Quote here."
Anyyyything else?
[hider=Character name here][CENTER][h1]Character Name Here, or get a banner from 1001fonts.com/[/h1][/CENTER] [i]"Character quote here."[/i] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center][img]no anime[/img] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] [sub]First Middle Last
Pronouns [b]|[/b] Age [b]|[/b] Ethnicity [b]|[/b] Height (In Inches) [b]|[/b] Weight (Pounds/LB) [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Single word that defines your character. [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Skills & Talents[/sub] [i]"Quote about Skills here."[/i] [sup]___________________________________[/sup][/center][hider=] [sub][REMOVE THIS. A list of everything your character is good at... just, uh, keep it realistic. If I see one judo black belt with survival skills training, cooking, and rifle training, I'm gonna slap a bitch. REMOVE THIS.] [b][Skill name here] ⫻[/b] (Brief (or lengthy) explanation of skill/talent here)[/sub][/hider]
[/cell][cell][sub][b] Appearance[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Quote about appearance here."[/i]
[indent]Essentially how your character looks. Be detailed here. Go over skin color, build, height, hair (including color, style, etc), scars, and other body alterations (Piercings, tattoos, etc). Along with describing clothing style but that's optional.[/indent]
[/cell][/row][/table][sub][b] Psychology[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Quote about personality here."[/i]
[INDENT][b]MAIN GOAL ⫻[/b] (What does your character hope to accomplish in life?)
[b]PHILOSOPHY ⫻[/b] (What is your character's outlook on life?)
[b]SECRETS ⫻[/b] (What is your character hiding?)
[b]SEXUALITY ⫻[/b] (Your character's sexual preference?)
[b]FEARS ⫻[/b] (What does your character fear?)
[b]WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ [/b] (Basically, where was your character during the Cataclysm? If they did not participate, write N/A)
[b]FLAWS ⫻[/b] (What holds your character back?) [/INDENT]
[sub][b] Backstory[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Quote about backstory here."[/i]
[indent]Pretty standard affair. I'm not going to expect a super long essay here, just the basics and whatever.[/indent]
[sub][b] Abstraction[/b][/sub] [sub][sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/sup][/sub] [i]"Quote about abstraction here."[/i]
[indent][b]TYPE ⫻[/b] (Put Adept, Apparition, Aberration (Afflicted/Agent/Adjoined/Abscised/Abominable), Blind or One-Eyed-Open)
[b]ABSTRACTION ⫻[/b] (Put the name of the Abstraction here, with a one-sentence description of what the Abstraction does. If Adept, put what Lux they have, and what their channeler is.)
[b]ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻[/b] (Go in-depth with what exactly the Abstraction allows them to do. Please be as detailed as possible because if it's not in the sheet; they can't do it. If Adept, detail every individual spell.)
[b]LIMITS ⫻[/b] (What are the limits to their abstraction? The stronger/more complex the ability, the more limits I want. Remember Emotional-Fields will inhibit the use of certain abstractions on other Paranormal beings.)
[b]WEAKNESSES ⫻[/b] (DO NOT FILL THIS OUT, I WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU) [/INDENT]
[hider=*Character Name Here*'s Relationships][table][row][cell][h3][b]First Name[color=2e2c2c].[/color]Last Name (If Applicable)[/b][/h3][/cell][cell][/cell][/row][row][cell][center][img]Picture of character here, try not to go too damn big[/img]
[sup][i]"In character quote about character in question here."[/i][/sup] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup][/center] [color=2e2c2c]...................................................................[/color][/cell][cell]Write description of Character Relations here.[/cell][/row][/table][/hider]
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27 days ago
Post by
NoriWasHere
NOTE. If you're going to make an NPC, PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANY OF THE CODING. This way, I can add your NPC to the appropriate section easily.
[row][cell][h2][b]First Name Here[color=2e2c2c].[/color]Last Name Here (If applicable)[/b][/h2][/cell][cell][/cell][/row][row][cell][center][img]NO ANIME, and try not to use an oversized ass photo please[/img]
[b]Age | Name | Pronouns [/b][hr//][i]"Optional quote here."[/i][/center][/cell][cell] [b]Description:[/b] [indent]Write their description here.[/indent]
She/Her | 23 | multiracial | 5’1 | 113 lbs _______________________________________________ Struggling _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "The thing about living in the mountains is you either learn a thing or two about a thing or two or you’ll never survive." ___________________________________
I can fix that ⫻ Elara has had to become proficient and repairing and fixing anything and everything. While she is no expect, she can pull apart and repair a lot of common problems for most of her devices and especially her motorcycle I can grow that ⫻ Taught from a young age the value of sustainability. As such, Elara maintains a garden that supplies herself with various vegetables, and her special herb. I can brew that ⫻ As is tradition in the mountains, Elara has the ability to brew a batch of moonshine when needed.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I will stop by Billy’s today and get another tattoo. Lord knows it won’t fix me but I’m willing to give it another try."
Elara is short, thin, and outside of her prominent hips she does not have many curves. Her body is well proportioned, and if and were any taller she probably could have made a killing in the modeling world. Despite her stature Elara Carrie’s herself with confidence. Her body is lean, but muscular, and her head held constantly high.
Her body is adorned with over a hundred tattoos. From the large pieces that completely cover her chest and breasts, to the completed sleeves that dot her arms, hands, legs, feet, and with none more visible than the various face and neck tattoos that frame her face. She has more skin covered in tattoos than open, and she is openly considering covering more of her face if time and money allow. As well, she has multiple piercings. Her nostril, and ears are pierced and her ears are beginning to fill in with jewelry. She also has her nipples and her belly button pierced.
It’s hard for people to place a pin on Elara’s ethnicity. The Appalachian mountains have always been a melting pot of different groups, and she is simply the product of that environment. Both of her parents were multiracial, and their parents were multiracial. While she is just a few shades more tan than a typical white person by nature, she has still been exposed to the worst that the south has to offer over her look.
Elara is the type of girl to forgo makeup. While she can put on a face, and does any time she travels to the North Side, she really does enjoy doing so. She has naturally clear skin thanks to her exposure to the grove of vitality, and she thinks that makeup is a colossal waste of time. Her sense of fashion is much the same. Her typical outfit is a worn out tank top with various holes and stains etched into the fabric. She likes to wear band shirts, and these are kept in at least a more consistent state of disrepair than the tanks. In the warmer months she’ll wear denim shorts, in the colder months denim pants. She does have an affinity for the boyfriend jeans cut with pants all the same. When she travels to the North Side she may dress up. She has a small, but growing collection of ‘fancy clothes’ that are considered out of style but she’ll be able to at least look the part if the need arises.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Listen, life is simple when you live by the golden rules. Be kind to others but don’t let them mistake your kindness for weakness."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Elara has two goals in life. Her first goal is to always be comfortable enough to be able to live nicely, and to be strong enough to protect those close to her. Ever since the cataclysm she’s been one of the leaders of her coven, and she wants to make sure that this small group is protected and cared for. This extends to her personal life. She doesn't want much in terms of material wealth, but if she can create a space where she rarely wants for something the better she will feel about it.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Hard work is the key to success. Life in the mountains can be hard. You don’t get the same opportunities that those in the city get and as such you have to build your own.
SECRETS ⫻ Elara has taken one person to the grove without the coven knowing. They were bleeding, and would have died if not for the vitality magic of the grove.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Straight but a little bi-curious
FEARS ⫻ That the strange monsters that have begun to pop up in the mountains are a sign of something worse to come. The Tomes tell of an ancient evil locked away in the mountain. Although the details of this threat are vague, Elara believes that there may be truth to these legends.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Elara helped fight during the cataclysm. She used her abstraction to provide support from afar and used her teleportation to transport wounded warriors to the healing crews.
FLAWS ⫻ Elara is naive. Despite everything she truly believes there is good in everyone. As such, she has never met an attractive man she did but think she could fix. As well, she may open herself and the grove to outside threats because she may trust the wrong person.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "We had a simple enough life. I wish it could go back to what it was."
Elara was born and raised in the mining community of Ravens Rest nestled deep in the mountains over Cloverfield. Her mother and father were both adept’s, and magic was as much apart of her life as anything else even before she kindled. She went to school, a rather small but close knit education system and her graduation class would end up being only thirty people in total. When she was walking home from a friend's house she had a chance encounter with a terrible aberration whose glamor drew her in. Once it revealed its true form, and she kindled, she tried to fight back but was outmatched at every turn. She managed to teleport away and landed at the front of her house half dead, where she was discovered by her parents. Her memory goes blank and she remembers the presence of some old dog as her eyes lost their vision.
She awoke in the grove. All her wounds were healed and she was pulled into the arms of her parents. It was here that she was told the truth of her family, and how their history was one of resistance, protection, and magic. She expressed interest in continuing that tradition and was brought into the covens ranks at the young age of twelve. She would spend the rest of her teenage years studying both the magic and the mundane, often feeling pulled one way or the other depending on the day. When she graduated she found work in the community where she could, and with the help of her parents she bought her own small cottage at twenty years old.
The next three years Elara learned all of the rituals for the grove, falling in and out of love, and expanding on her home garden. When the cataclysm hit her parents and the rest of the grove leadership knew that they had to help fight, but forbade the grove from being used to help heal. It was in the final battle that the entire leadership, and all the elders, were killed. She did not have any time to mourn during the battle as she knew she had to do what she could to help end the threat once and for all.
In the year and a half since she, and the rest of the grove, have attempted to return to some normalcy. She’s been more involved in the politics of the mountains and has been raising the alarm about the return of monsters
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ " I’ve been using a bow since I was a kid. Do you think I’ll miss, or do you hope I will?"
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Elara is a red purple adept who can shoot elemental arrows from a magic bow she generates, and also can shoot purple lux infused magic arrows to teleport.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Elara can summon a magic bow. The bow itself is a vivid white color and sparks and shifts uncontrollably, arching to the ground with streaks of elemental magic. When Elara pulls the bowstring back it creates a magical arrow of her choice. The magical arrow can do one of a few different things.
Fire Arrow:
Elara summons a fiery hot arrow that is blazing hot. Fires dance off the arrow both before it is loose and when it flies. The fire arrow is an area of attack tool that engulfs the area of impact and surrounding area in a sea of fire. The fire is magical and has no direct way of getting through a strong emotional field but prolonged exposure to it will burn the target. The fire acts like a liquid and can coat a five foot radius in this inferno.
Lightning Arrow:
If Elara's target is more well defended she can conjure an arrow of lightning. The lightning is cackling even as it’s drawn and once it impacts it shoots lightning tendrils into the target. The attack is limited to the point of impact and has no crowd control opportunities. The lightning penetrates emotional fields and contemporary armor.
Ice Arrow:
As a fight develops Elara can limit an opponent with an ice area. If the ice arrow hits a target they will become encased in ice, and find them weighed down by it. This ice is magically heavy, and will force the target to deal with it or quickly lose energy.
Water Arrow:
Sometimes you need to fight with the strength of a coursing river. When Elara fires this arrow it covers a ten foot area in a half foot of water. Obviously this may not last long, but it is enough to get an area wet and the initial impact of the arrow has the most force.
Combination Arrow:
If the need arises Elara can combine three different elemental arrows together. Fire and Water will create a smokescreen of steam, scalding those caught in it. Lightning and water will create a shocking pool that will stun those caught in it. Ice and water will create an ice rink with a magically slick surface that will cause any and all to slip and fall.
Teleportation Arrow:
Elara will often need to reposition. She can shoot a purple arrow that will transport her to wherever it lands. She can pull the arrow off the string and use it to mark a circle around her or an object to mark an area to teleport. It will teleport to wherever the arrow lands so she’ll be to ensure accuracy.
LIMITS ⫻
Elara only has one spell that will be effective against stronger apparitions. As such she’ll be to a more supportive role against these threats.
Her arrows are not magically enhanced to hit a target so she’ll need to ensure she aims well.
She’s immune to the arrows before their spells are activated, not after. As such, she must stay away from the various spells to avoid hurting herself.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ The elemental forces behind her arrows are easily countered by their opposite elements. Fire is weak to water, steam is weak to wind, and ice is weak to fire. As well, while she may be immune to the effects of the arrow while on the bow string this will not last forever. The more age uses her ability the less she’ll be able to resist the elements.
The teleportation arrow will teleport her exactly where it lands. This means that if it hits a building at a ninety degree angle she will teleport to the same spot feet on the building at a ninety degree angle. This is the same if she transports just herself, or others, so Elara will need to be accurate to ensure she’s not putting herself at risk.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I just brewed a batch, want to get drunk?"
Anyyyything else?
"I find it ironic. Defending this place all the while I could burn it all to the ground"
They/Them | 19 | Italian | 5’3 | 127 lbs _______________________________________________ Rage _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents " This entity wants me to be an agent of destruction. I will learn how to make it one of life." ___________________________________
Connections in places high and low ⫻ Before Seren joined accepted their birthright in the coven they were a social butterfly who quickly made friends with people on both sides of the river. A dab or two ⫻ Seren is always ready for a smoke sesh. When they’re out and about you have an equal chance to pull a marijuana cigarette as you do a regular one from their pack.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Why do you care so much about my style? Kinda cringe bro."
Seren is not the tallest of women but they makes up for it with a surprisingly busty chest and wide hips. They tend to slouch their shoulders, and this makes them look a little shorter than they actually are. They keep their hair its natural dark brown color but typically wear it in a shag style. Seren can be lazy with the styling so some days it looks amazing and other days they look like crap
Seren is half Italian, the other half is a bit of everything. They were born in Italy, thus getting them that coveted dual citizenship status. Their skin is a darker olive tone, their hair is naturally curly, and they have the ability to tan extremely well. They are still deciding if they want to commit to a tattoo or not, and have been talking it over with the other members of the grove. As well, they’re still considering if they want to get some piercings. As of now they do not have any but they think they’ll look very cute with a septum.
Their fashion is one that is simple. They tend to wear baggy pants with the cuffs rolled up. They always have button up shirts that are always thrifted. And they have a wide assortment of rings and bracelets that are always present but never the same mix. When the weather starts getting more chilly they bring out their prized possession: their Red Bull Racing jacket. It is several sizes too big, and it once belonged to their father before he died in the cataclysm.
If the need ever arises they can change up their style and go full masculine, with tucked in stylish button up shirts and a binder. If they go full feminine they’ll wear skin tight dresses and a full face of makeup.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I never wanted any of this. I could be Italy drinking on the beach but no. I’m stuck up this mountain."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Seren has ahead wanted to be independent of their family and this goal has carried through to where they are right now. None of the inheritance went to them, and as such they are going to need to work to establish themself and then get out of the city.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Existence is pain and it was a mistake to be born. Their whole life was dedicated to a vision of the future and they were forcibly adjoined to the apparition Cinder at a young age. As such, they have a cynical view of the world and the people within them.
SECRETS ⫻ Three years ago a massive blaze destroyed a small section of the lower district. The district blames the developers from across the river for it and it ignited a city wide protest that lasted months. In truth, it was Seren. They were lost, and scared, and it was this fear that triggered a Wave of Fire that instantly ignited the buildings. The culprit is still wanted, and a reward is offered for leads.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Queer
FEARS ⫻ That they are destined to lose control and bring Cinder to the world.
Their crime will be revealed to the world and that they will spend time behind bars.
That they’re destined to exist in a state of perpetual poverty and that they’ll never be able to live the life of their dreams. WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Seren hid away from the fight for the most part but did participate in the fighting in the final days.
FLAWS ⫻ Seren is highly opinionated and is not afraid to speak their mind. They have also learned to weaponize their emotions. They are emotionally immature and will not make amends when they’re wrong.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ " Born to be a monster. Raised to be a monster. I don’t think you know what that was like."
Seren was born in Calabria, Italy. Her father is an Italian man who married a woman from Cloverfield, and the two decided to make sure that their kids had the same opportunities in both countries. Their early childhood was unremarkable. It was pleasant but nothing really happened until they were seven. Their mother was a member of a coven known as the Keepers of the Grove and had seen a great evil in the leaves. They also saw that their child would play a pivotal role in stopping it and as such they forced their eyes open and then adjoined them to the powerful apparition Cinder.
They do not remember much outside of the training, the pain, and the lack of friends. They were homeschooled until they gained control over the apparition. Many of the elders had to lend their magic to help the young child through this turbulent time period. They were socially stunted for a long time as a result of this but Seren worked hard and managed to make up for lost time and become one of the more popular kids at school by the time that they graduated.
After Highschool expectations were high for Seren. They were supposed to go to the prestige Clovercity University, study, and practice their skills. Instead, they decided to come out as a transmasculine individual. Immediately they were cut off by their religious family, the money that was banked away for their tuition was rescinded, and they were forced out with a court order and forced to fend for themself.
The lower district welcomed them with open arms. They quickly established themself in the local queer community, found housing, and then found a job, and then signed up for their first year at the Nimtaké Community College. They were getting ready for their second semester when the cataclysm occurred. They originally ran to the hills and hid, but once word got to them that their parents and the other elders were going to fight they joined to finally show their worth. They survived, but the leadership did not. In the aftermath, they were approached by Elara who offered them a permanent place at the Keepers of the Grove. They knew the rest of their birthright was taken from them, and that their parents wealth would only flow to their younger sibling, but they at least ensured that they would take the thing that was most important to their mother from them.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "When you burn you’ll be one with the fire forever"
TYPE ⫻ Adjoined
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Seren is Adjoined to Cinder, an apparition who grows stronger and hotter the more souls it consumes.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Seren is Adjoined to Cinder, a primordial Apparition whose goal is to bathe the world in fire in order to allow it to be reborn anew. It does this by absorbing the life force, and soul if present. As it absorbs the stronger its own fire grows. The power is also tied to the emotions of Seren, specifically their fear. It will activate in a form of self defense if needed. The souls that are stolen with this magic are forever trapped in an eternal plane of fire. As well, if they themself take fatal damage they’ll be encased in a cocoon of fire and be reborn an hour later, draining the stored soul energy of Cinder.
Smolder:
The most basic ability, Smolder is a living beam of fire that can snake across an area. Currently if this beam hits a target it will be hot enough to cause burns within a few seconds of exposure. As well, it will sap away at the energy of the target.
Fire Lance:
Seren can point a single finger out, and often does so with a finger gun, and shoot a single intense streak of fire. The fire will burn but it’s a more directed and concentrated attack on the life force and soul of a target. On impact, red lines will spread across the body of the target. These streaks will last three seconds and will drain the energy rapidly during its duration.
Fire Wall:
If the need arises Seren can bathe every object in a one hundred foot radius. This spell requires Seren to charge up, and during it objects will progressively get hotter until they reach their combustion point. As Cinder grows in strength so too will the radius. Eventually, if a critical mass of souls are stored, Cinder could even cover the entire planet with this spell. After the fires burn, life will begin to sprout from the smoldering ash. A building that is ignited will soon begin to grow all forms of new plant life.
LIMITS ⫻
Cinder’s strength is tied to the stored souls. As Seren has refused to fuel the fire they’ll forever be limited.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Cinder needs a reserve of energy to function properly and thus, Seren will need to drain the life force or soul of plants, animals, or people to function. As well, the process of collect this energy is addictive. Seren will eventually want to start consuming energy in this fashion and will become a liability.
Cinder will also push for Seren to do this every day. It will cry, complain, and bemoan for hours at a time until Seren relents and takes some life force. The more she relents the stronger Cinder grows, and the stronger Cinder grows the more control they will have.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Can we, like, not do this?"
Anyyyything else?
"Either we find some common ground, or I bury you six feet under it. Choice is yours."
_______________________________________________ Gideon Darren Cross
He/Him | 57 | Vaguely European | 6’4 | 232 lbs _______________________________________________ Control _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have built an empire from nothing more than my own blood, sweat, and tears. Imagine what I can build with my fortune behind me." ___________________________________
Wealthy beyond words ⫻ Thanks to his unique position among the Lower District Gideon has seen a massive influx of money. There is a skill involved in using it, and Gideon is strategic with the application of it.
Street Smart ⫻ Gideon has been involved with the crime scene in Cloverfield since he was a kid. He has a sixth sense for investigations, and those who try to follow him.
A strong presence ⫻ A lifetime pursuit of being the best is also reflected with his body. He is strong, with a mix of raw strength and old man strength.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You always need to dress to impress."
Gideon is a tall, attractive, and muscular man who radiates importance no matter the setting. He is unblemished, with no tattoos or piercings. He keeps his beard trimmed to an acceptable level, and his hair is meticulously cared for and he often finds himself at the local barber shop. He has many visible wrinkles on his forehead and his cheek. He has never had any work done, nor does he plan on it. Life has been kind to him thus far, and he plans to age gracefully as it continues.
Even as a lowly initiate in the criminal underground Gideon preferred to dress nicely. He does not like the high quality and high fashion suits that are a dime a dozen. Instead, he goes to the same local tailor that has dressed the industria influential members of the community. His suits are still high quality but they’re not from one of the big name brands that dominate the landscape on the North Side.
His muscular frame is always on display even through his suits. This creates a natural intimidation due how tall he is and thus allows him to always have an upper hand in the underbelly of the city. While he is acutely aware of personal space he will use his body to put pressure on people by breaking it
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ " Did I ever think I would give up my company to help protect the city I love? No. Do I regret it? Not a chance"
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Gideon has a dream to see the Lower District thriving in a way that maintains its culture and differences from the North Side. While he is not as wealthy as other powers at play, e still puts his money where his mouth is and is constantly investing into new projects. Most recently he has bought hundreds of generators to help the people of his town keep the lights on during the blackouts.
As well, everyone who works for him is considered a part of his extended family. He genuinely wants to do well by then at every opportunity. He often mentors those in search of it, pays better than any other criminal outfit, and ensures that everyone is financially accounted for. Gideon knows that a happy, healthy crew is an easy way to ensure longevity so he goes to great lengths to ensure that he always delivers.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Success is a ladder and some people start at the top. In order to be the most successful person you need to always be willing to pull those above you down.
SECRETS ⫻ His company was not destroyed by the cataclysm. He arranged for it to be destroyed during the battle to bury the secrets of the crimes that were committed and the ties he’s always had since he founded his business.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Straight
FEARS ⫻ Having the skeletons in his closet being revealed. The cataclysm did much to distract the authorities, but it’s only a matter of time before the spotlight is back on him.
He fear’s that he will fall in his bid to protect his city.
That the crime that he organizes and sits at the center of will eventually spiral out of control and do untold damage to the city.
His biggest fear is that his family will be caught in the crossfire or be used against him.
Everyone in his organization is like a second family to him. As such he fears that they’ll be hurt or killed.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ He was an active fighter in the Lower Districts.
FLAWS ⫻ Gideon is vain, opinionated, and has a cruel streak. He is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his town but is often willing to go too far. He is also cursed with a short temper and a fury unmatched. This is especially evident if someone hurts someone in his crew or close to him. While he does invest a lot of his money into saving the town he still could be doing more without hurting, and this financial reluctance is a sign of a greater problem with his selfish self.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Keeping crime controlled and organized is no joke. Someone had to do it, and I think I’ll take it another step further."
Gideon was born and raised within the Lower District. His early years were nice and simple, if a little poor. He found work at a factory right out of school and worked there until he turned twenty five. The Lower District had a way of claiming even the most pure of souls. One night on his way home he was arrested for a crime he did not commit, was held in jail, and was put on trial for it. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in jail. Gideon made many friends in his time in jail, none more so than Jack Nickolas.
Jack was a bar owner, and ran a small drug operation out of the bar. He was locked up on other charges and the two connected over their shared hatred of the North Side. The two became fast friends and when he got out he joined Jack at the Hollow.
It was here he met his future wife Sarah. Like him she was from the lower district and wanted more out of life. And like him she was more than comfortable taking shortcuts to get there faster. Within a year the two were married. Over the next five years Gideons first four children were born, forcing his time and attention to matters at home.
After five years his relationship with Jack began to sour. Gideon was a de facto leader of the Hollow at this point and everyone in the organization looked up to him in some fashion. A heated exchange turned violent and Gideon killed Jack. He pinned the blame on another local gang and led the Hollow on a bloody rampage. After the dust settled he was confirmed as the new leader of the hollow, and has kept expanding it ever since. He quickly got the local police force, PRA, and federal agents on his payroll. Unlike the other gangs and criminal elements he was not afraid to let magic lead the way, and this gave him an advantage in war.
Even as he began to grow wealthy through the various rackets he ran he never forgot his roots. Over the twenty years since took control he has consistently put money back into the community. Whether that was paying for the renovations for the community center, establishing a scholarship fund, or volunteering to give the unhoused population a warm meal and gifts during the holiday season. As his legend grew so too did his voice, and as his voice began to bellow more and more eyes started to fall on his business dealings.
A year before the cataclysm a new police commissioner began to crack down on corruption. This probe eventually began to point back towards Gideon. He knew that he would be caught eventually but was pleasantly surprised when the cataclysm gave him an opportunity to clear the field of these new obstacles. The police commissioner was killed during the chaos, the evidence was destroyed when the police station exploded, and all the eyes that watched for his fall shifted elsewhere
In the year and a half since Gideon has expanded his empire even further, establishing a strange criminal government out of the various factions of the lower district. And now he finally sets his eyes on the North District.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Listen. People just work better when they have competent leadership. And when they see I am willing to put my fist where my mouth is."
TYPE ⫻ Adept - Brass knuckle as his channeler
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Gideon is an green-pink lux adept who has enhanced strength, speed, and durability from the green lux and the ability to learn the weakness of an opposing fighter with his pink.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Gideon’s life has been one fight after the next. Ever since he kindled he’s had an advantage over those he fights. Gideon is able to use his magic to enhance his fighting capabilities, and he’s used this to great effect in his expansion into the criminal underworld.
Hit them hard:
Gideon is a strong fighter by nature. He knows that you don’t have to be flashy, you just have to hit someone harder than you get hit back. As such, when he places his brass knuckles on his hand he can channel his green lux to boost his raw strength to a level just above peak human. He can lift hundreds of pounds, throw punches that will break bone with ease. His speed is also enhanced and he’ll unleash a flurry of blows before a typical person can react. He can run as fast as the fastest sprinter and can jump further as well.
Don’t let them hit you back:
With his pink lux, once he makes contact with his fist he’ll have a connection with his target that will allow him to know what they’re going to do next. In a fight, he can use this to know how they plan to strike before the punch is even thrown. If he needs information he can place his hands on someone and get a limited sweep of information but he can not search for specifics or force them to show him something.
LIMITS ⫻
In order to use his pink lux he must make contact with a target. As well, he only gets a glimpse at the very next action they are doing. It’s not a future sense, it’s just a real time peak behind the scenes.
He’s not able to maintain the strength, speed, and durability for more than five minutes at a time.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Gideon will feel a magical weakness fall over him after the magic subsides. He’ll be weaker, slower, and more frail than normal. The duration of this affliction depends on how long he keeps the magic active. If he goes to the full five minutes he’ll be in an incredibly vulnerable position that enemies can easily exploit. As such, he must be sure that he picks the right time to use this ability. As well, if he hits a particularly strong emotional field his pink lux will open a two way connection. While he’ll be able to get his peak behind the curtain his opponent will be able to do so as well.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Can we wrap this up? I have seven kids at home who expect me soon"
Gideon is a collector of muscle cats.
"I think people from the Lower District are lazy. They have the same opportunities in this beautiful city."
She/Her | 22 | Chinese | 5’5 | 119 lbs _______________________________________________ Snob _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Oh I’m just a simple baker! I just like to cook." ___________________________________
[ Kitchen Witch ⫻ Freya is a renowned baker. Her shop is known far and wide, and she often pushes the bar forward for the small business food scene. Small business struggles ⫻ When age first opened her bakery she struggled. As such, she has an innate ability to overcome adversity. Popular online ⫻ With two million followers across all platforms, Freya is a successful influencer who is always posting cooking videos, following the latest trends, and even dancing. She’s been nearly canceled twice due to her stance on the lower district.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I need to be cute at every moment otherwise I will break down.."
Freya is an average woman who is neither tall nor remarkable at first glance. They tend to keep their hair at a simple, but clean, bob length. There are a few blonde streaks left at the end of her hair, a testament to a foolish decision she made a few years ago to go blonde. She’s been on an ‘Inner beauty and Outer Beauty’ focus lately and she’s trying to get back to her roots. Her makeup has also reflected this, instead of the bright and flashy that define many on the North Side. She goes with the ‘natural look’ style of makeup and still wears that full face everyday to hide the scars of a war long since won against acne.
Next door to Freya’s bakery is a rather cute and quaint vintage shop known as The Vintage Vault. Freya enjoys buying most of her clothes from here. From the dresses and skirts that dominate her every day to day to the powerful pants suits that she wields as a tool of power in any important meeting. While she has two full closets of more modern clothing there’s something so simple, and nice, about this vintage style.
Freya is Chinese, and she does her best to maintain the rigorous skin care routine and beauty standards of her home country. As such she often keeps her skin as pale as possible by bringing sun umbrellas, wearing sunscreen at every moment, and by taking a hundred trips to the local Chinese Massage Therapist for further work. Despite this she is still a naturally more tan complexion than she would like.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I just want to show you that a better life is possible with hard work, dedication, and the will to do more."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Freya wants to become successful with her career. Her bakery has a focus on French, Chinese, and fusion pastries. She is known as one of the better bakeries on Main, and her close proximity to the Metropark means that she is always busy.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Hard work, at least the illusion of it, will lead to the life one yearns for. The only thing holding one back is their own lack of desire to do better.
SECRETS ⫻ Her bakery, the schooling she got, and the apartment that is featured in every TikTok video was paid for by her father, Wei Wang, an extremely successful real estate developer. Wei Wang is a polarizing figure who has big plans for a revitalized Lower District, one that will inevitably force out most of not all of the poorest individuals there. As such, she has adopted the babe Freya Collins to distance herself from it. She knows if this is revealed to her massive internet following all her comments, and posts, about the Lower District will be seen in a new light.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Painfully Straight.
FEARS ⫻ Actually having to pull herself up by her bootstraps. She is talented and skilled enough to stand out, but without having the cash to pay for the various forms of advertisement, without having the building, and without having the good will she’s generated would make that infinitely harder than she can take.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ She was escorted far away from the city by her fathers security team.
FLAWS ⫻ Freya is insecure. They have multiple Google alerts setup on their office to see when she is trending, or what people are saying. She gets too overjoyed at positive comments and too upset at negative ones. At this time there are seven videos of her crying on TikTok where she talks about taking a break from all social media only to return a week later because her only form of validation is found in these channels.
Freya is vain. She cares more about what others think of her than she actually cares about what makes her happy.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I was born into simplicity and have made my own way in the world."
Li Hua Wang was born in Dalian, in the Liaoning province in China. Her father owned one of the biggest property development firms in all of China and he was hired to take the growing city's skyline to the next level. She was the top student in all her courses. There was something so nice about growing up in a city that had seen several cultures build it up. From the grand Russian architecture near the center of town, to the countless authentic Korean restaurants and shops, and to the Japanese cherry blossoms on the south end of the peninsula.
The day she moved to America was one of the saddest days in her life. Instantly everything that was once grand, personalized, and unique was replaced with the dull drab that Appalachia was. While Cloverfield itself was an exciting city and as a young kid visiting all these new places was truly fun. Yet as the seasons dragged on the more she realized that this city lacked a soul. It was bright, glamorous, modern, and big but it did not have a distinct identity that her home had. She fell into a depression in her late teens and, in a bid to help his daughter, Wei gave his daughter a few options. He had noticed that his daughter found joy in the darkness with cooking. He gave her a way out. There were many culinary schools in France. When she finished Highschool he gave her the ability to study her passions, without strings, in a city with as much soul as any in Europe. Li accepted this option and moved there at 17.
It was here that a chance encounter with a vampire and their prey kindled them. Instead of helping the victim she ran. She tried to hide away from her magic. After four whole years she finished her studies, returned home to open her own bakery, and began to go by the name Freya. Before she could do any of that the cataclysm happened and she watched the destruction from afar. Once the smoke cleared she managed to snag her building and began renovating the building. She opened her doors a year ago and has been busy ever since.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ " I’ve learned that if you eat this you’ll tell me the truth. And if you eat that you’ll explode in bloody fashion."
TYPE ⫻ Adept - channeler is an old wooden spoon
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Freya is a blue adept who can place curses on the food she bakes that will cause those who eat it to tell the truth, tell convincing lies, feel better or worse and even explode.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Freya channels her magic through the wooden spoon and this causes her food to adopt cursed qualities. The power of the curse depends on the emotion that is filling it. Each curse will require a specific thing to break it. A desire to know more:
If Freya desires information, and her intent is so, the baked goods will compel the target to tell the absolute truth for five minutes. This spell, like all of her baked spells, gets around emotional fields and will begin once the baked good is finished. These spells cause the baked goods to have thin, blue lines cooked into the dish. In order to break the truth spell the target will have to want to tell the truth instead of being compelled to it.
Baked with love:
Sometimes someone needs a push in the right direction in matters of love. As such, Freya uses the quickest way to one's heart literally as this spell caused a person to fall madly in love with the first person they see. This love feels very real to the target, and they will stop at nothing to win over their new forever person. The magic also tends to make them more animated in their displays of their love. This will include standing outside of an apartment with a boombox playing some downright romantic song while procession their love with oversized signs layered on top of one another. The only thing that will break this curse, its stipulation, is true love. The kiss from their true love is enough to break the spell.
Not baked with love:
Sometimes someone needs to be punished. If. Freya infuses her magic goods with angry emotions she can cause one of two reactions. One, the target will become extremely bloated and their body will run cold with one so severe that not even the hot scaling water straight from the shower can touch it. In order to break this curse the target will simply need to find some tums. However if the food was infused with so much hatred there is very little that can stop it which will eventually cause the target to explode outward from the stomach.
LIMITS ⫻ The target must eat the full baked good for the curse to activate. As such, if the taste is spoiled at all by the magic it will likely lead to the target not finishing the food and thus the curse will not take effect.
She also does not have control of the basic once it’s baked into the good. Each pastry will be a proverbial grenade ready to go off. Thus, if she makes a cursed cake she must ensure it is disposed of properly.
Each pastry will have magic lines baked into it, with different colors will denote the curse. The love potion spell will have pink lines, the truth white, and the explosive one red. Thus, an eagle eye viewer can see which pastries are cursed and which ones are not.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ The curse magic is always being infused into her baked goods. Normally she does not put anything specific into the curse as she’s unaware she is doing it but if she’s positively angry while baking she can inadvertently curse her patron’s to an explosive death.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I will never let those ordering apps to break what I’ve built."
Freya has a secret alternative TikTok where she has been known to post a thirst trap or two.
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She/Her | 26 | African-American | 5’4” | 144lbs _______________________________________________ Steadfast _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Y’need help with that?" ___________________________________
Manual Labour ⫻ Bryn is stronger than she appears, having worked for years in the mines - starting young with simple jobs she was allowed to do, before taking on the full job when she was old enough to be allowed to. She frequently has to cut logs to keep the old stove at home burning, too. So when it comes to carrying things, or doing manual jobs? She’s got it.
Mining ⫻ Bryn has all the skills that come with working in the mines - ability to work the equipment, knowledge with safety procedures, basic mechanical knowledge to be able to fix machines, and just good problem solving skills.
Getting By ⫻ Bryn is talented at making whatever they have work. She’s managed to feed her family on very little, and especially over the past year and a half when things have been tough. No matter how rough the situation, she’ll make it work.
Art ⫻ Bryn’s guilty pleasure, she loves painting - though she can rarely afford proper canvas, she makes do with what she can. She’s good at it, but it isn’t something she could justify pursuing more.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Not who you expected to see walking outta the mines? Well we ain’t all rough men."
At an average height, Bryn is a visibly confident young woman. Her nicely curved body hides strong muscles from years of keeping fit. She’s a heavier woman because of this muscle, not having the opportunity to put on any fat from her manual labour job and lean eating. Her arms are covered in tattoos, and they travel down her sides onto her upper hips. She has her nostril pierced, normally wearing a hoop, along with two lobes piercings and a belly button piercing.
Bryn’s dark hair is kept in well maintained dreadlocks which fall just past her shoulders. Often she’ll tie these up in a bun on the top of her head, or twist them together to slightly shorten the length. Whatever she finds most practical at the time. When not needing to do anything she’ll leave it loose. Her dark eyes are discerning, her glossy lips often pulled up into a smile. Her skin is well looked after, though her hands are rough from years of manual labour.
Clothing wise, Bryn’s preference is practical - cargo pants or long, loose skirts and tank or wrap tops being her preferred go to. She dresses in primarily natural looking colours, with a wardrobe filled with greens, yellows, browns and blacks. She’ll delve into denim often, too, having a pair of light blue dungarees she’s particularly fond of. But since being thrust into leadership, Bryn is building a collection of fancier clothes - primarily a few nicer form fitting dresses. She’s always wearing a variety of beaded bracelets, bangles and necklaces. Bryn will wear makeup on the occasion, but generally doesn’t have the time or money for it.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I’ll fight until my last breath to protect my own.”
MAIN GOAL ⫻ To protect the Grove from any future threats, and to ensure her family survives and thrives. Bryn’s first goal is to follow in her mother’s footsteps and do what she was raised to do - lead the Grove, and ensure it’s hidden and protected. Her second is to make sure her younger siblings have a good life, whatever that may be. As for living for herself? She doesn’t have time for that.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Bryn believes in community and hard work. She believes that you’ll get nowhere without doing anything, but also that you should help the people that helped you. It takes a village, but you need to be an active participant in that village.
SECRETS ⫻ That sometimes she feels like she’s drowning, and considers giving it all up. It goes against everything she stands for and how she sees herself.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Demisexual Lesbian. Bryn is only attracted to other women, or more feminine nonbinary people, but she needs to have an emotional connection there to feel any sexual attraction.
FEARS ⫻ That she won’t be able to protect those she cares about, and the Grove. That the threats will become something they can’t handle. That her family and close community will all die, and she’ll be the only one left.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Bryn aided the Grove in the fight, though she was primarily primarily placed on home defence duty - ensuring no one got in during the Cataclysm. At the end of it, Bryn was the one who oversaw the funerals and cremation of the many they lost.
FLAWS ⫻ Bryn has very little tolerance for incompetence. She had to grow up quickly at a young age, and as a result she can have quite a harsh view of people who aren’t as prepared for what life throws at them as she is. While Bryn believes in helping others, she doesn’t trust easily outside of the community she was raised in. She’s stubborn to a fault, and can be difficult to reason with when she’s decided something is right. Along with this she will stick by and protect those she cares for to the point she’ll overstrain or hurt herself. She would put everything on the line for her family and community - especially herself.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Things have always been tough. We get shit done anyway."
Bryn was born to two strong Adepts in the mining community of Raven’s Rest, as the oldest of four. From a young age she knew about magic, and about the responsibilities her parents had - protecting the Grove with their lives. One eyed open from a young age, Bryn was taught the traditions long before she became a member of the coven herself. But Grove protection wasn’t something that brought in money for the family. So Bryn’s green adept father worked in the mines, while her mother primarily took on the Grove duties - as one of the Elders.
They got by, and in a tight knit community, they didn’t want for much. Shelter, clothes, food - what more could they want? Then when Bryn was only fourteen, her father was killed in a tragic mining accident. A mineshaft collapsed, killing ten of the miners. The small tight knit community mourned, and pulled together to support the bereaved. But the community of Raven’s Rest was poor, and it required everyone to pull their weight.
For the Woods, there was no income, and Bryn had three younger siblings to feed. Her mother beside herself with grief, Bryn was forced to step up and take her place.
So Bryn stepped up. They started working in the mines where they could - mainly on the surface, learning to operate machinery and bringing food for the other miners. At first it was in exchange for food, but eventually she got the skills she needed to properly work in the mines. It became most of her life.
Just a year later, Bryn’s first sibling kindled at twelve. Then, the next. Bryn herself still hadn’t kindled. Not when her father died, not in her close brushes with death. While her siblings were inducted into the Grove she was still an outsider, even though she’d been trained to take her mother’s place in the future. By the age of eighteen, Bryn knew she wasn’t going to kindle.
So with the help of her mother and other elders she courted an Apparition. Cineres - an apparition born of a deadly fire that destroyed a village many miles east of Raven’s Rest about ten years back. The relatively young Apparition, which took the form of an ashy girl with eyes of fire, was formed from a combination of the fear and destruction, and the children destroyed within it. It had stayed there since… and was willing to Adjoin with Bryn. At first, she was relatively weak. But together, they grew stronger.
Finally, Bryn formally joined the Grove. Her life was split between her work in the mines, her Grove duties, and helping raise her younger siblings. It was difficult, but she was able to get through thanks to all the close bonds she had within the community.
Then the Cataclysm struck. Bryn was told to protect the Grove no matter what by her mother and the other leaders, before they went to participate. Her mother perished - as did all of the leaders and elders. It was Bryn who took over the funeral and cremation ceremonies that were once done by the Elders, and she once again stepped up to help Elara lead the Grove.
Since, Bryn has been doing best to juggle her duties - between mine working, being a Grove Leader, and her grief struck younger siblings.
Paranormal-Abilities ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Cute, ain’t she? Her magic ain’t."
TYPE ⫻ Adjoined
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Death Ashes, Bryn is adjoined to Cineres, who gives her the ability to turn bone to ash and control those ashes.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻
Ashes to Ashes ⫻ The first part of Bryn’s abstraction, which allows her to cremate any bones with a click of her fingers. There is no limit to the mass Bryn can burn, and she can turn any bones with her sight into ashes.
Dust to Dust ⫻ The main part of Bryn’s abstraction, the ability to manipulate and set alight the ash of the dead. Bryn can create fires of all sizes from ash, and she can fully manipulate those burning embers. She can perfectly control how much she’s burning, going from smouldering to essentially full fire manipulation. The ashes don’t have to be alight either, and she could pack them together into a dense mass. Most importantly, it has to be the ash of the dead - that of burnt bones. These can be human or animal.
LIMITS ⫻
Ashes to Ashes ⫻ Bryn has to be able to see the bones to cremate them.
Dust to Dust ⫻ Bryn can only control ash from the burnt bones of humans or animals. It can’t be ash from burnt trees, or similar. She can’t create this ash from nothing. The abstraction has a high range, but past a hundred metres she’ll struggle to control it. The burning level of the ash has to be the same for all the ash she’s controlling.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Dust to Dust ⫻ These fires, while magical, are still weak to water. Bryn will need to be mindful of both the weather and her surroundings when she goes to use her magic otherwise the fire will quickly fizzle out. As well, Bryn is not immune to the effects of this magic.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Maybe one day I’ll get a break."
She/Her | 18 | African-American | 5’9ft | 121lb _______________________________________________ Haunted. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I find joy in the little things I do." ___________________________________
Social Media ⫻ Princess adeptly navigates various social media platforms, utilizing them as tools for communication, self-expression, and community engagement. She understands how to craft compelling posts, share her artistic creations, and connect with like-minded individuals. This proficiency allows her to build a supportive online community, advocate for important causes, and stay informed about current trends, reflecting her desire to make her voice heard.
Cooking ⫻ Princess has honed her basic cooking skills, often preparing simple meals and snacks that emphasize family recipes passed down from her grandmother. This culinary knowledge allows her to nourish herself and others and serves as a comforting reminder of her family’s traditions. Whether whipping up her grandmother's famous cookies or experimenting with new dishes, cooking becomes a way for Princess to express her creativity and maintain a connection to her roots.
First-Aid ⫻ Thanks to her mother’s background as a nurse, Princess has developed a solid understanding of basic first-aid techniques. She is familiar with handling minor injuries, performing CPR, and administering emergency care.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I prefer you judge me for my kindness, not my looks."
The first thing people notice about Princess is her striking albinism, which contrasts with her African-American heritage. Her creamy, porcelain-like skin is so pale it makes her delicate features even more pronounced, especially her complete lips. Her afro-textured hair and distinct complexion give her an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance. The second thing people notice is how naturally she commands attention. She carries herself with a quiet, unassuming grace that makes her presence impossible to ignore. Her demeanor is calm and kind, yet her gaze reveals a depth as if she’s experienced far more than her youthful appearance would suggest.
Standing at five-nine, Princess is tall with a slender yet toned frame that gives her a vibe, almost like a ballerina. Her limbs are long; her figure is proportioned with soft curves that accentuate her femininity and figure. Her 34B bust is delicate and in harmony with her slim build, but her hips and butt tell a different story - full and round. Her behind, notably more prominent than her chest, adds to her silhouette, drawing attention and giving her a pear-shaped shape despite her slenderness.
Her hair is a cascade of golden curls, light and springy, pulled back into a high ponytail that bounces as she walks. Her hair color, a vibrant blonde bordering on white, contrasts beautifully with her skin. Her brows and lashes are almost invisible due to their light color, but this only accentuates her eyes' cool shade, which seems to shift between icy blue and gray depending on the light. Her eyes, framed by those delicate pale lashes, give her a piercing, almost hypnotic stare.
Despite her gentle aura, Princess's posture is vital. She walks with a straight back and head held high, embodying a quiet regality, as though she’s fully aware of her name and the grace that comes with it. Princess's style prefers comfort without sacrificing her natural beauty. She often opts for minimalist outfits, usually in whites, creams, and soft pastels that complement her unique complexion. Though she leans toward comfort, she frequently wears leggings paired with loose tops or sweaters.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I could have been a hero."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Princess' primary objective is to break free from the suffocating grip of Nyrah's control. This force has dictated her actions and caused immeasurable destruction in her wake. Deeply aware of the chaos and heartbreak she inadvertently inflicted on Cloverfield during her time as Nyrah's vessel, she is driven by a profound and desperate need for atonement. This desire for redemption fuels her determination to reclaim her life, restore her sense of self, and reconnect with her estranged family and community. Princess envisions a future where she can step out from the shadows of her past mistakes, embracing the simple joys of everyday life, one filled with genuine relationships and the mundane activities that were once taken for granted. She understands that to achieve her goal; she must confront the remnants of her past and her fears and insecurities, ultimately seeking the courage to face Nyrah and the darkness that once consumed her. Through this path of healing and reconciliation, Princess aims to redefine her identity, emerging not as a mere shadow of her former self but as a beacon of hope for those who suffered alongside her.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Princess holds a profound belief that true strength lies not in wielding power but in the courage to acknowledge one’s mistakes and take responsibility for the consequences of those actions. Having served as Nyrah’s vessel, she is acutely aware of the pain and destruction she caused to her community and family, shaping her philosophy as she seeks redemption. To Esméralda, protecting others is fundamental to her newfound purpose; every act of kindness, bravery, and support is a step toward atoning for her past. She actively seeks opportunities to help those in need—whether guiding lost souls away from danger, restoring what was broken, or providing comfort to those suffering from the scars left by Nyrah’s rampage. Princess understands that her journey involves grand gestures and the small, everyday choices that reflect her growth. Embodying the protective spirit she once cherished, she aims to rebuild her lost trust and honor her sisters' memories. Ultimately, her philosophy becomes a driving force behind her actions, inspiring those around her to embrace their paths of growth and responsibility, creating a ripple effect of healing in the community she longs to serve.
SECRETS ⫻ None of note. While she carries deep guilt and regret, she is open about her past and her ongoing struggles with Nyrah’s influence, hoping that honesty will help her heal.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Princess never had the chance to explore her sexuality, a void in her life made more profound by the chaos of her transformation into Nyrah's vessel and her focus on familial responsibilities. This inexperience adds to her longing and loss as she navigates her path to redemption. Attracted to both genders - anyone who offers comfort and understanding — Princess yearns for genuine connections amid her isolation. Her vulnerability draws her to those who show empathy, fueling her desire for companionship.
FEARS ⫻ Princess grapples with profound fears that shape her every action and thought. Chief among them is the dread of losing control again; she is haunted by the terrifying possibility that if she allows her defenses to weaken, Nyrah could resurface, unleashing chaos and destruction once more. This fear keeps her in constant vigilance, preventing her from fully engaging with the world around her and pushing away those who might offer comfort or companionship. Compounding this anxiety is the guilt that gnaws at her conscience regarding her sisters' deaths. The mere thought of encountering their Apparitions fills her with dread, as she believes they would hold her accountable for the devastation she wrought while possessed by Nyrah. This fear of judgment further isolates her, intensifying her longing for forgiveness that seems perpetually out of reach. Adding to her torment is the terror of abandonment; the idea of being alone or unsupported frightens her, as the unbreakable bond she shared with her family was the foundation of her existence before the Cataclysm.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ During the Cataclysm, Princess was not just a witness or bystander to the destruction; she was the catalyst for it, a tragic irony that still haunts her. Under Nyrah’s control, her body became a vessel of chaos and despair, tearing through the peaceful realm of Cloverfield and leaving devastation in her wake. Though her consciousness remained trapped within, she could only watch in horror as she turned into an instrument of terror. The echoes of destruction reverberated through her mind as she saw her beloved sisters fall, their spirits extinguished one by one, and the Fourleaf Coven, the very family she had cherished, crumbled to dust. Each act of violence and chaos, each moment of despair that unfolded, carved deep wounds of guilt into her soul. This helplessness, coupled with the realization that she was both the weapon and the victim, leaves her trapped in a cycle of remorse, forever haunted by the specters of her past and the irreversible consequences of her actions.
FLAWS ⫻ Princess's impulsiveness manifests as a driving force in her quest for redemption, often pushing her to make rash decisions that can jeopardize her safety and the well-being of others. This tendency is fueled by a deep-seated need to prove herself, but it frequently leads her into precarious situations where her impulsive choices create more chaos than resolution. Coupled with her impulsiveness is a profound self-doubt that shadows her every step. Princess constantly questions her worth, fearing that she will never be able to escape Nyrah's control, which undermines her confidence and leaves her vulnerable to despair. Additionally, her overprotectiveness can border on obsession, driven by the guilt of her past actions. She often feels an overwhelming need to shield those around her from potential harm, even if it means sacrificing her well-being or alienating those she loves. This desire to protect can sometimes manifest as a refusal to allow others to take risks or make their own decisions, reflecting her fear of losing control and causing more devastation. Princess tends to withdraw from others out of fear that her presence might bring danger or misfortune, leading to loneliness and lacking support when she needs it most. This isolation only deepens her self-doubt and feelings of guilt. She often gets lost in her thoughts, replaying past events and decisions, which can paralyze her in the present. This overthinking makes it difficult for her to act decisively, causing her to miss opportunities for growth and connection.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "She's not who I am... at least that's what I think."
Princess Esméralda Nadine grew up in Cloverfield’s South Bank long before the Cataclysm ravaged her home. As the youngest of four sisters, she was doted on and quietly determined to prove herself. Her family — her father, a hardworking steelworker, and her mother, a nurse — worked long hours to provide for their girls, and the bond between the sisters was strong, a constant source of stability in their lives—her three older sisters. Janelle, Ari, and Tasha had distinct personalities that shaped Princess’s upbringing. The eldest, Janelle, was the nurturing one, always tending to her younger siblings with a gentle hand. She often read stories to Princess, filling her imagination with fantastical worlds far beyond the South Bank. Ari, the bold middle sister, was always challenging authority, especially their parents, and pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable. She was fiercely independent and a natural protector, taking risks to ensure her sisters were safe. Tasha, closest in age to Princess, was the quiet observer, absorbing everything with a wise, watchful demeanor. She didn’t speak often, but when she did, her words carried weight, and Princess looked up to her calm, reflective nature.
Though Princess was the youngest, she was determined not to be overshadowed by her sisters. She admired their strengths and often felt she needed to find her place within the family. Yet, something inside her always felt like she didn’t quite fit the mold they had set. She was impulsive, headstrong, and sometimes too eager to prove her worth, leading her into situations her sisters would have avoided. Despite this, she loved them deeply, and they, in turn, were fiercely protective of their youngest sibling. One evening, shortly after Princess's sixteenth birthday, their grandmother. a woman with a presence that always felt larger than life. came to visit. Unlike the typical warm and lighthearted reunions, this visit carried a sense of solemnity. As the sisters gathered around, their grandmother pulled Princess aside, her expression unusually serious. She pulled out a curious object from her worn pouch: an emerald forming the shape of a four-leaf clover.
Princess’s grandmother held the Cloverstone, its emerald surface gleaming with golden veins. The stone pulsed gently in her hands, symbolizing their family’s strength and history. No larger than Princess’s palm, this gem held the power to make its wielder faster, stronger, and nearly invulnerable. Princess felt its energy surge, promising immense potential as she took it. Intrigued but confused, Princess took the stone, feeling its strange weight in her hand. She didn’t understand what her grandmother meant about it changing her, but as the nights passed, she began to notice things. She felt more robust, faster—more alive, as though the world around her had slowed down just enough for her to stay ahead. Her body seemed to harden as if she was becoming unbreakable, and one night, while standing atop the highest building in the South Bank, she discovered that she could fly.
At first, the Cloverstone made her feel invincible, and the power coursing through her veins filled her with an intoxicating sense of freedom. But it also made her reckless and impulsive. She began taking unnecessary risks, rushing into danger without thinking. Her sisters, especially Janelle and Ari, grew concerned. They could see the changes in her, how the power had made her reckless, more prone to acting without considering the consequences. Meanwhile, Janelle and Tasha, feeling the weight of the magical scene in Cloverfield, began discussing the idea of forming a coven. They envisioned creating a group dedicated to protecting their community, independent of legacy or tradition, but by loyalty and a shared determination to defend their home. It was about using the power they had, both magical and mundane, to stand against the forces threatening Cloverfield.
The Fourleaf Coven quickly expanded beyond its original trio, attracting like-minded teenagers from the South Bank who wielded magic and shared their vision. Together, they embarked on various adventures, from restoring a vandalized playground to confronting a gang using magic to intimidate local businesses. Princess often pushed for riskier missions to prove herself among her sisters and friends. Her recklessness, however, led to dangerous situations that tested the coven's limits. Determined to prove her worth, she convinced the coven to pursue a rare artifact that could amplify their magical abilities. Princess ignored her sisters’ cautious advice but led the charge without a plan. Her reckless approach nearly cost them their lives when they faced a powerful entity guarding the artifact. It took the quick thinking of her sisters and friends to escape the disaster.
As Princess stood on the precipice of her ambitions, the Cloverstone pulsed with energy in her pocket, echoing the desperate need to prove herself. Nyrah the Ravager watched in the shadows; the allure of power was irresistible, whispering promises of greatness that Princess had longed for her entire life. Nyrah knew the pain of loss and desperation; she could sense Princess's longing for validation, her urge to rise above the shadows cast by her sisters. When the time was right, Nyrah approached, appearing as a vision cloaked in the semblance of what once was.
"Princess," she whispered, "I can grant you the power to protect your family and your home."
Captivated by the dragon’s promise, Princess felt a magnetic pull toward Nyrah’s energy. This could be the breakthrough she’d sought, the catalyst to elevate her above her sisters. But Nyrah's nature was not one of benevolence; it was a hunger that twisted and corrupted all it touched. Yet, at that moment, Princess was blinded by ambition and eagerness and was willing to accept the risk. With a reckless heart, she opened herself to Nyrah’s essence, thinking she could harness and control it. She was instantly consumed by the dark tides of Nyrah’s chaotic power, her mind shrouded in a fog of fury and bloodlust. Now a vessel for Nyrah, Princess's consciousness became a prisoner within her own body, a mere observer of the destruction that unfolded. The transformation twisted her appearance, merging her with Nyrah's grotesque features. As Princess relinquished control, she felt the thrill of power over her, intoxicating and brutal.
Nyrah, now entirely in control of Princess, unleashed her corrosive magic upon the Four Leaf Coven in an explosive power surge. The once-thriving sanctuary crumbled as Princess's sisters, Janelle, Ari, and Tasha, stood helpless against the onslaught. One by one, the coven members fell, including all three Princess' sisters, their vibrant spirits extinguished. At that moment, Princess’ identity was lost forever, consumed by Nyrah’s insatiable thirst for destruction and the weight of her own family’s blood on her hands. Then Nyrah turned her attention towards the rest of Cloverfield...
From the heart of Cloverfield, they surged through the streets, leaving devastation in their wake. Entire neighborhoods crumbled as Nyrah unleashed torrents of corrosive acid, reducing structures to ruin and leaving nothing but toxic wastelands behind. Buildings collapsed like dominoes, and the ground shook beneath them. Those who survived fled in terror, their homes reduced to memories. The destruction was catastrophic, leaving behind a scarred landscape that would haunt the remaining inhabitants forever. Princess could see everything; she was acutely aware of the lives lost and the cries of terror that echoed in her ears, but she was powerless to stop it. The guilt clawed at her, a visceral reminder of the person she once was - a protector, a sister, a daughter.
As Nyrah's rampage devastated Cloverfield, a coalition from across Dazzle came together to confront her chaos—adepts, Aberrations, and Apparitions, once divided, united against the twisted amalgamation of Princess and Nyrah. The final battle erupted in the city's ruins, where spells collided with Nyrah's corrosive attacks. The coalition fought fiercely, forming barriers to shield themselves from the acid rain while launching coordinated assaults. A powerful Adept managed to stun Nyrah momentarily, allowing the alliance to strike back with a spell harnessing their combined Lux.
As Nyrah unleashed a desperate final attack, a group of Adepts initiated a sealing ritual. With a colossal sigil of light, they bound Nyrah's essence. The dragon roared in defiance, but it was too late. She was sealed within Princess, her chaotic power in the vessel that once symbolized hope. In the battle's aftermath, Princess was trapped in a living nightmare. Nyrah’s essence, now a dark presence within her, echoed with the memories of destruction and bloodshed. Though she had been a vessel for chaos, Princess was haunted by the faces of those she had killed—her sisters and the members of the Four Leaf Coven.
Every moment was a struggle between the remnants of her former self and Nyrah's insatiable hunger. Princess fought desperately to cling to some semblance of normalcy, desperately seeking solace in the memories of her life before the devastation. She longed to reconnect with her surviving family and friends, but the haunting guilt gnawed at her, reminding her of the terror she had unleashed upon Cloverfield. Every time she looked in the mirror, she saw not just her reflection but the grotesque visage of Nyrah, a reminder of her guilt and madness. The world around her bore the scars of her actions, the toxic wastelands a testament to her betrayal.
Princess tried to reclaim her life, got a life, and sought forgiveness from those who had lost so much. Yet the specter of Nyrah loomed ever-present, always waiting for an opportunity to break free. The once bright light of her spirit flickered under the weight of her guilt and the chaos within her. Each day became a battle against the demons of her past. Would she ever find peace? Would she be able to atone for the destruction she had wrought due to her impulsiveness?
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Sometimes I feel like a ghost in my own skin."
TYPE ⫻ Aberration (Adjoined).
ABSTRACTION ⫻Primal Devastation, the chaotic embodiment of Nyrah's influence, allows Princess to transform her body in horrific, unpredictable ways grotesquely.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Princess wields a warped version of Primal Devastation, a chaotic manifestation of Nyrah’s influence. Unlike Nyrah, who revels in sheer destruction, Princess’s Primal Devastation is unpredictable and difficult to control, resulting in grotesque transformations that reflect her connection to the dragon Apparition. One of her core abilities allows her to transform her body parts into Nyrah's monstrous features. When she activates this power, her skin can sprout thick, scaly armor, protecting against physical and magical attacks. Claws can erupt from her fingers, sharp and deadly, capable of rending flesh and armor with terrifying ease. She can also create additional snake-like limbs from her body, granting her enhanced reach and the ability to restrain enemies easily. These limbs, often sprouting from her arms, are a chaotic blend of beauty and horror; they can be smooth and twisted like a serpent or covered in jagged scales.
Princess can partially control these extra limbs in moments of focus, giving them unique characteristics. Some might sprout jaws lined with razor-sharp teeth, ready to snap at anything that comes too close, while others could develop eyes that provide them with a broader range of perception. She can even shape them into hands with elongated fingers that are agile enough to grasp and manipulate objects, or she might unleash a long, snake-like tail that can wrap around foes to immobilize them. Each limb possesses immense strength, allowing her to lift heavy objects and overpower opponents, turning her into a nightmarish force of nature.
Princess can manifest massive, skeletal wings that unfurl from her back, resembling a formidable framework of bone with sharp, blade-like edges. These wings grant her the ability to fly, allowing her to soar through the skies. However, their transformation is notoriously inconsistent; they might fail her when she needs them most, leaving her vulnerable. In moments of stress, the wings may hesitate to appear or fail to lift her high enough. Her most alarming feature is the ability to spit corrosive acid, a sickly greenish substance that can melt through armor and flesh. This acidic projectile leaves behind toxic remnants, creating a harrowing landscape of decay wherever she unleashes it.
Adding to the horror, Princess can regenerate extremely fast allowing her to recover from injuries in mere seconds. However, this rapid healing comes with terrifying consequences; her form can shift unpredictably, resulting in grotesque mutations that distort her appearance. Limbs may elongate, facial features twist into nightmarish visages, and her skin can alternate between smooth and scaly, each transformation more horrific than the last. In moments of stress or extreme danger, her form might spiral into a chaotic frenzy—limbs may erupt from her back, her spine may twist painfully, or her facial features may elongate into something nightmarish, merging her humanity with the primal horror of Nyrah. One moment, she might appear as an ordinary girl; the next, she could be a horrifying amalgamation of dragon and human. In moments of intense focus, fueled by sheer desperation, Princess can revert to her regular form, but the process is agonizing.
LIMITS ⫻ the transformations themselves are not always reliable. Although she can sprout claws or snake-like limbs, these features may not manifest when she needs them most, often leaving her vulnerable in critical situations. Her attempts to harness her powers can backfire in high-stress scenarios, resulting in incomplete or flawed transformations that can hinder her rather than help. Another significant limit is the toll that rapid regeneration takes on her body. While she can heal quickly, this process often triggers grotesque mutations that distort her physical form. Each healing session can lead to unforeseen changes, making it difficult for her to maintain a stable identity. In moments of injury, instead of simply recovering, she risks spiraling into chaotic transformations that could make her unrecognizable to herself and those around her. Lastly, despite her ability to partially control the additional limbs sprout from her body, this control is limited and can falter under duress. In moments of panic or overwhelming emotion, these limbs may act independently or lash uncontrollably, putting her and those around her at risk. This unpredictability adds a layer of complexity to her powers, forcing her to navigate not just the chaos of battle but also the chaos within herself.
"Oh you think I care about your feelings? That's cute."
_______________________________________________ Quill Genevieve St. Sebastien
She/Her | 28 | Caucasian | 5'8'' | 128lbs _______________________________________________ Eloquent _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I may be a bitch, but I'm a bitch who gets shit done." ___________________________________
Sweet Talk ⫻ Quill can be very persuasive when she needs to be. Be it charm, grace, looks, or a combination of multiple factors, she can get what she wants through her words and make people see things differently.
Upper Crust ⫻ Due to her upbringing and what she does for a job, Quill has experience working and maneuvering in high society circles. As such, she has some contacts she could get in touch with if she needs something, for better or worse.
Psychoeducation ⫻ Quill is knowledgeable in the field of psychology. She can understand how the mind works and its impact on people's personalities, abilities, influences, etc. Quill has used this knowledge to read situations and people better.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Nothing a good pair of shoes and a kick-ass attitude can't fix."
Quill prides herself on looking her best, no matter the situation. Standing at 5'8'' and with a lean, curvy build, Quill makes an effort to ensure when she leaves her house she is looking her best. Quill's light-cream-colored complexion and light-gray-colored eyes make a lot of people take a second glance.
Quill's natural hair color is light brown, but she prefers to experiment with different colors and styles. The most common one she goes to is a silver-tone edging on platinum blonde. Quill wears a full face of makeup and prefers a mixture of warm and cool tones in reds, pinks, purples, blues, and grays. When at work she wears her hair up in different designs. When out of the office on her day-to-day, her hair is worn down and it falls to her hips.
Quill's style can be condensed into preppy and chic. Quill matches her outfits with accessories almost as a weapon to give people a certain idea of what to expect, only for her to shatter their expectations. Quill wears loungewear at home when she is not expecting to do much that day. Quill tends to wear heels when she is out. Her clothes range in color depending on the day, but she is partial to blacks, whites, and pinks.
She has two ear piercings in each ear and has a tattoo along the back of her right thigh of a flower and diamond design.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Quote about personality here."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Quill wants to have her name out there as someone of importance. She wants people to hear her name and know who she is immediately. Quill who? She doesn't think so! She wants to make it big in her field and be the go-to expert for those in trouble and need a fixer.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Quill sees the world as not black and white. People can be good even if they do things that some consider bad. No one can be all good or all bad and those flecks of gray are what make the world a unique place to exist.
SECRETS ⫻ Quill has panic attacks that come out of nowhere. She does her best to hide them from others, usually making an excuse to step away so she can panic in private. She sees it as a weakness of character and a failure on her part. She has had this since she was very young.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Pansexual. Quill has no qualms about what gender identity or sex the other person is, she is attracted to who she is attracted to. She mainly dated men or masculine-appearing individuals in the past but experimented more with women and feminine-presenting people later on in her life.
FEARS ⫻ Quill fears she will forget who she is and is terrified of losing her memories and everything that makes her...her. Quill also has a fear of being put under anesthesia and losing a semblance of control.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Quill is not much of a fighter. During the cataclysm, many people were freaked out and panicking (and rightfully so). Quill did her best to calm others and get them to safety. Once she was satisfied she helped as many people as she could she hunkered down and waited it out.
FLAWS ⫻ Quill is vain and cares about her appearance, both physically and socially. As such, she has certain tastes that she values above others. She is quick to judge those who do not take pride in their appearances. Quill is also not afraid to speak her mind and often her mouth gets her in trouble.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "We are just apparitions getting through the day. The ghosts of the past are just that: ghosts."
Quill does not remember anything of her childhood before the age of 12. There are no photos and relatives can only speak of how "precious" she was and how proud they are of her. Whenever she tries to look back all she can see is black. And then the headaches start.
Quill was raised in a home with six siblings all vying for mommy and daddy's attention. Being the youngest had its perks when she wanted something or got in trouble (which was often). Then an incident happened when she was 15 that broke her and shattered all trust. She couldn't remember anything of when she was younger, why could she remember this? She took care of it and her parents covered it up.
Quill was determined to not be a victim and to ensure this did not happen again. She threw herself into her schoolwork graduating high school and going on to college where she dual majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology and minored in Business. After she began making a name for herself as a woman who could "get shit done, no matter what.". This earned her a reputation along with many enemies and friends. After her office was bombed she decided she needed to move.
And thus Cloverfield was in her sights.
She bought an office with an apartment above and got to work again. Establishing contacts, closing deals, and making sure her clients' reputations remained picture-perfect. It was dirty work, but dirty work still needed to be done.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "The world can be so black and white. Wouldn't it be better with some shades of gray?"
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻Mens Ethos, Quill can shift a person's morality skewing them to perform acts of bad or good. She is also able to read minds and implant thoughts where people feel the need to act on them. She has a Pink Lux and her channeler is a dark gray friendship bracelet with a pink heart charm.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Quill is able to change a person's moral compass by moving it to perform acts of good or evil. This is done by changing a enlightening a person's mind to succumb to the voice of truth and good or listen to their urge to sin. As a result of her use of people's minds she is also able to read people's thoughts and implant her own causing that person to feel a strong urge to follow through.
Ethos Shift: Quill can shift a person's morality towards good or bad. The person effected feels this change. Depending on how large the shift is the change may be noticeable or deeply hidden. The individual will feel compelled to follow their morality and perform acts that align with it.
Ethos Break: Quill can break a person's ethos leaving them a husk of their former self. The person is still very much alive and can do things the average person can but there is little left in personality, thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Legere Mentem: Quill can read people's thoughts. The thoughts are typically at the forefront of a person's mind and are quick and easily accessible. She is able to turn this off so she is not bombarded with everyone's thoughts all at once.
Commonefacio: Quill can implant a thought into a person's mind, such as performing an action. The person will feel compelled to follow the thought and perform it otherwise they feel a strange sensation.
LIMITS ⫻
All of Quill's abilities can only be done if she can see the person. Quill cannot use any of her abilities to someone she can see on a TV screen and she needs to be within 10 feet of the person. She is also not able to shift someone from complete evil to complete good as that would take intense amounts of effort.
Due to the nature of her abilities, it is very taxing on Quill's energy. If she uses her abilities too many times in a short span she will get drained and pass out.
An individual can fight back against the thought implant if they have a strong mental fortitude. This is especially true for those who are not Blinds. If they manage to fight through the implanted thought all they will feel is a sense that they are forgetting something that will quickly pass.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Ethos Shift: Quill may have the ability to shift a person’s morality towards good or bad but good or bad at every subjective to the person. As such, Quill can cause unintentional damage and hurt depending on who they target. This effect is more pronounced on individuals who already have a strong moral compass. As well, the sudden shift in morality could also cause physiological issues if the targets past actions do not align with the new direction.
Legere Mentem: In moments of massive stress Quill may find it impossible to tune out the noise. Instead of the quiet they may need Quill will become bombarded by the thoughts of everyone in the nearby area, and they’ll be significantly louder.
Commonefacio: Individuals with a strong emotional field will be able to resist the thought implantation and the attempt may backfire if they try and force it through without perpetration.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Consider it handled."
Quill is a Fixer and has her office/home in Cloverfield.
"Curiosity never killed the cat—she just came back a little wiser."
_______________________________________________ Elena Castellano
She/Her | 20 | Mixed (Spanish and African American) | 5'6" | 135lbs _______________________________________________ Charismatic _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I’ve learned to read people, places, and the stuff they try to hide." ___________________________________
[Street Smarts] ⫻ Growing up on the South Bank, Elena has developed a solid understanding of navigating Cloverfield’s rougher areas. She knows how to read situations, identify potential threats, and move safely within the city.
[People Reading] ⫻ Elena has a knack for picking up on body language and subtle cues, helping her sense what others may be feeling or hiding. This skill aids her in her social interactions and investigations.
[Basic Herbology] ⫻ Having helped her mother in their herbal shop, Elena has a working knowledge of basic herbs and plants. She can mix simple remedies and teas, mostly for calming or minor healing.
[Photo Documentation] ⫻ Elena’s eye for photography helps her document her explorations. She captures details others might miss, giving her a catalog of evidence and memories of her discoveries, which also aids her investigative work.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Yeah, this is as dressed up as I’m gonna get."
Elena stands at 5’6”, with a natural, laid-back look that matches her easygoing personality. Her medium-length, dark curly hair is often left loose, framing her face in soft waves, though she’ll occasionally pull it up into a ponytail or messy bun when she’s on the move. Her warm brown skin has a natural glow, and she doesn’t fuss much with skincare beyond the basics—her appearance is effortlessly polished without too much attention.
Her style leans heavily toward casual, comfortable clothing. She favors fitted t-shirts, tank tops, or loose sweaters paired with well-worn jeans or leggings, often throwing on a light jacket or hoodie if it’s cooler out. Her footwear of choice is usually sneakers or ankle boots, sturdy enough for the city streets but relaxed enough to reflect her low-maintenance vibe.
Elena likes earthy tones—soft browns, olive greens, and muted reds—but she’s not afraid to mix in brighter colors when the mood strikes. She’s usually seen wearing minimal jewelry, like small hoop earrings or a simple pendant necklace, adding just a touch of personality without going overboard. Her accessories are practical: a crossbody bag where she keeps her notebook and a few other essentials, and occasionally a beanie or baseball cap when she wants to keep her hair out of her face.
She rarely bothers with makeup, but when she does, it’s subtle—just a bit of mascara or a hint of lip balm to enhance her natural look. Her eyes, always full of curiosity and wit, are her most expressive feature, often hinting at the sarcastic comment that’s about to follow. Her overall style is relaxed and functional, but it carries a certain effortless charisma that makes her stand out without trying too hard.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "It’s all just one big puzzle, and I don’t plan on leaving pieces out."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Elena’s goal is to uncover Cloverfield’s hidden layers, delving into the city’s forgotten histories and magical underpinnings without getting pulled into its web of power struggles. She sees herself as a witness to Cloverfield’s strange and shifting story, not a hero—and she prefers it that way.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Life is short, so Elena believes in making it as interesting as possible. She approaches each day as if there’s always something worth discovering, and she thinks everyone, from the wealthiest elite to the lowest wanderer in the South Bank, has a story worth listening to, even if it’s just for the thrill of the unknown.
SECRETS ⫻ Despite her laid-back attitude, Elena is afraid that her carefree outlook might be a cover for deeper anxieties about herself and the world around her. She wonders if her fascination with Cloverfield’s mysteries is just a way to avoid facing her own fears of commitment, loss, or personal vulnerability.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Bisexual. Elena is drawn to people with a strong sense of self, regardless of gender, though she often keeps relationships casual to avoid emotional entanglements that feel too binding.
FEARS ⫻ Her biggest fear is losing her independence, either through the dangerous entanglements in Cloverfield’s underworld or by succumbing to the more treacherous elements she uncovers. The Cataclysm reinforced her aversion to being tied down, as she saw firsthand how fast things could fall apart.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ When Nyrah the Ravager descended, Elena and her mother were among the South Bank residents scrambling to protect what little they had. The emotional surge of the event triggered Elena’s Kindling, connecting her to her ancestors’ magic. The experience left her both awed and unsettled, fueling her curiosity about Cloverfield’s magical legacy and her desire to understand the city’s supernatural history.
FLAWS ⫻ Elena’s sarcastic, unbothered attitude often comes across as dismissive, especially when others are dealing with serious issues. Her independence borders on recklessness, and she sometimes relies too heavily on charm and quick wit to avoid or defuse tense situations. Her refusal to form deep attachments can prevent her from fully trusting others, making her prone to handling matters alone—even when she’d be better off asking for help.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "This city keeps its secrets close… but not close enough."
Elena grew up on Cloverfield’s South Bank, where life was as tough as the city’s worn-out pavement. Her mother, a resilient herbalist, ran a small shop tucked away in a narrow alley. The shop was known among locals for its remedies and teas, blending traditional medicine with Cloverfield’s subtle, lingering magic. Elena spent her childhood there, weaving through shelves stacked with dried herbs and jars of vibrant potions, watching her mother tend to people from all walks of life.
As she got older, Elena grew familiar with the South Bank’s harsh realities. The lack of investment in her community was glaring, and even as the North side glittered with opulent nightclubs and skyscrapers, the South Bank was left in the shadows, struggling with neglect, crime, and a heavy-handed police presence. This disparity between the two sides of Cloverfield sharpened Elena’s natural curiosity and sense of independence, shaping her into a young woman who could navigate any situation with charm and quick wit.
The Cataclysm struck when Elena was 18, ripping through the city with Nyrah the Ravager’s destructive magic. She and her mother were among those scrambling to salvage their shop, with its delicate shelves and walls barely able to withstand the chaos. In the turmoil, Elena experienced a powerful emotional surge—fear, determination, and anger collided within her, triggering her Kindling Event. In that moment, she connected to her ancestors’ magic, a mix of memories, knowledge, and wisdom, passed down through generations of her family. The experience was overwhelming yet oddly familiar, like stepping into a story she’d heard a hundred times but was only now beginning to understand.
After the Cataclysm, Elena felt an even stronger pull toward Cloverfield’s hidden stories and supernatural secrets. As she helped her mother rebuild their herbal shop, Elena began to experiment with her magical abilities, finding ways to weave memories and protective charms into her tea blends. These brews became her gateway to understanding the city’s past, its lingering energies, and the emotional imprints left by its inhabitants.
Now, Elena carefully balances her time between aiding her mother in the shop and using her teas to explore Cloverfield’s mysteries. She often collects herbs and relics that might add potency to her brews, and her blends have become a valuable tool for uncovering the truths behind strange occurrences—like the whispered tales of werewolf packs, strange lights in the lower districts, and mysterious disappearances that seem too frequent to be mere coincidence.
Elena keeps her abilities discreet, sharing her brews only with those she trusts, aware of how dangerous her teas’ effects could be if they fell into the wrong hands. She doesn’t see herself as a hero—she’s more of a curious soul drawn to the shadows, piecing together the city’s story one brew at a time. For Elena, Cloverfield is like a living puzzle, layered with secrets, and she’s determined to unravel as much of it as she can without losing herself in the process.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Some things just brew better with a little magic."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
LUX ⫻ White (Nostalgia) — Elena has an affinity for White Lux, allowing her to gather information from memories, past events, and people. Her connection to White Lux is fueled by her natural curiosity and desire to uncover hidden histories.
CHANNELER ⫻ Elena’s Channeler is a vintage tea infuser passed down through her family. This intricate, antique infuser, etched with faint symbols of her lineage, helps her focus her magic into each blend she creates, tapping into her ancestors’ collective knowledge and intent.
SPELLS ⫻
Memory Brew ⫻ By using her tea infuser and brewing with specific herbs, Elena can imbue her tea with the essence of a memory. Drinking the tea allows a person to briefly recall a personal memory that feels clearer and more vivid. (Effect duration: 10 minutes, no effect on repressed memories)
Forget-Me-Not ⫻ This tea, brewed with a carefully selected blend, helps protect memories from external influences. It acts as a mental shield, strengthening a person’s recollections and making it harder for them to forget details over time. (Effect duration: several hours, no effect on naturally fading memories)
Echo’s Brew ⫻ Elena can create a tea that, when sipped, reveals faint whispers or feelings left behind by those who have visited the area before her. This brew’s effects allow her to tap into past emotions within her immediate vicinity, giving her a general sense of prior events. (Range: 10 meters, duration: 15 minutes)
LIMITS ⫻ Elena’s spells require both time and focus to brew, so she can’t create magical teas on the fly—they must be carefully prepared in a controlled environment, typically taking several minutes to brew each blend. Additionally, each tea’s effects are limited by the emotional or historical significance of the herbs she selects; ordinary or low-emotion ingredients weaken the magic. Excessive use of her abilities results in strong mental and physical fatigue, requiring her to rest between brewing sessions, especially after using multiple teas in succession.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ Memory Brew ⫻ The brew is slightly addictive at best, and an obsession at worst. Those who experience these more vivid memories will begin to develop a taste for it, and this taste could turn into a full-blown need. The more they experience the less vivid reality will become, and the less vivid reality becomes the more intense these magical memories will seem. Eventually, someone could become entirely dependent on the brew. The withdrawal will also be painful and could lead to serious physiological issues if not handled correctly.
Forget-Me-Not ⫻ No weakness
Echo’s Brew ⫻ If this tea is sipped near the location of a recent, terrible tragedy the user could become overwhelmed by the past emotions.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Nothing like a good story, even if it’s someone else’s."
Hobbyist Photographer ⫻ Elena has a small collection of vintage cameras and loves snapping shots of abandoned buildings and hidden spots around Cloverfield. She keeps the photos in a journal, sometimes scribbling down little observations or mysteries to revisit.
Tea Blending ⫻ Thanks to her time helping in her mom’s herbal shop, Elena has picked up the art of blending teas. She often brews her own custom blends for energy, calm, or clarity, sometimes adding a few ‘secret ingredients’ to bring out certain memories or emotions.
Quirky Collector⫻ Elena has an eye for unusual trinkets and objects, especially those with a story. Her room is filled with odd finds—a chipped porcelain figurine, a single vintage glove, a worn playing card—each with its own mystery she likes to ponder.
Him/He | 25 | Caucasian(Welsh) | 6'0 | 175lbs _______________________________________________ Lost _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have picked up some things over the years" ___________________________________
[Writer] ⫻ A hobby that he enjoys and maybe write a book one day.
[Knowledgeable about the Paranormal] ⫻ Elijah is an expert on the paranormal thanks to being taught by his parents and his own research.
[Artist] ⫻ Another hobby that he picked up growing up and loves to draw in his notebook.
[Spear Fighter] ⫻ After taking some time to practice with his bonded artifact, Elijah knows how to defend himself with a spear and throw it well.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I like to keep things simple"
Elijah stands at a respectable height and weight. He carries himself like a gentleman and scholar, mainly thanks to his upbringing. He has an above average physique that he maintains, and you would not expect him to have some muscle if you knew him. Elijah has fair skin that he tries to keep clean and while he has no tattoos. He does have some scars, one on his right palm, one on his back and another on his right foot. Elijah is a natural redhead and has a short beard that he maintains. Sporting green eyes and
Elijah tends to wear clothing of dark colors. Mainly black but rarely wears more warm or cool colors. His clothing style can be described as business casual. Though he can wear more formal or casual if the situation demands it. It does make him stand out in town, especially in the poorer sections of town. But, he does not care and his favorite attire is a black suit with a black tie that he likes to wear on special occasions.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Sometimes a single small light in the darkness is all you need"
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Elijah after the cataclysm and his relocation to Dazzle. He has two goals, one to rebuild his life in Dazzle and two, to perhaps rebuild the Watchers he and his family were apart of. While each one is easier said than done, more so since he is from another reality. He will try his best to recover and make a life for himself in Dazzle.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Even after losing his home and everyone that he knew and cared for. Elijah still is the same hopeful person he was before. That family, either blood or not, is important and that there is always a light in the darkness, no matter how bleak things are.
SECRETS ⫻ Elijah wants to keep the fact that he is from another reality a secret, for he fears how people would react and view him.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Straight
FEARS ⫻ Losing even more people he cares for and is not ready to handle more loss in his life.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Elijah was busy aiding the defenders in any way he could to avenge the destruction of his home reality and stop Nyrah's rampage.
FLAWS ⫻ There is a sadness in him that he tries to hide, and it does get in the way of how he interacts with people. Not wanting to get too close for fear that he might lose them down the line.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Yes it is true"
Elijah hails from another reality that is named Glimmer, where he was born to a family that belonged to a paranormal group called the Watchers. There is only one problem with that, despite his family being largely magic users, Elijah was born without the ability to use magic. While his parents were disappointed by this but still loved him. They still wished for him to be involved with the family and the Watchers, so they exposed him to magic at a young age, and he became a One-Eye-Open.
Growing up was different for him since his siblings learned how to use their magic and practiced. Elijah would envy them, but to make up for his shortcomings, he would delve into paranormal lore in order to be useful to his family and later the Watchers. His parents would aid him in this endeavor and were impressed by his newfound knowledge.
As time passed and gaining membership into the Watchers, Elijah's family being in the Watchers was the main reason why he was accepted. He became less and less envious of his siblings as he came to realize that even as a magic less person. He can still be useful in the world of magic and would grow close to some of the members of the Watchers and his family. Even moving ahead in the order and things seemed good until that fateful day. When Nyrah appeared and, everything went away.
For when Nyrah appeared and started destroying Glimmer, while the Watchers and others fought with all they had. It was not enough, as Glimmer was on the verge of destruction. Elijah and his gravely wounded sister were in the Watcher's base and knowing that all was lost. His sister had a idea and the two ventured into the Watcher's vault. Where Elijah's sister wanted him to use the Spear of the Hunter to save himself and try to stop Nyrah in another reality. Seeing how she would not last long. This was not easy for Elijah but he agreed and vowed to never forget them. As he attuned to the spear and used its power to follow Nyrah to Dazzle. Where in his anger and eagerness to avenge his home reality, Elijah did what he could to stop Nyrah, and in the end, the beast was defeated.
Now in Dazzle and in Cloverfield, Elijah at first was at a loss for words of what to do next. Everything he knew and cared for was gone, and there was no way of getting anything back. He was lost, and after some time, Elijah decided to try to rebuild his life in Cloverfield and start fresh. However, some part of him wanted to keep the memory of Glimmer and his family alive. So Elijah toyed with the idea of trying to bring back the Watchers. The problem with that is where to start since he is still new to Dazzle, and he knows no one. Still, Elijah continues to survive and rebuild his life. But as monsters start to appear around town, he questions if he will just let others handle it or take it upon himself to protect his new home.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "An interesting spear"
TYPE ⫻ Agent
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Spear of the Hunter, an artifact that enables its user to gain the abilities of its creator, Azul the Realm Hunter.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Realm Tracker - The spear is able to track and follow a paranormal being of the user's choice anywhere, even to other realities. As long as there is something of the target that can be tracked or have a sample of the target's body, like a blood sample or skin sample. Just as long it is was apart of the target's body.
Stealth Predator - The spear is able to hide itself and its user from the sight of other Paranormals by making the spear and the user invisible.
Recall- If the spear is lost or somewhere the user cannot reach it, then the user can summon the spear back to his person at any time.
Keen Mind - In order to keep the user's mind focused on the hunt, the spear shields the user from mind control or mind-altering effects.
Hidden Tool - The spear is able to conceal its appearance to a shape of the user's wish. Elijah keeps it as a capped pen that he uncaps when he needs the spear.
Paranormal Bane - The spear is able to harm and or kill paranormals based on the power of the paranormal and the strength of the user. Along with where the spear hits.
LIMITS ⫻
Stealth Predator - While other Paranormals cannot see Elijah or the spear while it is active, Paranormals can still hear and smell them.
Keen Mind - Its mental shield only works as long as the spear is on Elijah. The moment it is not, the shield goes away and leaves him vulnerable.
Realm Tracker - There has to be either tracks of the target or a sample of its body in order for the tracking to work. Also, the tracking only works on tracks or a body sample that is a day old max. Any older and the tracking does not work. Also the max limit for tracking something is one other reality. Anymore and a new track has to be found.
Paranormal Bane - Though strong against paranormals, it is useless against Blinds and non magical animals and cannot harm them.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ Realm Tracker - Each universe is unique in its own way. Some universes will be hostile to life, or be unable to support it. As such, if there’s no recon done Elijah may walk into a realm where he will die.
Stealth Predator - To bring about the stealth the staff will actively consume energy. As such, there will always be a timer tied to his physical strength that will prevent him from staying invisible forever.
Paranormal Bane - Stronger apparitions are able to resist this effect momentarily. As such it may take several strikes to kill one.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Maybe I can make a life here"
While Elijah does not have one yet, he would like a pet owl. Also to learn Welsh since he is of Welsh ancestry and is curious about his heritage
[Baking] ⫻ Paloma’s passion sparked by a love of confections and an unhealthy infatuation for Noel Fielding. She’s actually quite good at it and generally finds the repetitive nature of it calming. Paloma almost exclusively bakes sweets and she’s prone to showing up to places with a sackful of sugary snacks. She’s even started posting photos of bakes online for a while. Follow her at Palomangina. Maybe one day she’ll update it. [Neat & Tidy] ⫻ She was always a bit of a neatfreak even before Paloma developed a passion for a hobby that gets flour fucking everywhere. She deep cleans her home regularly, keeps everything put away, clutterfree, and organized. She primps and preens herself constantly, always ensuring that her outfit is smooth, her hair is perfect, and her makeup is fresh. This extends beyond her own boundaries, ranging from basic good practices such as bussing her own table when she goes out to being an absolute menace who’ll lick her finger and wipe sauce off of a friend’s face. [Role-playing Games] ⫻ Yeah, yeah, yeah, but magic’s real well she still can’t be a half-orc barbarian named Swolga in real life or at the very least she doesn’t know someone with the spell for that yet. Pre-Cataclysm she used to play all the time, but a hospital getting dropped on her gaming group killed that campaign. Her attempts to persuade her friends to play have failed thus far. [Spunk] ⫻ Bravery. Pluck. Determination. Guts. Moxie. Grit. Cojones. Balls. These. Call it whatcha call it, Paloma’s got it.
Appearance
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"Aw, shucks. You’re not too bad yourself."
Paloma appears as a classic ingénue, an innocent little angel without a bad bone in her body, poise and politeness polished up and presented with a bow. Her face is all big, brown puppy dog eyes and chipmunk cheeks so perfectly rounded that she has grandmas vaulting over their walkers and shoving one another out of the way to get a pinch, plus a sweet little smile capable of melting even the coldest of hearts. Paloma’s long brown hair falls to her mid back. Her fair, youthful skin is heavily monitored and maintained, tackling any sign of aging through vigorous moisturizing, weird face masks, strange creams, and bulk packs of dodgy supplements. Any blemishes she cannot escape from she hides beneath what appears to be a light, tasteful amount of makeup, although in reality her scale noticeably shifts when she washes her face at night.
She is a fairly average height with a curvy build. She doesn’t have any real exercise routine outside of walking to and from the bus stop and being stuck on her feet while she works, and coupled with an irresistible sweet tooth her body is more cushion than muscle. She isn’t physically weak, per se, although nobody would ask her to help lift a couch. Paloma dresses in cutesy, modest clothing, favoring sweaters, long skirts, and comfortable sneakers. Her style is quite dated, and most of her clothes are old and second-hand, but never are they damaged or dirty. Paloma finds pride in having a neat and tidy appearance, all tucked in and buttoned up. Her hair is typically tied back by a ribbon when she goes out, and she regularly wears a pair of pearl earrings she inherited from her grandmother as her only piece of jewelry. She is rarely seen in public without a pair of long, colorful gloves that accent her outfit and cover up the scars from chemical burns on her arms she sustained during the Cataclysm.
Paloma has a very disarming and open presence, with expressive, curious eyes that hint at a level of mischievousness hiding behind her sweet demeanor. She hates the sound of her own voice, which she finds annoyingly high-pitched and squeaky like that of a cartoon character, and believes that it causes people to not take her seriously. Her posture is a thing of perfection and moves at her own pace, often looking around distractedly rather than focusing on the task at hand . There are people who have known Paloma for years that have never seen her without a piece of chewing gum in her mouth.
Psychology
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"I don't bite...unless that's what you're into."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Money, money, money, money! When she was younger she wanted to be rich and famous, but as she grew older and wiser she realized the only really cool part about being rich and famous was being rich. Fame, on the other hand, is a massive hindrance. She wants a big house with an even bigger lawn surrounded by a massive privacy fence, a car whose previous owner didn’t leave a weird stain in the passenger seat, to never work another goddamn day in her life as a cleaner, to not have to deal with medical debt, and to have a harem of rich suitors, fit tennis instructors, and oiled up pool boys.
But first, she has a promise to keep.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Social change, a kinder, brighter world, yawn. Sure, Paloma supposes she could use her magic to usher in a better world for the future, but she’s living in the present and all it takes is a quick look at the past to see what happens to revolutionaries. She’s worked too hard to become some fucking martyr. Why break the system now that she can finally game it? Sure, she’s not an idiot, it needs a few adjustments. She supposes she could be happy with getting a smaller piece of the pie as long as she still gets a slice. Give the system a few more guidelines, a couple more checks and balances, one big smush towards the middle, maybe a few molotov cocktails through a couple of windows, just one single public execution of a bourgeois billionaire bitch. She doesn’t want to be the one to swing the axe, but she’ll get up close enough to get a droplet of blood on her face.
Still, Paloma ultimately tries to tune out these kinds of macro injustices, focusing on life at a more micro level. She lives her day by day following a personal and cliched creed of treating others how she wants to be treated, showing kindness and respect even to those who don’t deserve it, and saving her biting comments for when they are out of earshot. In short, be sweet. Nobody likes a suckup, but everybody is happy to receive a compliment. Paloma tries to stay on the latter half of the spectrum, a tad too twee but nothing that would make a person sick. And if someone doesn’t like her? Well, that’s fine. Who’d want to be liked by that cunt anyway?
SECRETS ⫻ Oh, there’s a whole bunch of them. A few notches in the bedpost she’d deny until the day she dies, a couple of white lies she refuses to admit aren’t true. Bad haircuts with all photographic evidence scrubbed from the internet, nasty text messages left on blocked numbers. A few minor crimes—shoplifting some gum, sneaking into a movie, some public indecency. Sitting and conversing with hospital patients when she was on the clock and should’ve been cleaning. Promising a young girl in room 513 that when her time came Paloma would take her to the Grove and wash her in the waters of rebirth, thinking at the time that it had only been a child’s fantasy, now becoming a whole thing that might require exhuming a grave.
She also plays it coy about being adjoined.
SEXUALITY ⫻ She might flirt and tease with all of the ladies until they get the vapors, but a quick glance back through her deleted contacts shows a steady stream of Liam Hinges, Brad Bumbles, and Dan Tinders.
FEARS ⫻ The special treatment she gets thanks to her abstraction has been novel but there comes a point, Paloma is sure of it, where the constant dotting and fawning will start to lose its luster. Perhaps it already has. Maybe just a little. Still, right now she sees the Blind as good old fashioned people who deserve to live their lives and make their own choices free from her or any higher power’s meddling.
But what happens when they start to wear on her? When she can finally hush that quiet little voice that says they only like her because she got lucky? When she stops seeing people as people and starts seeing them as followers, worshippers, sacrifices? Now that she has power the opportunity to abuse it is right there just waiting for her to reach out and grasp it. Getting everything she ever wanted would just be so. Fucking. Easy. She could’ve started a weird sex cult, like, yesterday. Yet, Paloma is afraid of being that person. Even more so, she is afraid of what the world would be like if anyone else had her abstraction, and is scared to think of what other magic there could be out there.
Also, dragons have now been absolutely ruined for her forever. Thanks, Princess. Now she’ll have to switch to Pathfinder.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Paloma was at the last place anyone would want to be when the world is potentially ending: work. She spent several hours, perhaps even days, trapped beneath the rubble of the South Cloverfield Good Samaritan Hospital, listening to the muffled cries of friends and strangers, fading in and out of consciousness from the pain and blood loss, and coping with the fact that magic and dragons were real. She hardly recommends it. If not for a chance encounter with the Samaritan that day she definitely would’ve been dead. If the rescuers had taken one more day she probably would’ve been dead. If the Cataclysm was still happening at that time then Paloma missed out on the rest of the fun, getting evaced to a hospital in a nearby town that wasn’t getting acid pissed all over it.
FLAWS ⫻ Paloma is the absolute textbook definition of a busybody, always prying into other people’s business even when nobody asked for her opinion. Often Paloma is meddling out of pure curiosity or an actual desire to help, but sometimes it’s something else. See, unfortunately she’s also a chatty little bitch, so Paloma is simply unable to resist passing along the latest piece of gossip. While her private life is a thing to be treated with respect and kept on the down-low, other people’s lives are purely a source of entertainment, especially if they’re completely fucked up and messy. Telling Paloma a secret is the same thing as telling the whole world. Call her out rumor mongering and she’s quick to go on the defensive, acting as if she didn’t know it was a secret if not outright denying that she said anything in the first place. After all, sweet little Paloma? A malicious gossip? Who would say something like that? Was it Tiffany? Well, that’s funny, because Paloma heard that Tiffany…
Backstory
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"Once upon a time, there was this big, scary dragon..."
Her life was boring.
What else is there to say? Things didn’t turn out right. Grow up, go to school, attend college, dropout, get a job, sprinkle a good group of friends and smattering of boyfriends that seemed good at the time. Somewhere along the line something went awry. Or maybe it didn’t. She doesn’t know. Maybe the fact is that growing up in the Southside of Cloverfield means she was destined to achieve mediocrity. It wasn’t like she didn’t have ambitions or lacked dreams. They just fizzled out. It wasn’t like she had a bad family who didn’t support her. They just became background noise, strangers she saw for holidays and cookouts. Rent became a thing. Groceries became a thing. Her life became work, fuck around, sleep, repeat. Her job wasn’t too bad either, even if it was just cleaning the hospital. Just slap on some headphones, pull on some gloves, and scrub up some bodily functions. Her life was, well, it was happening, she guessed. Paloma wasn’t necessarily unhappy, not all of the time anyway. She was just bored.
Escapism became the key to enjoyment. Binge watching reality baking contests, imagining herself as a competitor getting that coveted handshake for her crumb game being on point, ignoring the smell of burnt cookies in the garbage. Delving into fantasy tabletop roleplaying games with her friends, slaying dragons and bedding princesses or bedding dragons and slaying princesses, depending on how much of a chaos gremlin she wanted to be that evening. Experimenting with an acceptable amount of drugs, none of that scary shit that involved injections or having a DIY chemistry set, but the fun kind that made the world kaleidoscopes and rainbows. Fall in love again and again, believing from the first kiss that each one was going to be the one, tucking and rolling out of the relationship the second the road got even a bit rocky. This was her life. Do it forever until she got stabbed in an alley or fell and broke a hip at the age of ninety.
Work was the biggest source of her boredom. Pop music and murder pods could only entertain Paloma for so long before she got tired of the same chord progression or by-the-numbers family annihilation. She started talking to patients in the hospital—not in the sense of the normal pleasantries she’d have about the weather or the game as she swapped out their trash bags or removed their dinner trays, but real, in-depth, sit down and get to know these strangers type discussions. All patients in hospitals are lonely, even those who have a family that came and visited. She thought she could ease that loneliness, even if just a little, even if it meant having to put up with that sinking feeling when she got to work and one of her tasks was to deep clean the now vacant room of one of her favorites.
See, the floor Paloma cleaned wasn’t the one where patients were sent to get better. It was the final cheap motel room, complete with free cable, a weird smell, and the view of the back of a billboard for a gentleman’s club. Most of the people there were elderly, or they were at the very least so hollowed out by the inevitability of their demise that they appeared old. So perhaps that’s why it was so shocking to her when she entered Room 513 and saw a young girl, no more than ten, who didn’t look all that sick aside from a scar on the side of her head. Paloma felt bad for the girl and, admittedly, she was curious. Why was she at the South Cloverfield Good Samaritan and not the Children’s Hospital?
Room 513 proved to be a tough nut to crack, not even answering Paloma the first time she introduced herself to the kid, but Paloma wasn’t about to back down. She visited Room 513 daily, choosing to talk to her if the kid wasn’t going to talk with her. She even came in on her off days, showing up with homemade baked goods and games to play. Eventually the kid asked Paloma why she was doing this, and from that day forward Paloma was in. She got the kid to dish out her life story. At the time Paloma assumed Room 513 had to be on some heavy duty painkillers or had some kind of brain damage with the shit she was talking about, rambling about this place called the Grove and its magical waters. Room 513 confided in Paloma that she wanted to see the Grove again. Paloma said she’d see what she could do, and so she came up with a plan that would end up killing three of her closest nerd friends.
The idea was a sweet one: run a little one-shot for Room 513 with Paloma’s friends, making her out to be the hero of the story, where she returns home to this place called the Grove and saves it from goblins. Okay, so the premise was simple and basic, but the girl was ten. Paloma poured her heart and soul into the game session. She drew maps, painted a little Room 513 mini, and baked a thematic Grove cake. She showed up to the hospital with her friends and set about to give Room 513 the funnest, nerdiest night of her life. Then, just like in every other previous game that Paloma tried to Dungeon Master, the session immediately went off the rails as the craziest thing happened—only this time, it wasn’t because of something in-game.
And to think, up until this exact moment in her life Paloma always thought it would be so cool to see an actual dragon.
Therapy. Medicatation. Doesn’t matter. Paloma can still sometimes hear the screams from that night. Her memories are a bit muddled from the concussion she suffered when the hospital came down. She can remember diving forward to grab Room 513 and run, twisting just in time as the floor above came down, the agonizing pain when the acid splashed her forearms ripping a scream out of her throat before something cracked against the back of her head. She can remember being buried, blinded by such a bright light she thought she had permanently lost her vision, unaware that the Samaritan had adjoined with her the moment she went to protect Room 513, realizing only later that it was the only reason she made it out alive. She can remember Room 513’s feeble voice comforting Paloma, when it should have been the other way around, telling her that it would be okay, promising her that if something were to happen to Paloma then she would take her to the Grove and have them bring her back. Because you would do the same for me, said Room 513. I would, said Paloma. It had been a question at the time.
Promise?
I promise, said Paloma.
The light got dimmer after that. Paloma would be one of the first ones rescued, rushed away to a hospital in a neighboring county for intensive medical care for her injuries and chemical burns, resulting in a lengthy stay, seemingly insurmountable medical bills, and a chance at life that her friends and Room 513 never had the opportunity to receive. When Paloma awoke from her coma the world was so much stranger. Everyone was so happy to see her—literally, everyone, not just the people she would expect—and she kept seeing streams of light, which she reported to her doctor but the scans and the tests came back showing no kind of cerebral or vision damage. Maybe a side effect of her medication? And the strange wisp of air she’d catch out of the side of her eye when she passed by a reflective window? Was that too a side effect?
She started to get a little freaked out by how nice everyone was being to her. Sure, she was always nice to others, but Cloverfield was full of assholes. Was this a bit? A weird, mean, fucked up prank? And why was hardly anyone talking about the actual dragon? Even when she snapped at people they still treated Paloma like she was an absolute sweetheart. It was driving her mad. And then, after having tried to ignore them for a few weeks, she followed one of the streams of light and quite literally bumped into someone who didn’t immediately apologize to her profoundly and excessively dote on her to make sure that she was okay.
This person turned out to be another Paranormal, and would serve as a kind of sherpa guiding Paloma into the world of magic. Around the same time she would begin to familiarize herself with that wisp she saw, an Apparition she called the Samaritan, who during the day would keep quiet but at night fill her head with gut wrenching, nightmarish memories of an impossible promise she had made with a young girl whose name Paloma had never even bothered to learn. And as Paloma went about learning ways the Samaritan could help her achieve this stupid promise of hers, as well as dipping more than just a toe into the world of magic, she couldn’t help but to sometimes think that maybe she missed her life when it was boring.
Abstraction
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"Gosh, it’s so hard being this popular."
TYPE ⫻ Aberration (Adjoined)
ABSTRACTION ⫻ The Samaritan, a protective, guiding spirit that can mass influence the behavior of people and apparitions.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Although it takes its name from a nearly two thousand year old parable about showing kindness strangers, the Samaritan is a relatively new apparition. More than just acts of charity and kindness made manifest, the Samaritan is an apparition born from the anxiety and desire felt by people to appear to others as if they were kind, generous, and caring—less love thy neighbor and more what would the neighbors think. Budding in the late 19th century with the rise of philanthropy, the Samaritan grew throughout the time of radio and television before fully manifesting with the advent of social media. The Samaritan has no real physical manifestation outside of its host, appearing as a kind of wispy, ethereal entity with no definable form.
While the Samaritan is a proper capital G “Good” spirit that wants to do good, its grasp on morality is flimsy at best. Perhaps, as a newer apparition, it is simply naive. After all, it’s the creation of the guilty voice that makes you donate your change to charity at a fast food burger joint operated by people not making a living wage and the reason you deleted your Instagram after being ridiculed for not waiting the proper (and unknowable) amount of time required before following up your thoughts and prayers post with a thirst trap. Regardless, for the time being the Samaritan lets its host be its moral compass as it gains more knowledge of how the world works. Since the host is serving as the Samaritan’s baseline for good, the host won’t be compelled in any way by the Samaritan to act against their nature. However, the host does get a “gut feeling” when the Samaritan doesn’t like what they are doing.
When Paloma uses the Samaritan’s abstraction it is almost entirely subtle.The Blind and One-Eyed Opens see nothing and do not feel the influence, the compulsions coming to them in a way that feels natural. Those with Emotional Fields feel like someone is watching them and can get the sensation that something is trying to scratch through their defenses to suggest how they behave, but there is no obvious immediate tell that the source of the influence is radiating from Paloma. The abstraction works as an aura radiating off of Paloma, influencing those who can feasibly sense her. The aura can extend even through technology, affecting those who see her on a screen or hear her on a phone. She can add aspects to the aura or suppress them as wanted.
Everyone’s Sweetheart ⫻ Paloma’s version of the Samaritan’s default aura. Those affected by the aura are compelled to treat Paloma with familiarity and friendliness, as well as willingly and happily help her with reasonable things. This aura does not mean people are forced to notice Paloma or go out of their way to approach her (unless she is clearly in duress or if they were inclined to in the first place), only that when they do they will be nicer or more forgiving to her than they would be to most other people. This part of the aura is always on and cannot be suppressed by Paloma, but can easily be resisted by Emotional Fields to the point its lingering presence is almost unnoticeable. The main aspect of the Everyone’s Sweetheart aura is that while up nobody—human, apparition, or animal—can deal intentional direct bodily harm to Paloma. This aspect of the aura is so powerful that it fully bypasses Emotional Fields. While a Paranormal could still threaten Paloma with violence, actual attempts to harm her do not work—they pull the shot at the last moment, fire it over her head, or blast someone else. This part of the aura is also always on, but it is immediately suppressed for several seconds by the Samaritan if Paloma attempts to do anything violent herself, allowing for people to act in self-defense.
Good Influence ⫻ A secondary aura Paloma can turn on while Everyone’s Sweetheart is active. It is essentially mind control or powerful suggestion magic, although those under the aura of her Good Influence behave as normal until they receive commands. She can issue direct, complex commands to individuals by speaking with them, or subconsciously influence the masses to follow a simple order by putting out a mentally ordered “vibe check” through her aura. The orders do not need to necessarily be reasonable to the recipient, who retroactively see them as momentary whim, but they must be phrased in a way to make them sound good-natured or well-intentioned. While this allows Paloma to tweak her Good Influence if she ever wants to be shiesty, the Samaritan will outright prevent the aura from being used to incite violence, cause direct harm to the recipient, or are obviously cruel. This does not mean Paloma cannot use the Good Influence to put people in dangerous situations. Good Influence has a lingering effect that allows it to last once the recipient has left Paloma’s aura, lasting for a full 24 hours. This lingering effect can be extended indefinitely by exposing the recipient to one of Paloma’s auras again, resetting the day counter each time. The aura can be resisted by Emotional Fields. While Paloma can attempt to punch through the Emotional Field by “pulsing” her aura, this triggers the self-defense clause and suppresses Everyone’s Sweetheart, leaving Paloma vulnerable for retaliation. For example, say Paloma was in a bodega and witnessed an armed robbery. She could command the robber to put down the weapon, go home, and reconsider their life while influencing the crowd to do nothing so that nobody tries to play the hero and gets shot. After that, she could command the cashier to give Paloma the money in the register as a reward for stopping the robber, then the very next day the robber, who the Good Influence has lapsed on, would revert to their nature and go out to rob another store. Alternatively, say the robber was Paranormal and resisted Paloma’s influence. She cannot command the crowd to rush them to stop the robbery, but she could command them to try to secretly call for the police even though it could harm them if they were to get shot by the robber when they mistook a reach for a phone as a reach for a gun..
The Bystander Effect ⫻ A secondary aura Paloma can turn on while Everyone’s Sweetheart is active. The Bystander Effect draws upon the roots of the Samaritan being created from people’s anxiety to appear upright and moral rather than a true drive to do actual “good”. By activating the Bystander Effect, Paloma can effectively shut down people in her aura and render them in a stationary, catatonic state. As long as they remain in Paloma’s aura, Bystanders are effectively frozen in time and space, resuming as if nothing has happened once she suppresses the Bystander Effect. Notably, people cannot be physically harmed in any way while under the Bystander Effect, although it doesn’t mean that they cannot be released from the effect while in a perilous situation. For example, someone driving their car hit by the Bystander Effect would lose control of the vehicle and it will crash. However, they wouldn’t be harmed by the crash, but they could be harmed when they tried to crawl out of the aftermath. Alternatively, the car goes careening out of Paloma’s aura and the driver is released from the Bystander Effect moments before it crashes. Paloma can use the Bystander Effect on crowds or individuals. If targeting individuals, Blind will ignore the bystanders as if they were never there. She can pair it with Good Influence, giving detailed commands to crowds of bystanders before dropping the Bystander Effect and allowing them to follow her orders. She can attempt to use it offensively, but the spell will have to break through someone’s Emotional Field and it triggers the self-defense clause of Everyone’s Sweetheart, leaving Paloma vulnerable. Alternatively, she can use it defensively on others to protect them from harm, assuming they let her through their Emotional Field. However, the Samaritan is unable to determine Paloma’s intentions, meaning that she still momentarily loses her defenses. Paloma cannot use the Bystander Effect on herself.
The Messiah Complex ⫻ A secondary aura that the Samaritan, not Paloma, turns on while Everyone’s Sweetheart is active. The Messiah Complex creates faint, trailing streams of golden light in the air around Paloma that guide her to people in her aura that are in need of help that Paloma is, in some way or another, capable of providing. The Samaritan is still in its infancy as an apparition, so the consistency and urgency on which this operates is very hit or miss. She’ll get pings ranging from the cliched, like a kitten stuck in a tree, to the bizarre, like a dweeby teen in need of a prom date to impress his friends. Pings will also sometimes be downright criminal, like the mafioso looking for a cleaner to help dispose of a body, to actual targets in need of life saving, like highlighting a dude choking on a meatball sub. Most of all, though, it is just annoying, as the lights get very distracting. Paloma can ask the Samaritan to suppress it, which it does temporarily, sometimes for several hours but occasionally for a few minutes before turning it back on much to her chagrin. The Messiah Complex can also serve as a kind of danger sense. Since the light is typically faint, a blinding halo of light trails can serve as a sign that Paloma is about to stumble into some real rough shit.
LIMITS ⫻ Paloma’s aura typically fills the room or the immediate area, but it essentially expands out from her as far as people can sense her be it by sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, or even extrasensory means. Her aura can be expanded through live footage or loudspeakers and be diminished by anything that would muffle/drown out her voice or obfuscate her presence. In general, the effects of her auras immediately end when she can no longer be sensed, with the exception of Good Influence which lasts for at least 24 hours. The Blind do not notice her aura either influencing them or leaving them, but the Paranormal can sense a difference in the air when they are within Paloma’s aura. Thus, while she doesn’t give off any clear indication that she is using an abstraction, any Paranormal paying attention would be able to notice that the vibe changed when Paloma walked in.
Everyone’s Sweetheart protects Paloma against intentional bodily harm. She can still be accidentally harmed by others or be a victim of collateral damage. Generally, she is as vulnerable as any other Paranormal to mental abstractions. As previously mentioned, it is also suppressed if Paloma ever attempts to do something violent herself or attempts to use her abstraction to brute force through an Emotional Field.
While under the effect of Good Influence, people will still behave like their normal self outside of following their orders. Good Influence can only have one lasting effect rolling at a time. Any new commands replace the last ones. As previously mentioned, Good Influence cannot be used to cause obvious physical harm to others or to the influenced, and cruel and unusual effects are typically negated by the Samaritan. Good Influence bounces right off of Emotional Fields unless Paloma tries to brute force it, leaving her vulnerable to retaliation.
The Bystander Effect can cause (usually) unintentional and catastrophic accidents when carelessly used out in public. The Bystander Effect bounces right of Emotional Fields unless Paloma tries to brute force it, leaving her vulnerable to retaliation.
On top of already being inconsistent, The Messiah Complex is purely reactive, not predictive. Something must have already put a person into a state of need before a trail to them lights up.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ The Samaritan is still a very young entity. As such, it has not learned the difference between beneficial applications of magic and malicious. Thus, all obviously manifestations of magic will not work on her as her apparition protects her. This means that powerful buffs, healing, and support will have no effect on her. She can still loophole her way into getting these benefits but it would depend on her committing an act of violence against someone. Thus, if someone wishes to heal her she must strike them first.
Other
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“So sweet it’s making me sick."
Paloma playfully refers to the Samaritan as Sammy, unless she’s upset with it, in which case she calls it Sam.
Currently, she works in the slightly nicer hospital on the Northside of Cloverfield but still lives in a rough part on the Southside. Well, rough for other people, perhaps.
”What’s the point if it’s all going to be destroyed?" "Ladies and gentlemen, the main event is upon us."
_______________________________________________ Nathan Jackson | Magnus the Magnificent
He/Him | 21 / ??? | Caucasian / ??? | 5'9" / 6'1" | 178lbs / 112lbs _______________________________________________ Failure / Whimsical _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents ”Writing doesn’t pay the bills." ”Pick a card, any card will do!” ___________________________________
Keyboard King ⫻ Nathan always had a knack for writing things out on paper. Things that had to be formal, things like resumes and tax forms… He’s great at sounding professional in an email!
Internet Historian ⫻ Staying up late and watching so many video essays online results in an unsettling amount of useless trivia. Odds are very good Nathan knows more about mundane things than some do about the paranormal… Most of it is likely pretty worthless.
Customer Service ⫻ Everybody has to eat. Nathan works are a fancy coffee shop in the nice part of town. And it’s amazing just how many people think the guy who gives them their watered down slop knows how to fix all their problems.
First Aid ⫻ During the Cataclysm, there were situations where neither Nathan nor Magnus could just fight the problems away. Sometimes, a person was bleeding out and needed to be stitched up. He learned quick.
Showmanship ⫻ Magnus was born for the stage. There isn’t a place in the All-averse where he’s more comfortable than before a crowd of onlookers waiting to be wowed, and he is just full of surprises.
Paranormal Combat ⫻ The miraculous hero of Cloverfield is no stranger to battle. Beware the fury of a man wears a feathered hat to war, for he fears not the pain of death. Magnus brings a certain thrill to blood fights that most people are often out off by.
Acrobatics ⫻ Gravity be damned, Magnus soars through the air like an angel on the wind! He leaps from rooftop to rooftop in search of evil, descending upon his villainous foes with catlike-agility. Even the most perilous of paths are nothing to the mighty Magnus!
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”Man, and this was my favorite shirt." ”Beneath my hat, you’ll see nothing. But when I reach in…
Nathan isn’t anything special when you first see him. A long and lanky build with a mess of hair that he just hazardous combs to one side is what sticks out the most. He does get around a lot, though, so he’s in good enough shape. Nathan gives off an air of inferiority that’s lot of people pick up on quick, he tends that walk with his head tilted low and generally lacks the presence to get anyone’s respect.
As Magnus, it’s a whole other story. He radiates confidence, always waking with his head head high and brimming with the energy of someone bold. The enigmatic magician wears the outfit of a Victorian magician, with a long red cloak hanging off his shoulders and an absurd, feathered hat. Silvery from drapes down his clothes and compliments the stark white mask he wears, concealing his face and identity behind a veneer of mystery.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”Do you ever just wish you could stop everything for five minutes?." ”Fret not, for I always have a trick up my sleeves.”
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Nathan isn't asking for much. A lot of people who know magic is a thing have some great aspiration in life, from uncovering the greatest secrets to conquering some grand beast. But in the wake of Nyrah's destruction, the most he can do is hope he doesn't lose his apartment. While the city keeps going and while people try to get back on their feet, Nathan is working his ass off to keep a roof over his head.
Magnus, on the other hand, is hellbent on making Cloverfield a safer place. Imagine, if you will, a world without the Joker or Bane, Poison Ivy or the Scarecrow. This is that world, and Magnus is this world's Batman. Chaos runs rampant in the south end of Cloverfield, with magic of all folds going unchecked. People suffer underneath it while they make ends meet, and in his approximation of human awareness, he wants to save them all.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Nathan thinks people should be good to each other, plain and simple. At the end of the day, people are all you have when you're not filthy rich. Family is important to him, both found and born. Without it, people don't have anything that lasts. Magnus, on the other hand, believes the world is a stage. There are the villains, and then there are the heroes responsible for shielding the innocent. He believes he is one such hero, down to his core.
SECRETS ⫻ Among the people who know of Magnus' presence in Cloverfield, not one of them knows he is secretly just a guy named Nathan Jackson, who found a magical mask one day. Conversely, no one in Nathan's life knows that he's a paranormal being, and he tries to keep these two lives separate as best he can.
Though, it's getting more difficult the longer he uses the mask...
SEXUALITY ⫻ Nathan is (probably) just straight. But Magnus cares little for such things.
FEARS ⫻ Nathan hopes and prays his family never loses their home. They're lucky that they managed to stay in one of the nicer parts of the south end, but if the bills couldn't be paid... It'd be over for them. But something else he fears just as much is the thought that he might one day lose his struggle with Magnus, and that he'll run out of willpower to take the mask off.
Magnus fears the opposite of this, in his own weird way. They're two halves a whole, and yet each feels incomplete as the other. For Magnus, it feels like dying every time he has to remove the mask and maintain his everyday life. Whenever he isn't Nathan, he fears the day he'll no longer need the Mask of the Hero to live a life with purpose.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ The masked magician of Cloverfield was a shield to the weak and defenseless. When Nyrah came to ransack the city, she was set upon by a hail of explosive playing cards and baffling illusions that fooled her at every turn to deter her from those in need. With little more than a clap of his hands, he drummed up medical supplies that no knew he had, offering his support to other fighters in the streets. The silly paranormal being was known by others to be some odd mix of self-righteous yet equally humble at the same time, hurling himself into the air with a flaming whip to get Nyrah's attention on minute and talking like a superhero the next.
Nathan Jackson was nowhere to be found.
FLAWS ⫻ Magnus is a product of everything Nathan wants to be. Someone people can look up to, someone who can make things right in the world, the type of man who people point to in their hour of need. But it's only through the Mask of the Hero that he finds that strength. Without the mask, Magnus doesn't exist. And without Magnus, Nathan is just a spineless nobody who holds himself back. He doesn't have the confidence to stand up and make changes without the courage that comes with being a masked hero. Being Magnus psychologically changes Nathan. It fills him with a kind of confidence that one can only get from supernatural means. His own personality is written over, like a werewolf under the full moon. And the feeling of so much belief in himself is nothing short of an addiction. Every day, Nathan finds it a little harder to take the mask off, and a little harder to remember that there are people who need him and not Magnus.
The other half of this coin is the fact that Magnus always has his head in the clouds. There's no balance between the two. As the family man grapples with the temptation to leave the mundane behind, so too does the bleeding heart magician struggle with the weight of normalcy. It isn't enough for him to live a day-to-day life, even if he could relate to humans... Something has to give eventually.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”We don't always have much to lose. Sometimes... Sometimes we just have to do something." ”Let me tell you a story, of mundane dullards and miraculous legends. Of a great dragon and a small town of heroes...
Nathan Jackson is the son of Carl and Jasmin Jackson, born into the middle class on the south side of Cloverfield. The life he had growing up as a kid wasn’t great by any means. Jasmin had health problems exacerbated by his birth, and Carl worked in the mountains. Sometimes, he would be home for days, and when he was finally home, the man of the house wasn’t in the mood to gripe with a scrawny kid and an ailing woman who just had to sit around the house all day. Nathan was always kept fed and a hand was never raised against him, but it wasn’t always soft and warm. Often, he’d overhear his parents bickering about who had it worse, the woman who could barely stand without her leg feeling numb or the man who breathed coal dust every day.
This sort of dynamic at home often had an impact on Nathan’s life in school as well, he’d do his best in class and be grilled for not always having the best grades by a man who thought math or science was childish compared to what he had to put up with. And so, Nathan put up with tough love over the years, never getting much sympathy at home and never being able to quite get away from the shitty attitudes back home. Still, like any ordinary person, he worked his ass off.
Things started to get a little different when Carl was killed in a mining accident, though. Nathan was only 16, and life fell to shit by then. They could barely pay for a funeral, and Jasmin wasn’t getting paid very well for a remote job she had as a telemarketer. The only reason they managed to stay afloat back then was due to an uncle on Carl’s side, who had a kid of his own but was a lot more stable. He came by every now and then and helped them through tough times, but Nathan had been sneaking out at night by them to deal with things in his own way.
His grades slipped in a way no one could blame him for, given the changes in his life. He never got to see his dad smile even once during the time he was alive, and it all just sucked. Everything was a disappointment in one way or another.
Life got shittier when the reality hit him that he’d never go to college. At the rate he was going, there was no way he or his family could afford it without drowning in debt. There were programs offered online that he could apply for to get scholarships, and there was a good chance he’d be able to do something with his life, but Jasmin’s health started deteriorating by the time Nathan was 18. If by some miracle he managed to move out, then there was a good chance she’d be helpless if something happened to his uncle.
And that was when he found something strange.
On another one of the nights where he’d sneak out to be alone, Nathan found a white mask laying half-buried under dirt and rocks. Touching it, the mask radiated power of some kind. He could feel it in his fingertips, as a voice- his voice beckoned him to put it on. And when he did, his eyes were opened to the paranormal. His mind spilled open like a floodgate, something in his brain fundamentally changed and became more like itself. He was gifted magic.
On that day, Magnus the Magnificent was born.
Magic has a funny way of finding people in the right times. After roughly a week of looking into the paranormal and coming to terms with how the Mask of the Hero worked, something awful happened, the Cataclysm. Nyrah descended upon Cloverfield threatening to level it. And so, a magician clad in red and black stood up to fight back. He dove into the streets like a hero, alongside so many others who he never knew were in this city, and they beat back the dragon. For two long days, his newfound gifts were tested as so many fell around him. But in the end, the heroes defeated the villain, and Magnus’ trial by fire came to an end.
But it wasn’t all good, because in the chaos, Nathan’s uncle was killed. He had been so good to Jasmin, and Nathan could have done something to same him while out as Magnus. But he never noticed, and blames himself to this day. After another funeral and a round of legal discussions, Uncle Rick’s daughter, Emily, moved in with them. It’s been hard, but Nathan had managed to balance out his life with the life Magnus lives. Nathan Jackson keeps his family afloat in a world that refuses to let them prosper, and Magnus the Magnificent saves the world so people like him can carry on.
It’s all Nathan can do to feel like he’s enough, these days.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”Before your very eyes, I will whisk these troubles away! One magnificent wonder at a time!"
TYPE ⫻ Agent
ABSTRACTION ⫻Mask of the Hero
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ The Mask of the Hero allows its wearer to assume the role of their idealized self. An exaggeration of everything they wish they could be, but fear they may never will be. This idealized form is a heroic one, meaning some don’t benefit from its power in the first place. When the mask is put on, those who benefit from it become something closer to an Apparition. They become the person they always wanted to be, their new form embodying these traits in curious ways.
In Nathan’s case, he becomes Magnus the Magnificent, a fantastical magician who embodies the thrill and liveliness of the world. He becomes wonder and whimsy in the shape of a mortal man. Psychologically speaking, Magnus is a completely different person from Nathan Jackson, enjoying the absolute best qualities of his mundane counterpart without his flaws. Magnus’ abilities reflect this, making him a veritable superhero cast in the archetype of a performer. With an arsenal of tricks up his sleeves, no one truly knows what Magnus has in store for them.
Smoke and Mirrors ⫻ Magnus can project multicolored fog from the folds of his clothes, which quickly become complex hallucinations for those in the affected area. These hallucinations are visual and auditory, and can be any from from duplicates of Magnus himself to tricking someone into thinking they’ve gone deaf. To those susceptible to these illusions, it's like a dream. It's damn near impossible to tell real from fake without some sort of magic ability to circumvent this.
Sleight of Hand ⫻ Magnus’ hands behave like a pair of pocket dimensions, each able to independently store up to 20lbs of mass. All he has to do is touch something that would fit in his hand, curl his fingers, and abracadabra. It’s vanished. With a flick of his wrists, Magnus can bring these palmed objects back into reality for a quick surprise attack.
King’s Deck ⫻ Shimmering playing cards appear in Magnus’s hands, which he throws forth like boomerangs. The King’s Deck has four different kinds of cards for the four suits. Diamond cards are razor sharp and cut through metal like paper. Clubs are blunt as a rock and hit with the force of a mule’s kick, heart cards debilitate their target, as if poisoned by a snake. And the most extravagant of them is the spades, which explode like a grenade when they hit a surface.
Sword Swallower’s Curse ⫻ Magnus conjure up a glowing sword out of thin air, as long as he is tall. The sword is lighter than air, but has the unique property of being able to puncture through damn near anything. From human flesh to solid steel, the sharp point of the blade stabs through it all.
Ringmaster ⫻ With a wave of his hand, Magnus can conjure up a flaming whip of ethereal energy. This whip hurts like a bitch to get struck by, but ultimately hurts more than it injures. It's a deterrent, a way to shut down the evildoers of Cloverfield with mercy. Magnus can hit a target with this whip from up to 15 feet away, and he's been seen using it like a grappling hook once or twice during the Cataclysm.
LIMITS ⫻
Smoke and Mirrors ⫻ Beyond a radius of 20 feet, Magnus' illusory smoke just looks like a jumbled up haze. Anyone past this distance is wholly unaffected.
Sword Swallower’s Curse ⫻ Like a true magician, the sword doesn't inflict much harm on the audience. Oddly enough, it seems to only be able to harm living beings if they have an Emotional Field. Those who are Blind, or are affected with exceedingly weak magical resistances are unharmed.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Smoke and Mirrors ⫻ The hallucinations make no distinction between friend and foe. Anyone caught in it will be subject to visual and auditory hallucinations.
Sleight of Hand ⫻ When Magnus stores an object it is stored randomly in the pocket dimensions. When an object is pulled back it it will be pulled in that random order. Depending on what he has stored he might end up looking like a magician pulling ribbons from their sleeves in important moments.
King’s Deck ⫻ The cards are all pulled from the a singular deck and they are pulled from it at random. This means that when Magnus draws a card, he will not know what it will do until he sees it for the first time. This also limits what he can do with each suit. He will either need to count the cards to remember how many of each suit he has left or find creative uses for the card if it comes out without it. Magnus is also not immune to the shrapnel created by the spades. If he throws it too close he risks hurting himself.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”Things aren’t great in town. But if I can’t do this for them, I might as well just pack up." ”We all fight for something, don’t we?”
Nathan works in a snobby coffee shop in the north part of Cloverfield. It sucks.
He/Him | 32 | African American | 5’10” | 198lbs _______________________________________________ Dignified _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Let me give you a hand with that." ___________________________________
Baker ⫻ Through immeasurable trial and error, Varnan eventually got the hang of making cakes and pastries, and anything else that fits in an oven. Don’t even try asking him how many times he had to use his chronomancy to save a pie he burnt, he won’t tell you.
Grizzled Veteran ⫻ As a former field agent, Varnan had the rules of conflict drilled into him day after day. If there was ever someone to keep their cool in a tense situation, it’s him. It’s damn near impossible to shake his level head, and anyone who succeeds only pisses him off.
Discretion ⫻ The Guild taught its agents that borders only apply to the citizens within. As such, Varnan often infiltrated many places to take care of business. He has an easy time keeping his head down and minimizing the chances that someone gets suspicious about things.
Teamwork ⫻ One man can’t do it all, even if that man has all the time in the world. Varnan has a good sense of working in a group with others, he’s a team player when he needs to be and a team captain when no one else wants the responsibility. If there’s work to be done, then he’ll get it taken care of by getting the right people on it.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "It gets cold at night, this close to the mountains."
Varnanis the picture of a man who takes care of himself, but manages to stay humble. A mane of coiled hair drops down from his head, hanging off his shoulders. A lifetime of field work across the All-Verse has resulted in a great deal of muscle that sometimes goes unnoticed due to the clothes he wears. Varnan tends to dress for comfort and practicality, only concerning himself with aesthetics when it’s an occasion. As such, he’s often seen in anything from jeans and a leather jacket to sweatpants and unbuttoned Hawaiian shirts.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Stand down and you will not be harmed."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Varnan’s biggest concern is Cloverfield's well-being. After all, he lives here. He’s invested in preserving the city as a whole and combatting whatever threats come knocking. Ever since he left the Hourglass Guild, it’s been his home. And Varnan doesn’t tolerate nonsense in his home.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Varnan is the type of man who beats down a group of invading paranormals, breaks their spirit and towers over them, and then politely asks them if they’d like to negotiate. He’s a man of principles and dignity; There is a right way to do things, a right way to win and a right way to fail. Varnan believes in holding one’s self to a better standard, and making sure things are done in as best a way as they possibly can be.
SECRETS ⫻ The existence of the Hourglass Guild, and Varnan's past connections to it, are something he doesn't talk about much. It's complicated, to say the least. As far as anyone can tell, he simply came from somewhere that meant a great deal to someone else. It's easy to piece together the fact that Varnan has a tricky history, given the sheer sophistication of his magic, but no one in Dazzle knows the Guild is out there.
Varnan also tries to keep his very existence as a paranormal being quiet in general. While it wouldn't be the end of the world if his neighbors found out he could rewind time itself, he'd rather not advertise that fact. He's trying to live an ordinary life if he can, even as he tries to balance it out with his involvement in Cloverfield's prosperity.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Bisexual
FEARS ⫻ Varnan fears the possibility of the Hourglass Guild discovering that he’s still alive. Desertion is punishable by erasure from history. Of course, he also fears things like a second Cataclysm, and other things that would uproot his life.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Varnan was sent to Dazzle by his superiors in the Hourglass Guild. His task was to track Nyrah down and stop her for good, and when he came to Cloverfield, he put his talents to work. Paranormals who would’ve been killed miraculously survived death when they shouldn’t have, entire buildings were saved as he turned back the clock. Varnan brought a sense of stability and competency to the Cataclysm, seeing it through to the end.
FLAWS ⫻ Varnan's stuck up nature isn't for everybody. His inclination for doing things "by the book" often puts him at odds with those who would cut corners or take the moral low ground to make ends meet. To him, a victory that was secured through cheating is no real victory at all, and sacrificing one's own values just to say they made it is like its own form of death.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You wouldn’t last ten minutes where I came from."
Varnan’s kindling event never happened. He did not exist in the eyes of the All-Verse before his induction into the enigmatic group known as the Hourglass Guild. Thanks to the use of esoteric chronomancy, no one remembers him from before these days. At the young age of 13, Varnan was brought to a place between worlds, by an old and wizened agent after someone found a newly kindled Adept in a place where he wouldn’t be missed. He had the potential, and so the Guild raised him as one of their own.
The Hourglass Guild, a militant bastion of time bending paranormals, taught Varnan to combat paranormal threats with his magic. He learned from masters older than centuries, and spent most of his childhood studying the lessons of those who came before him. Time is a difficult thing to control, even in the hands of such experts, but the Guild held its apprentices to high standards. By the age of 16, he had successfully mastered his first chronomancy spell, marking the beginning of Varnan’s ascension to an official status.
At 18, Varnan received his Timepiece, a standard issued artifact given to all agents of the Guild. He was formally inducted, and his first assignment began hours later in a world called Flare. A band of undead apparitions had been amassing power, and eventually melded together into something much stronger. This rancorous beast threatened to spill into other worlds, gathering up dead things as it went along. For three long weeks, Varnan and his fellow Timekeepers slowly worked backwards to find the origin of the creature, where they stopped the event that brought it together and sealed the original apparitions.
By 21, Varnan had mastered an additional four spells archived in the Guild’s extensive library, and put them to use in shutting down an invasion of Adepts raiding the world known as Shine. They appeared through canyon-wide rifts to conquer the planet and create an empire. Varnan was one of right agents sent to aid the magical authorities of Shine. After a month of extensive combat treating of injured, and field agent casualties, Shine was saved. Varnan and three others returned to the Conservatory with the feeling of a hollow victory.
Varnan saw many other battlefields in his time; In Glow, he led a stealth mission against an apparition that assimilated Blinds into a hive mind networke. In Haze, he was sent in alone to assassinate an Adjoined planning to open the Pit. After roughly 20 years of close calls and work in disastrous areas, Varnan’s attitude about work in the Guild began to shift. He had been deployed to so many worlds and only stayed long enough to take care of business, and he had recently been promoted to a field officer, a rank that gave him the authority to assign missions and train new agents. But he wanted something different, and that was next to impossible.
To betray the Hourglass Guild was to forfeit omens existence. It was a lifelong commitment, one that members could only escape by never existing in the first place. His time had made him weary, but Varnan had planned something risky. If it failed, he wouldn’t be able to regret it in the first place.
In a world called Dazzle, the Guild’s seers detected a monster ransacking one city after another. Nyrah the Ravager. She was dangerous. Not dangerous enough to warrant a squad of field agents, but dangerous nonetheless. Varnan volunteered to ship out and get rid of her. Given his status in the Guild, and his history of successful deployments, there wasn’t any debate in sending him out. And so, Varnan was dropped into Dazzle with a plan in mind
.Dispatch Nyrah the Ravager, and take an early retirement.
Varnan tracked her for days, and days became weeks. He combed through the wreckage of entire cities for clues that could help stop her, linking together a profile of her abilities. He always had to keep looking over his shoulder, just in case the Guild decided to check in. Eventually, he tracked Nyrah to Cloverfield, where the citizens fought back with a fury unlike anything Nyrah had been faced with before. It was all out war in the streets, with combat on the scale of something he saw on the rare occasions the Guild would send in a squad. Over the course of a few days, the last few pieces of Varnan’s puzzle came into effect.
Mere hours before Nyrah was taken out, Varnan transmitted a message to the Guild through his Timepiece: I am gravely injured, and may not survive. If I am not found in the Conservatory soon, know that it was an honor. It was sheer luck, and luck alone, that no one thought to dig deeper into whether or not Varnan was actually injured. The honest truth is that he was fine, and simply faked his death. The Guild didn’t even think twice about his absence.
And now, over a year later. Varnan Ingram is an ordinary resident of Cloverfield. He’s someone’s neighbor, he works at a bakery, and very rarely does anyone have the change to see the hardened warrior that waged war across the All-averse. He still keeps his Guild-issued channeler on him, just in case something dangerous inevitably comes knocking, but his days as Field Officer Ingram are long behind him.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You had one road out of this, and it just closed."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻Purple Lux. Varnan’s channeler is a Guild-issued Timepiece.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Varnan is a professionally trained chronomancer, with an masterful list of time manipulation spells at his disposal. With a wave of his hand, he can take control of a battlefield and save allies from certain doom. As one of the Guild’s former field agents, his magical training emphasized combat, making him dangerous in a head-on battle.
Temporal Arts ⫻ Varnan's tricks of his former trade. All field agents of the Hourglass Guild, colloquially called "Timekeepers," are trained to use various methods of time manipulation with an emphasis on combat. Though they almost always learn a few investigative and defense-based tricks as well, and Varnan is no different.
Parallel Code ⫻ By laying a hand on physical matter, Varnan can record its current physical condition to his Timpiece, to "reset" back to at a later date. Broken windows, for example, can be fixed with a snap of his fingers. Injuries can be healed in no time at all with a bit of preparation, even a car's Parallel Code can be recorded when the gas tank is full; Varnan hasn't paid a dime in gas since he officially moved in. This can be applied to people as well, but those with an Emotional Field must allow him in.
Transversal ⫻ A variant of Parallel Code. Transveral records a location in physical space, and when triggered, reverts things back to their original position. This is akin to teleporting, but only serves as a way to return somewhere and thus can't be used proactively. In a fight, Varnan can mark somebody with Transversal to get them out of his face or send them back to a secure location.
Expedite ⫻ With physical contact, Varnan can speed up the flow of time in a localized way. This doesn't have a direct use, but depends on how it's applied. In a situation where a bomb needs to go off faster, Varnan could speed the timer up. Or, if someone's Abstraction slowly heals them, he can touch them to make the healing faster. Cracks in a wall will grow entire feet in seconds. And if he uses this long enough, a defenseless Blind could grow fatally old in moments.
Stasis Pulse ⫻ A wave of purple Lux is sent forth, suspending connections to the flow of time. Anything caught in this shotgun blast of magic is temporarily frozen for up to five seconds. Things become fixed in place, unable to be damaged or moved by anything in the universe. When the blast finally wears off, it's like nothing ever happened.
Hands of Saturn ⫻ The Hands of Saturn is a set of detainment methods. By getting in close and striking someone at close range, these spells can displace them from time's influence. Much like the Stasis Pulse spell, an individual is completely cut off from reality in all ways. They can't be moved, they can't be injured. From their perspective, the world is a blurry, disjointed mess of stimuli along the lines of a chaotic dream. Barring exceptions where someone has an information-based Abstraction, or Abstractions capable of nullifying Lux, those imprisoned by the Hands of Saturn can't make sense of anything.
Hour ⫻ The Hour hand suspends an individual for exactly one hour.
Minute ⫻ The minute hand suspends an individual for exactly five minutes.
Second ⫻ The second hand suspends an individual for exactly ten seconds.
Butterfly’s Manse ⫻ Varnan projects his Lux outwards, anchoring it to reality. In a ten foot radius around him, he can manually alter the speed at which time moves, to as slow as a tenth or as fast as five times its normal movement. He is the only one able to comfortably occupy the Manse, since the border acts like a wall that tries to push others out. While inside, Varnan can investigate or take care of things that are time sensitive without worry, since speeding up time means he can accomplish tasks in a fifth of the time they usually take.
Theta Screen ⫻ A investigative trick that involves opening up a distortion in time. Using this, Varnan can peer into the past by walking through an area. The Theta Screen layers the past over the present, bleeding them together and organizing them so that each is crystal clear. Events of the past play out in the area where they occurred, making it easy to uncover things that would otherwise be indecipherable.
LIMITS ⫻ Every member of the Hourglass Guild knows the difficulties of working with time itself. Guild chronomancy is structured in just such a way that it actively works against situations that would cause a paradox. The failsafe worked into every individual spell taught at the Conservatory ensures a field agent won't become their own ancestor or do something so fundamentally stupid that it would require a whole squad of Wardens to contain. In practice, this means three things.
Law of Severance ⫻ Firstly, all chronomancy spells taught to Guild members automatically "short out" when coming into contact with foreign chronomancy. Varnan's magic is effectively allergic to other time-based paranormals, which means that one could very easily fight fire with fire if they dealt with him. Those who rewind time to heal themselves could walk right through a time-distortion effect he creates while their spells are active. Someone under the effect of a time-bending spell that rewinds their body could completely negate the Hands of Saturn.
Law of Primacy ⫻ Guild chronomancy is designed to avoid manipulating the future in all ways. The only possible way for Varnan to interact with events yet to pass is to use a spell that peers into the future, in the same way the Theta Screen peers into the past, or use a spell to send someone back. Under no circumstances could he open a portal to the far future and bring back an artifact, or get rid of people ten years ahead of time. Under Guild rules, doing such a thing means his Timepiece would alert the Warden division, at which point he'd be swarmed and taken away from Dazzle entirely.
Law of Imperatives ⫻ When a field agent is more than fifty feet away from any active spells they have cast, they fizzle out. Reality stabilizes until their work is rendered inert. This prevents Varnan from setting up a zone of altered time and then leaving to set one up a block away. As a field agent, he was trained to stay in the thick of things until the conflict is resolved. Leaving things unattended, therefore, runs against that.
Parallel Code ⫻ As a safety precaution, field agent models of the Timepiece have a limit to how many codes for living things it can store at once. For civilians- The official term for Blinds- the limit is ten at a time. For Paranormal beings with an Abstraction, this is three. Varnan is not exempt from this limit.
Hands of Saturn ⫻ Each detainment technique, in ascending order, is more difficult than the last to pull off. Moreover, they're visually obvious. Paranormal beings with an Emotional Field have the capacity to resist if they know what to expect; The Second Hand is the easiest, able to subvert the Emotional Field of most paranormals who simply don't see it coming. But the Hour Hand puts the most strain on Varnan, meaning he'd be lucky to detain more than one individual at a time. To get past the Emotional Field with the Hour Hand, Varnan would have to put most of his power into it, leaving him vulnerable if he isn't careful.
WEAKNESSES ⫻ (DO NOT FILL THIS OUT, I WILL PROVIDE IT FOR YOU)
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Extra Quote here."
Anyyyything else?
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She/Her | 22 | Mexican | 5’6” | 121lbs _______________________________________________ Animated _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Mom, dancer, insect expert- nothin' else I need to know." ___________________________________
Dancing ⫻ Thanks to her job and rigorous training, Loni is a skilled dancer. Her strengths mainly lie in pole dancing - something she’s adept at, and lends to her having a lean strength that’s not obvious from her appearance. She can also do just about anything in heels… because it's much easier than dancing in them.
Forming Connections ⫻ Bright and bubbly, Loni is a naturally friendly person. She easily makes friends and forms long lasting connections. It’s easy for her to worm her way into someone’s life in a way that makes them not want to lose her afterwards… and comes with the added benefit for her of more people to shield her from bad decisions.
Insect Knowledge ⫻ Contrasting her general girliness, Loni has loved insects since she was young. She can easily identify them, spouts all sorts of random facts about them, and knows how to handle and look after them.
Toddler Wrangling ⫻ While not the most natural mother, Loni has gotten quite skilled at the art of wrangling her overly adventurous toddler - with the methods of telling her to stop, picking her up and redirecting her. She’s pretty good at making do with what she has to keep her little girl entertained.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I got this new dress with my last pay- What do you mean I shoulda bought Lu more clothes? She’ll grow outta ‘em soon!"
Bright and beautiful, Loni stands at an unassuming but reasonable height. Her slim body, curvy enough to be attractive without causing her too much hassle in the dodgier areas, is often shown off by tighter fitting clothing. She comes across a mix of frantic and energetic, both joyful and panicked at the same time. This comes across in everything about her - bright smile with dark bags under her eyes hidden by makeup, hair pulled up into cute styles which always have stray hairs falling out. But this frantic energy dulls when she’s in work mode, replaced with a calmer, more sensual persona.
Loni’s thick, dark brown hair falls to her shoulders - though more often than not she’ll have it pulled up into some kind of hairstyle, whether a simple ponytail or cute space buns to match her daughter. Her bangs fall just above her eyebrows, straight cut and always a bit messy. Her skin is a warm brown tone, well taken care of. She’s got toned muscles thanks to pole dancing, and is very fit. She has two lobe piercings, often found with fancy hoops or studs - preferring the latter when around her daughter. Loni is always found with makeup on. A light covering is added to with blush across her cheeks and often painted red lips. Her eyeshadow varies from simple to bright to more sultry depending on her mood and what she’s doing.
Clothing wise, Loni has a great variety. It’s almost a problem how much she buys - to the point of being wasteful. But she has an outfit for just about every occasion. Generally, she swaps between cute dresses and more form fitting, revealing ones depending how she’s feeling on a day. She also has a variety of wool jumpers and tight shorts - liking to combine them both. Sometimes, on the rare days she’s feeling a bit less feminine, she’ll steal her twins clothes - rocking a more punk look with baggy, strap covered cargo pants, chains, and mesh shirts over bra tops. When not working, Loni almost always has a variety of silver necklaces, bracelets and rings on.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Everythin’s a blessin’ if you look at it the right way.”
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Loni’s primary goal is to give her daughter a good life and be better for her. Even if she continually stumbles with this because of her poor spending habits, it’s still what drives her. Second to that is finding love for herself, and giving back to the people who’ve helped her so far.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ To see the positive, and keep going no matter what. Loni believes that things will always get better - and that you should cherish what you have. Because it could be worse!
SECRETS ⫻ Loni’s pretty much an open book. She has a difficult time keeping secrets.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Loni’s sexuality doesn’t matter. She doesn’t have the time or money to think about it, and with her job she can’t afford to be fussy - there’s more money to be made in going the full way. And she really doesn’t care! While her past relationships have primarily been with men, if she sat with herself long enough, she’d likely realise that she’s much more attracted to women.
FEARS ⫻ Loni fears losing her daughter. She also fears losing her twin just like she lost her mother. She has a deep fear of being alone, and of death. Loni also has a fear of needles.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ During the Cataclysm Loni aided her coven. While not a strong fighter, she was able to help protect those weaker from any stray apparitions while moving people away with her Green Lux. She also concentrated on keeping her daughter safe.
FLAWS ⫻ Even with her upbringing, and line of work, Loni can be naive. She believes in the good of people even when it’s been proven to her that’s not the case. Loni is the master of bad decisions and poor judgement of other people. She doesn’t realise she’s only gotten where she is unharmed thanks to sheer luck, and the actions of others (namely Vin) protecting her. While she likes to think she’s independent she’s really not, and needs to have people around her. She gets lonely really easily, and almost needy. Loni doesn’t like to impose, to the point where she’ll rarely ask for help unless truly pushed. But she can also be quite scatterbrained - not an idiot, but she rarely thinks things through before doing them. It’s easy to fluster her and make her panic, so that she’ll double down on something that she really shouldn’t. Loni can be quite irrational, which can result in arguments when she decides she’s right and won’t listen to reason… even though normally she isn’t right.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "My baby girl is everythin’ to me. I dunno what I’d do without her."
Alondra and Silvina Garcia Rodriguez were born to a young couple who had immigrated from Mexico to Cloverfield in hope of a better life. There was work in the South Side of the city that there wasn’t in their hometown. The twins weren’t a planned pregnancy - but they were one that Luciana Rodriguez welcomed. Their father, not so much. Feeding two adults was difficult, nevermind two babies too. As the twins became toddlers, their father got worse. When they were six he abandoned them entirely.
This left Luciana as a single mother to two. She worked hard to make sure they survived - taking a job in the factories when they were in school, and relying on the kindness of neighbours to watch them. Then, at night, she had work of an entirely different kind. Luciana was a skilled black lux user from a long line of Mediums and Necromancers. Her specialities were twofold - ushering Apparitions formed from dead onwards by fulfilling whatever needs they had to dampen the emotions that birthed them, and speaking with spirits that had gone into the Hound’s realm.
There were plenty in the North and South side who wanted to speak to their deceased loved ones. Luciana was especially talented at this - she would invite the spirits into her own body, allowing them to speak through her. Unfortunately, this had a side effect. Inviting the dead into her body was draining her life force and slowly killing her.
But Loni and Vin didn’t have a bad childhood. The area was rough, but there was always food on the table and a comfortable bed for them to share. From as soon as they could walk they were menaces, playing on the streets and harassing neighbours. Loni was the quieter of the two, often escaping the childish tussles to go explore the rundown areas of their neighbourhood. She loved bugs, and would spend hours collecting them and writing about them on scraps of paper.
Loni was fourteen, almost fifteen, when she kindled - a few months after Vin. It happened when her mom bought her a beautiful, fancy dress she’d especially wanted for the Quinceanera she knew they couldn’t really afford. From there, she learned about magic - exploring Green Lux with Vin, while both of them were taken along by their mother for her second job. What Loni saw terrified her.
But even worse than the dead that possessed her mother was the effect it was having. Over the next two years the Black Lux sapped away at their mom’s strength until she was skin and bones. Loni begged for her to stop - but they needed the money from the job. It was the only thing keeping them afloat. It would see them through a few more years. Vin said they’d work instead. Their mom refused.
Then, just a few weeks after their seventeenth birthday, she passed away.
There was just about enough money to cover a small funeral, and see them through to adulthood. A pitiful amount their mother had sacrificed her life for. Loni hated it, and she hated her Black Lux. But eventually the money ran out, and as they turned eighteen they were left to find work to stop them ending up on the streets.
Vin said they’d do work with their magic. They couldn’t call in the dead like their mother could. In fact, it was something Loni had more affinity with - something that terrified her. But they could fight, and they could get rid of Apparitions easily. Loni didn’t want them to. What if they died like their mom and left them all alone? But they needed money.
What followed was an explosive argument between two too stubborn to back down, and ended with Loni walking out. She wasn’t going to stick around to see Vin kill themselves. But then she was left with having to support herself… She didn’t want to work in the factories, and she’d barely gotten her highschool diploma… but she was attractive. She’d heard other young women in her neighbourhood talking about how well stripping paid. It didn’t seem so bad.
Loni was incredibly lucky. Where she could have ended up in all sorts of dodgy, criminal establishments, she managed to find work at the Sin Sister. This was in part thanks to her lux. Loni immediately found herself feeling at home there, and was able to stay in a small home share with some of the other girls in the South Side. After a few months, she even joined the Twin-Hill Coven.
Everything was going well. She had a new family in the coven and stripclub, and she even found love - getting together with a man just a little older than her. Sure, he didn’t have a job and depended on her not exactly amazing salary, but what was a little sacrifice here and there? He loved her, she loved him, and she was sure he’d do the same for her.
Loni fell into the exact same situation her mother had. At nineteen, she found out she was pregnant. At first she panicked. How could she keep her job? It was fine at a few months, but eventually she’d start to show. The morning sickness was already making it difficult… But after the panic, she was able to speak with the boss who fully supported her. She could even help out in other ways for a bit of pay. She could make it work.
Then her boyfriend told her to get rid of it. Loni didn’t want to. She may be young, but she wanted the baby. So her boyfriend, who’d been almost wholly dependent on her, left. Then everything felt too much. A few months pregnant with the prospect of much less money for a while, and a baby to raise alone sent her into hysterics.
And it sent her back to her childhood home - the small, shitty apartment they grew up in. Vin still lived there. They didn’t even ask any questions when Loni appeared on their doorstep in tears, and agreed to help as soon as she was able to explain. So Loni moved back in with Vin. She worked cleaning and cooking at the Sin Sister while pregnant, even though Vin said he could cover everything.
Then, a month after turning twenty, she gave birth to a beautiful girl - who she named Luciana after her mother. She went back to work as soon as she was able, juggling motherhood with paying the bills by taking her daughter to the Sin Sister as soon as she was old enough to be out. When the Cataclysm struck, Loni was able to protect her with the help of other people from the Twin-Hill coven.
Since, things have been alright. They’re protected from roaming Apparitions by Vin, and there’s no less of a demand for strippers on the North Side. Being a mother is stressful, but Loni wouldn’t exchange it for anything in the world - even if her now toddler causes constant chaos. She’s happy and content with her lot in life.
Paranormal-Abilities ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I love my magic, but I’ve seen what it could do to me… That scares me."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻Green & Black Lux. Channeler: An engraved silver bracelet with her name on it
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻
Chrysalis ⫻ Loni’s primary, and first, spell discipline, Chrysalis represents her love for insects and all the different forms she can transform into.
Dragonfly Wings ⫻ Loni can grow a pair of large dragonfly wings out of her back, given enough time. These allow her to fly - while she can’t fly as quickly as a dragonfly itself, she can fly consistently at 15mph, and up to 25mph really pushing herself. Along with this she can fly backwards at the same speed, and hover in place easily. These wings give her speed and manueverability.
Butterfly Wings ⫻ A less practical counterpart to her dragonfly wings, Loni developed this spell first thanks to the aesthetic of a butterflies wings and her love for all things pretty. She can make them look however she wants, deciding before they grow. They grow faster, and allow her to fly - at the same pace as she would walking. They’re mostly aesthetic rather than practical.
Compound Eyes ⫻ Loni can grow compound eyes like a dragonflies on the top of her head. These allow her to see in a 360 around her at once, along with the Ultraviolet spectrum. Her vision is incredibly sharp, and easily allows her to track fast moving things. Like dragonfly’s eyes, she can see faster than humans with this, making everything seem in ‘slow motion’ and easier to track.
Defensive Secretion ⫻ Inspired by stick insects, Loni can produce and spray a chemical compound from her hands. This is like being hit by pepper spray, causing stinging and burning on anyone it hits. It’s used in a short burst in front of her.
Antenna ⫻ Loni can grow antenna out of the top of her head that allow her to detect things most others wouldn’t - vibrations in the air from movement, subtle smells, and things such as pheromones or certain magical signals.
Thanatosis ⫻ Loni’s black lux is something she’s concentrated on less than her Green, thanks to a fear she’ll become like her mother. She mainly focuses on protection against Apparitions, refusing to delve further into the realms of speaking with the dead even though she has a talent in it.
Play Dead ⫻ A Green-Black spell Loni developed as a young kid, inspired by beetles and other insects that pretended to be dead. For a short period, she is able to stop her own breathing and blood flow so that she appears dead. With her black lux, this is realistic even to Apparitions. After her mom died, she rarely uses this spell.
Apparition Detection ⫻ A relatively simple Black Lux spell, this allows Loni to detect any Apparitions in the area. She’ll be able to pinpoint where they are, but doesn’t get much more information than that.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ Taught to her by her mom, Loni is able to use her Black Lux to directly weaken an Apparition and make it easier to seal. She has to actively concentrate to do this, and it’s more difficult the more dangerous or larger an Apparition is. They can only really use this on small to moderate sized Apparitions.
Deathless Circle ⫻ A black lux spell Loni developed with their twin to offer them greater protection against Apparitions. It requires them to draw a circle made out of salt, before using their channeler to imbue the circle with Black Lux. This repels any Apparitions that try to cross it while protecting those within it. With constant, active casting Loni could keep it up for hours if necessary - the small area allows for a low cost casting.
Speak With The Dead ⫻ The spell that killed her mom, and that Loni was able to learn. This allows Loni to invite a spirit into her body, so that loved ones may speak with them. To do this she requires something the deceased was attached to, and then she performs a short ritual which ends in the spirit being summoned.
Emergence ⫻ A secondary, sole Green Lux discipline, Emergence represents Loni’s journey into other Green Lux, primarily through her work needs and learning from the Coven.
Enhanced Flexibility ⫻ Loni uses her green lux to make herself unnaturally flexible. This allows her to bend her body in ways she wouldn’t be able to too naturally, with perfect control.
Stamina Boost ⫻ A spell that gives Loni a quick burst of magical energy, wiping away any exhaustion she’s feeling and allowing her to keep going longer than humanely possible.
Perfection ⫻ This spell has two forms - instant and continuous. Instant makes Loni look nearly perfect at once - dark bags gone, acne covered, sweat not visible. Continuous allows her to continually do this, meaning she could be physically exerting herself without appearing to sweat at all, allowing her to always look her best.
LIMITS ⫻
Chrysalis ⫻
Dragonfly Wings ⫻ Growing the wings takes a couple of minutes, and is a painful process. While there’s technically no limit to how long she has the wings, having the extra limbs can be exhausting. She can fly comfortably at 15mph, but could go up to 25mph - which will quickly exhaust her.
Butterfly Wings ⫻ These wings take less than a minute to form, but are barely functional. They’re frail and incredibly easy to damage.
Compound Eyes ⫻ Loni can only grow compound eyes for up to thirty minutes at a time, before needing to rest thirty.
Defensive Secretion ⫻ Loni has enough ‘stored’ chemicals to spray three times before having to regenerate it, which takes an hour. She can only spray in a short burst in front of her hands.
Antenna ⫻ Loni can grow the antenna for about thirty minutes before needing to rest.
Thanatosis ⫻
Play Dead ⫻ Loni can only play dead for five minutes at a time before it gets dangerous.
Apparition Detection ⫻ Loni detects Apparitions in a circle of about 5 metres around her, and no further. She can pinpoint where they are but knows nothing about them.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ Loni can only use this on small or moderate sized Apparitions. It takes a lot of energy, and constant concentration. She can only keep it up for ten minutes.
Deathless Circle ⫻ The largest size of circle that Loni can create would be able to have ten people inside it, including her. The larger it is the more active casting it takes to maintain - she can’t be distracted if it's at the full size. While she can keep it up for hours if necessary, she’ll be drained afterwards, and unable to cast any more spells without rest.
Speak With The Dead ⫻ Loni needs something the deceased was attached to to cast this spell. It takes about five minutes to cast, and requires her allowing a spirit to take over her body. It only lasts for fifteen minutes, unless she cancels it early.
Emergence ⫻
Enhanced Flexibility ⫻ This spell can be cast for an hour before she’ll need to rest for two to recast it.
Stamina Boost ⫻ The stamina boosts for an hour before she has to reapply it, or she’ll crash. The more she reapplies it, the harder she’ll crash.
Perfection ⫻ The one-off cast lasts for a couple of hours. The continuous requires a small amount of constant energy to use.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Chrysalis ⫻
Dragonfly Wings ⫻ On top of being painful, and the time it takes to deploy Dragonfly Wings make them a particularly loud and annoying target and thus, will have to contend with the target on her back.
Compound Eyes ⫻ Maintaining these eyes requires total concentration and focus. If it is broken her eyes will revert back to normal in a painfully quick transformation. As well, she’ll lose her vision for five seconds if this happens as her brain struggles to adjust to the new input.
Defensive Secretion ⫻ Loni is not immune to the spray and as such, it is good practice to know which direction the wind blows.
Play Dead ⫻ So convincing is this spell it may draw the hound to collect Loni. If the hound does show up, and Loni isn’t actually dead, she’d have to contend with its fury.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ If she fails with this spell the effect will rebound onto her. She’ll feel weakened, tired, and may fall asleep in a precarious position.
Other
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "El que busca encuentra."
Loni is fluent in Spanish.
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They/Them/She/He | 22 | Mexican | 5’6” | 131lbs _______________________________________________ Relentless _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I ain’t tellin’ you where I learnt that." ___________________________________
Violence ⫻ The thing Vin would say they’re most talented in. They love, and are talented at, beating people up and winning fights. Be it with a crowbar, baseball bat, or just their fists, Vin is adept at beating someone up and doing it painfully… for the other person, that is. They know how to fight and they fight dirty. They grew up tussling with other kids in the street, and now as part of the Hollow Tap, they use these skills near daily.
Criminal ⫻ Vin won’t try put any pretty words to it - they’re part of a criminal gang, and have the skills that go with it. Lockpicking, breaking down doors when they get too frustrated at that, theft, conning people, avoiding the police… all skills they have under their belt thanks to their time in the Hollow Tap.
Unphased ⫻ It takes a lot to phase Vin - they’re not easily scared, and they’ll never run from a fight. They’re always in the thick of it, and they never back down. It’s easy for them to keep a cool head even in some of the worst situations. After all, they probably saw that same shit just last week.
Sealing ⫻ Magically, Vin specialises in Apparition suppression. Because of this they’ve also mastered sealing - they can seal most Apparitions after beating them down.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Y’saw me on the fucking North Side? Nah, that was my twin, I ain’t the one you’re lookin’ for."
A person who’s appearance varies greatly, Vin can pull off roguish charm or sultry flirtation depending on the day and mood. How they feel about their gender is fluid day by day, and how they present themselves is reflected in that. Normally androgyny is the name of the game. Their soft curves are easily covered with a bit of binding or baggier tops, and the slight muscles they’ve developed add to the look. Vin doesn’t seem particularly muscular - and they don’t need to thanks to their Green Lux. But they’re fit and in shape. Their lips often pull up into a smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes, closer to a smirk in most instances.
Their thick, dark brown hair falls just below their chin - cut into shaggy layers. They normally leave it loose unless their niece has decided its dress up Uncle Vin day. Their bangs fall messily above their eyes. Their warm brown skin is hiding scars only seen up close - wounds from knives, or bullets, and stretch marks from constant shapeshifting. Their hands are rough, nails often chipped from hard work. They have two lobe piercings, often adorned with hanging chain earrings, and their right nostril pierced. They have a tattoo of a lark on their upper left thigh with radiant light around it.
Vin’s clothing varies depending on how they’re feeling, but it all follows a similar vibe - Hot Topic punk or streetwear style. On more masculine days they like their baggy cargo pants in greens, blacks and camo print along with sleeveless crop tops or hoodies. The neutral days can be anything they feel like pulling out of the wardrobe. On the feminine days they can go fully into it, with tartan skirts and see through net shirts. They’re always found in lace up boots or battered trainers, whatever seems more practical for the job they’re doing that day.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I’m doing this for them. That’s why they can never fuckin’ know.”
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Vin’s primary goal is to protect their twin sister, Loni, and her daughter. They want them both to have a good, fulfilling life. To have that, they need better opportunities. And with that comes their second goal, and the reason they’re in the Hollow Tap coven - to see the Lower District thrive like it should, and to destroy the North Side. Or at least, knock it off its pedestal.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ You don’t get anything by being nice. Peace just helps the ones on top. Violence is needed to pull them down - they need to be hurt and dragged into the mud with all those they oppress.
SECRETS ⫻ Being part of the Hollow Tap is something Vin keeps a secret from their Loni. They know they’d disapprove. Of course the fact that they’re a criminal is a general secret. They also hide how much they just don’t care about most people, and would just stand by and watch them die.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Pansexual. Vin likes most genders, and has had flings with a mix, but hasn’t been in a long term relationship since they lost their last partner in the Cataclysm.
FEARS ⫻ Vin fears losing Loni and her daughter. Not only to death, but also to his actions - that she may find out and never want to see them again. Their fight years ago hurt them deeply even though they always made sure Loni was safe.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Vin was actively fighting with the Hollow Tap coven during the Cataclysm.
FLAWS ⫻ Vin can be, at times, apathetic and brutal. They don’t care what they have to do to survive and protect their loved ones, or who they have to hurt. For them there’s family - Loni and Lu, and their coven - and there’s others. Others don’t matter to them. They’ve been jaded by losing people they’re close to, and witnessing the cruel realities of the world from a young age, meaning they’re closed off. They’re also incredibly stubborn and will rarely back down from their opinion, leading to arguments that get increasingly heated. They can be reckless and are quick to jump to violence. Often they’d rather let their fists do the talking.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Fuck all the rich bastards that keep us down."
Born to a young immigrant couple, Vin wasn’t given the best start to life. With a father that abandoned them when they were young and a mother who had to work herself to the bone for them to just get by, things were difficult. While Vin was the younger of the two they were the more responsible one, and from a young age felt the need to be strong and to protect their sister.
But it wasn’t the worst childhood. They had to get tough, but there was always food on the table, and a bed for them to share. Vin was part of a little gang of hooligans in their neighbourhood, who got into trouble brawling with kids a few streets over and destroying property. They were constantly getting into fights - ‘one of the boys’ is how they were viewed. Vin identified with it some days, other days not so much. Some days they chose to stay inside with their sister and play dress up… really, it depended. They didn’t have a word for it until they were older. But most of their time was spent fighting and raising hell.
Loni would often go off on her own, calmer adventures while Vin played with other kids on the street. It was during one of these times that Vin experienced the more brutal side of the city - and the contempt the North Siders had for people like them. Only ten, they ventured further than they had before with a small group of friends - all the way to the bridge connecting the North and the South. They were young and recklessly curious. So they dared each other to cross.
Vin ran over, through the legs of people passing, and back without a problem. But their friend, Greg, didn’t. He crashed right into a North Sider crossing… and the North Sider didn’t take it well. Not only did he beat Greg - but he kicked him to the side.
And off the bridge.
Vin couldn’t do anything to prevent their friend from falling to his death and drowning.
From there, Vin’s hatred of the North Side and the rich grew. Then, at fourteen, he got into a fight with some North Side teens that had snuck over to ‘experience what it was like.’ It was in that moment that their hatred switched to apathy. They didn’t care - and they could kill them.
Vin kindled. Their kindling, and the brief moment with their ancestors, saved the North Siders as Vin was dragged away by their friends.
The magic didn’t scare Vin. It was hereditary… so when there was time, they went to their mom. She explained more to them, but said she wouldn’t teach them anything until Loni kindled too. So Vin practiced by themselves, learning to transform their body into various forms, taking on aspects of animals they wanted while discarding those they didn’t. They spent all their free time alone practicing. Then, after a few months, Loni kindled too.
They were both taken along for their mother’s second job, where she invited spirits of the dead into her body using Black Lux. To Loni it was terrifying. To Vin… it was thrilling. They couldn’t do what their mother did, and didn’t want to - but the other Ghosts that roamed around while they were doing it? The Apparitions. They wanted to fight and kill them.
Vin began to develop their Black lux too, combining it with their Green until they could fight both Appartions and Humans with deadly efficiency. But as they did this their mother got sicker and sicker. It was horrible. But Vin felt a detachment Loni didn’t - a deep sorrow, sure, but apathy at the same time. As if their mom was already gone. But they still tried to step in, to take on the financial burden instead.
But they didn’t get to. And just before the two turned seventeen, their mother passed away.
There was just enough money for a funeral, and to last until they were eighteen. Vin did what they could to make things work, because Loni couldn’t. She withdrew into herself… and Vin had to be the strong one. They were pissed, angry where Loni was sad. But it wasn’t the magic killing their mother that drew Vin’s ire - it was the situation that forced her to work with it to the point it killed her. And they couldn’t let it get to them.
So when they ran out of money, they were also the one that had to find work. To protect Loni. They decided they’d find work killing Apparitions. It was what they were best at, and there were a fair few within the woods - and people who needed to get rid of them. Rich Adepts from the North Side looking for some muscle to protect them. Dangerous, but lucrative. They didn’t want to work with the North Siders, but for Loni…
Except Loni didn’t want Vin to put themselves in danger. Vin didn’t want to hurt Loni like that, but they had to. How else could they support them both? Both were too stubborn to listen to what the other was saying, and the argument ended with Loni walking out.
Vin waited a day. Two days. She didn’t come back. Then, after a week, they went out to find her. It took a while, but they did and she was… fine. She’d even found somewhere to work, and was easily integrating themselves. It hurt, of course, but what Vin wanted was for her to be happy - even if that was without them.
Without anything to support anymore, Vin turned to violence. They got into fights, beat up people for petty change to cover the rent, then beat up the landlord when he came around to try kick them out. It wasn’t sustainable, but it was addictive. The thrill, the adrenaline, the close brushes with death each time… then they picked a fight with the wrong guy, and ended up in deep shit with the Hollow Tap coven.
In the end, Hollow Tap was exactly what Vin needed. Their leader, Gideon, saw something in Vin - in their hatred of the North, their magic and their want to fight. Vin found a home in Hollow Tap. And they also found love with another coven member - Ali, a slightly older woman who’d been with the Hollow Tap since she’d become an adult. Vin fell hard and fast, and the two worked closely together.
After a year in Hollow tap, and a year and half after Loni left, things changed again. Loni came back. Vin found her on their doorstep in tears. They had no questions at first - hugging her and reassuring her while silently vowing to hurt whoever had done this to her. A man, it turned out. She was pregnant, and left alone expecting the child. Vin knew they had to do anything they could to help her.
So Loni moved back in, and her ex-boyfriend’s body turned up downstream a couple of days later.
Vin kept their work with Hollow Tap secret from Loni, pretending they just worked in the bar without any connections to the coven. They were delighted to become an Uncle-Aunt-whatever and did everything they could to act as the second parent.
When the Cataclysm struck, they were with the Hollow Tap, fighting Nyrah the Ravager and protecting the South Side from as much damage as possible. They were in the thick of it - getting hurt, and in turn losing many they cared about. Fellow coven members, friends… and their partner, Ali, were washed away by acid where Vin managed to stand strong. They came out of it more resentful, more scarred, and more apathetic.
From then, things have gotten worse. The divide is greater and Vin’s burning desire to bring down the North Side has only grown stronger.
Eventually, they get what they want. They’d see to it.
Paranormal-Abilities ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I got a lotta my ideas from these ‘weird animal defences’ videos my partner showed me."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻Green & Black Lux. Channeler: A silver chain bracelet with their name engraved on it
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Vin is a talented Green and Black Adept that specialises in physical transformation of her own body to take on aspects of various animals, Apparition suppression infused into her own body, and various more practical spells to aid in surveillance and survival.
The Warrior ⫻ Vin’s first discipline represents their brutal side, mixing Green and Black Lux to become a violent force against both Humans and Apparitions alike.
Beast Knight ⫻ Vin’s primary Green-Lux spell which allows them to transform into a beast-person: taking on animal aspects while retaining their humanity. They can mix and match which aspects they have with sub spells that they layer upon a base form, or replace aspects of them. When Vin casts Beast Knight, they must choose a base form. There are some shared traits between the base forms: enhanced strength and magical regeneration. They’re strong enough to lift up a small car, and can regenerate from most wounds that wouldn’t immediately kill them.
BASE FORM: TIGER ⫻ Vin’s first base form, and the most… typical. They shift into a humanoid tiger, with their face morphing into something more akin to a tiger’s, with a slightly more elongated snout - and sharp teeth to match. Their legs are muscular and digitigrade - they walk on their toes, but it allows stronger, quieter movement. They grow a tiger’s tail, and their arms also grow more muscular with sharp claws. In this base form, Vin has incredible strength, able to lift a truck. They have the ability to tear through flesh with claws and teeth. Their jaws are strong enough that their bite could break a bone, and their enhanced stamina allows them to keep fighting for the whole hour they’re transformed. Their skin is covered in russet fur like a tigers. While powerful, and relatively quick, they have few natural defences in this form. Their sense of hearing is massively improved by the tiger ears on the top of their head. They grow in size in this form, to about 5’10”.
BASE FORM: ERMINE ⫻ Vin’s second base form, in which they shift into a humanoid-ermine. Their neck elongates slightly, and they're covered in dense fur with a long fluffy tail - with the colour varying depending on the season. Pure white in winter, and russet brown with white on the front. Their face elongates, and they grow incredibly long claws from their now paw like hands - more claw than digit. In this form they have incredibly enhanced speed - able to move fast enough to seem like a blur to normal humans. Agile and fast, they rely on deadly targeted attacks in this form. Their sharp, hidden teeth are enough to cut through flesh - but not tear it. They primarily target the back of the neck, looking to incapacitate or kill. This form allows them to climb buildings easily, and get round incredibly quickly, while being weaker than their tiger form and lacking extra defences. They get smaller in this form, shrinking to about 5’.
BASE FORM: PANGOLIN ⫻ Vin’s final form, and possibly the oddest choice - shapeshifting into a humanoid-pangolin. Their face elongates, along with their fingers - with long, tough claws at the end. They grow a long tail, almost as long as themselves. But most notably, their skin is covered in large, protective keratin scales - like a natural scale armour all across their body (except their stomach). This makes them incredibly sturdy in this form, able to tank hits - both magical and mundane, with the scales strong enough to tank bullets and magical attacks alike. While their claws are sharp, they’re incredibly slow in this form. They can, if they really want to, enact a defensive mechanism just like the animal itself - curling up into a ball. This allows the scales, which are incredibly sharp, to stick out slightly - cutting anyone who tries to hit them.
Dragonfly Eyes ⫻ Taught to Vin by Loni, Vin can replace their eyes in their beast form with Dragonfly Eyes. These allow them to see in every direction at all times. Their vision is incredibly sharp allowing them to easily track moving things. They can see faster than humans with these eyes, making everything seem to happen in ‘slow motion’.
Snake Venom ⫻ A subspell added on top the base form, Vin’s teeth elongate further and sharpen at the ends - like snakes. This allows them to penetrate the skin of someone and shoot venom into their veins. This venom causes intense pain in the target, eventually leading to difficulty breathing, paralysis, and death. Emotional fields protect against it - they cannot kill other paranormals with this, and the paralysis wears off quickly… but it still hurts like a bitch.
Stag Horns ⫻ An additional subspell, Vin grows horns out of the top of the head like stags. These can be used to gouge out people, or alternatively for a strange sword fight using the horns instead. They’re strong enough to pierce right through someone, but unwieldy.
Kangaroo Legs and Tail ⫻ Vin’s base form legs and tail are replaced by a kangaroo’s - incredibly powerful legs with long feet and sharp claws. This allows Vin to jump incredibly high - up to 6 feet into the air. Their legs are also incredibly powerful, and they can deliver strong kicks with them (with sharp claws that would easily decapitate the Blind). There are some obvious downsides - they can’t move normally, only hop.
Mantis Shrimp Hammer Claws ⫻ Vin’s arms are replaced with useless in all but combat situations hammer claws, just like the Mantis Shrimps. These hammer-like appendages sit against their chest until ready to strike - and when they do, they shoot out at incredible speeds (though not quite as fast as the mantis shrimp itself). This punch can shatter bones, punch through steel and bricks - incredibly powerful… but very limited to punching only.
Ribbed Newt Rib Attack ⫻ Inspired by a video of an Iberian Ribbed Newt that they watched, with this subspell Vin shoves their ribs through their back, creating a sharp (but strangely placed and grotesque) extra weapon. These ribs are coated in poison, which causes intense burning pain on top of being pierced by sharp bone. Once the ribs are pulled back in, Vin can regenerate the flesh there without… killing themselves via rib displacement.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ With this spell, Vin infuses their body with Black Lux to make their physical attacks weaken Apparition’s. It drains the emotions that fuel them, making them physically and magically weaker, allowing for them to be sealed more easily. This infusion is only on their body, not any weapons they may have, and is often used along with their Beast Knight spell.
Apparition Endurance ⫻ Vin coats their body with Black Lux, making them more resistant to Apparition’s attacks. This casting requires ‘attunement’ with whatever Apparition they’re fighting - manipulating it in a way to defend against and endure any attacks it may have. For each different Apparition, it requires a fresh cast of the spell.
Apparition Wounding ⫻ Infusing their body with Black Lux, this spell allows Vin to cause Apparitions overwhelming and painful wounds. While it doesn’t directly weaken them like their Apparition Weakening spell, it does hurt and damage them with the Black Lux. Directly damaging them like this can allow Vin to tear of Apparition limbs and similar, if they have limbs that could be removed.
The Final Blow ⫻ A powerful Black-Green lux spell, which infuses Vin’s hands (or other limb of choice) with potent Black Lux. This allows them to deliver a ‘final blow’ to an Apparition, incapacitating them - ‘killing them’ in as much as an Apparition could be killed. Of course, they’ll respawn after being destroyed - but the Black Lux slows their regeneration.
The Survivor ⫻ Vin’s secondary discipline, and one they’ve concentrated on less than the spells that aid them in fighting. These are more practical spells with use outside of combat.
Rat Transformation ⫻ Vin’s only full animal transformation, primarily used to get places they can otherwise. Vin turns into a rat and gets all the advantages that come with that - small size, heightened sense of smell and hearing (but poor vision), and an ability to jump incredibly high, climb up practically vertical surfaces, and squeeze through incredibly tight spaces. They also have a bite strong enough to make someone bleed… though they’re still a rat. They can’t use any magic in this form, aside from transforming back.
Small Animal Reanimation ⫻ A pure black lux spell, this allows Vin to reanimate the bodies of small animals - the largest they can do is something the size of a rat. They control this creature magically, and can use it as a spy or decoy - it can be sent up to fifty metres away from them, and they can see, hear and smell through the creature reanimated.
Apparition Detection ⫻ Vin can detect Apparitions in a radius of twenty metres around them. This allows them to pinpoint where Apparitions are, and how many there are, but they’ve not refined it enough to get more information.
LIMITS ⫻
The Warrior ⫻
Beast Knight ⫻ Vin can only remain in the Beast Knight state for an hour, before they forcefully transformed back to normal. Then they need to rest for at least four hours before using it again. They can only take one base form, and takes five minutes to change base form while already transformed with full concentration - fifteen with less concentration. Each base form has limits - Tiger is strong, but with weak defences, ermine is fast, but needs to attack in targeted ways otherwise it is weak, and Pangolin has strong defences but is incredibly slow.
They can layer on up to two subspells on top of their base form, and are able to actively swap between them while in this form. They can’t have two of the same appendages, so subspells often swap out the base forms’, which can result in some difficulties. Swapping takes thirty seconds to a couple of minutes depending how large the physical changes are, and whether they’re completely focused on the changes or doing other things at the same time. The initial transformation takes about a minute.
Dragonfly eyes allow them to see all around, but it also gives them a lot more to process, making it difficult to keep up with the speed with which they see. They can only inject snake venom once every fifteen minutes, needing to regenerate it everytime. The stag horns are heavy and unwieldy, making them hard to use. The kangaroo legs and tail prevent them from walking normally, and make stealth impossible - and the hopping can be difficult to control, resulting in them overshooting where they're aiming a lot. With the hammer claws, they functionally don’t have hands. They can’t pick up anything, they can only punch. The rib attack is difficult to hit, and requires slamming someone with their back. Also even though it doesn’t damage them, it’s painful.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ Vin can be infused with this spell for half an hour, before needing an hour break to cast it again. They can’t use it along with Apparition Wounding. This only infuses their body - no objects, no other people. This means they effectively have no range in it, and have to essentially punch Apparitions to sealable weakness.
Apparition Endurance ⫻ Vin can be infused with this spell for an hour, but its limited unless they attune to the Apparition they’re fighting - making them only slightly more resistant. With ‘attunement’, using their black lux to subtly manipulate the Apparitions attacks to not affect them as much. This attunement can take seconds for incredibly weak Apparitions, to minutes for stronger ones.
Apparition Wounding ⫻ Vin can be infused with this spell for half an hour, before needing an hour break to cast it again. They can’t use it along with Apparition Weakening. This only infuses their body - no objects, no other people. This means they effectively have no range in it, and have to essentially punch Apparitions to sealable weakness.
The Final Blow ⫻ Vin can only use this once a day, and it massively drains their magic, meaning they can’t use any spells for another hour after it. For weaker Apparitions, it can be used to immediately kill them - the stronger the Apparition, the more they need to have been weakened first.
The Survivor ⫻ Vin’s secondary discipline, and one they’ve concentrated on less than the spells that aid them in fighting. These are more practical spells with use outside of combat.
Rat Transformation ⫻ Vin can only transform into a rat for thirty minutes, and this transformation is painful. Plus, they have to leave behind their clothes, because human sized clothes just won’t fit a rat.
Small Animal Reanimation ⫻ Vin can only reanimate one animal, and it can be no larger than a rat. They need a dead corpse they can see to reanimate.
Apparition Detection ⫻ Vin can detect Apparitions in a radius of twenty metres around them. They can’t tell anything about these Apparitions, and will always detect all Apparitions in the area - if there’s loads it could be overwhelming.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Beast Knight ⫻ Vin's many beast forms all come with the same weakness. These base forms have an increased cost of stamina, energy, and even parts of their life force. While subtle at first, the more Vin changes their form within their the higher the cost each subsequent change will carry. They will get slower, weaker, and their defensive forms will become more fragile and prone to failure if they change their form often. Thus, Vin will need to examine the situation in full and commit to fewer forms in a fight less their forms become weakened to the point of failure. As well, by adopting these more animal like features, Vin will accidentally catch the eyes of many. As Cloverfield is now the location of the most magically aware people per capita in the world this means that they can cause kindling events in their wake. Vin will also have to contend with the numerous freaks who find magical monster women attractive.
As well, injuries sustained in these forms will prevent her from shifting unless she is able to mend them. Smaller cuts and scrapes would not trigger this weakness but a broken bone or deep laceration could. This means if she gets into the thick of it she may end up stuck in a form until the timer is up, and the resulting transformation back to human will be both painful and traumatizing.
Dragonfly Eyes ⫻ Maintaining these eyes requires total concentration and focus. If it is broken her eyes will revert back to normal in a painfully quick transformation. As well, she’ll lose her vision for five seconds if this happens as her brain struggles to adjust to the new input.
Snake Venom ⫻ Like the weakness to Beast Knight, too many rapid transformations within an hour could render her vulnerable to her own venom.
Mantis Shrimp Hammer Claws ⫻ While the form is incredibly powerful, the force of the impact can work both ways. Even when she is fresh she'll feel the strain on their arms and shoulders with each strike, and if she has shifted forms numerous times it could even shatter her own arms or shoulders, possibly both.
Apparition Weakening ⫻ If she fails with this spell the effect will rebound onto her. She’ll feel weakened, tired, and may fall asleep in a precarious position.
Apparition Endurance ⫻ The attunement for this spell can also cause her to fall victim to apparitions with strong physcic attacks as they will also become attuned to her.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Vete a la chingada."
Vin speaks fluent Spanish. While they dress differently, Vin and Loni are identical twins and can be difficult to tell apart if you don’t know them - something Vin uses to their advantage when needed.
She/Her | 33 | Italian American | 6'2" (188cm) | 160lbs (72.5kg) _______________________________________________ Liberated _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Matriarch is more than just a title to a Motta." ___________________________________
Matriarch of the Motta ⫻ Due to the unique circumstances surrounding the Matriarch Program, Moriah was hand crafted as a specimen outside the natural biology of Humanity's standard. Unnaturally strong, fast and durable, Moriah's body plays host to innate Green Lux reserves that make her an excessively capable Adept. Hundred-Fold Inheritor ⫻ As the latest of the Motta Clan's Matriarchal lineage, Moriah has full access to her family's pool of resources from mundane business ventures to the Spellbook of Sylvia de Motta, curated over the 300 years spent in isolation among the hills of Appalachia. The New Breed ⫻ Traditionally, Matriarchs of the Whispering Flesh are expected to join the Children of Alezia as members of the Commendatoriate: The officer corps of the Coven's in-house mercenary company. Moriah not only excelled in her duty as a leader of Men, but as a strategic powerhouse with little remorse or consideration for her enemies. Pole Queen ⫻ On her return from service in the Children of Alezia, Moriah inherited her family's main business: The Sin Sisters' stripclub. Having grown up there, she was already well acquainted with the ins and outs of hands-on operations. Everything from mixology to management, and even performances, aren't below the Queen's station.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I don't even need to try... But I still do."
At the surface, Moriah is an unnaturally striking woman whose height and stature would typically intimidate the average suitor. In reality, due to the functionality of her fleshcrafting abilities, Moriah's outward appearance is only limited by her overall skeletal structure: The soft and semi-soft structures of her anatomy are entirely malleable and beholden to Moriah's abilities as a Green Lux Master. That being said, in a neutral and unaffected state, Moriah's facial features are generally soft and rounded, sporting green eyes and a relatively small but similarly rounded nose. Her skin is often intentionally pallid and pale as an aesthetic choice, though because of this, her skin is often cold to the touch. Otherwise, her figure itself is generally toned without reaching the point of overtly masculine: As Matriarchs of the Whispering Flesh typically do, Moriah closely relates to and identifies with her femininity. Thus, striving for perfection in the same way a sculptor may, Moriah has spent many years perfecting her "neutral" figure. Now, no matter how many changes she may make in a day or a week, her form will naturally return to solid and densely packed muscle fiber hidden under a thin but softening layer of subcutaneous fat.
As for her fashion sense and general aesthetic, Moriah continues the trend of her family by following boot-covered footprints toward the nearest Hot Topic (The old one, not... Whatever it is now.). Call it punk-chique, vampire goth, whatever label one assigns to the combination of military wear and otherwise scandalously chopped and screwed band tees and denim is what she loves. Crosses, rings with skulls, deep black hair and thick makeup, tattoos: Anything she can do to look like a member of a clan of bloodsuckers, including false fangs, she's happy to be caught in. Another quirk of her powers is the ability to form and shape stains on her skin, giving off the impression of makeup and tattoos that are said to dance across her body like moving pictures.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Matriarchs don't break. We're meant to bend in weird ways."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ As a living legend among her peers, Moriah's level of freedom to experiment as she desires is only limited by her ability to maintain the expected quality and quantity of the Genetic Tithe. The Tithe is a payment of genetic materials made directly to the Sisterhood of Whispering Flesh - The ultimate originators of the Matriarchal lines which Moriah can trace her ancestry back to. The Matriarchs of Culla, their capital city in the foothills of the Italian Alps, maintain lines of credit which Matriarchs are able to call upon based on the quality and quantity of their provided Tithes. As such, those who are most successful find themselves to be both wealthy and powerful, garnering influence based on the perception of loyalty and dedication which consistent Tithes represent. As such, in order to maintain as much autonomy as possible, Momo's only real goal in life is to maintain the highest grade of Tithe she possibly can. After all, she's long broken from the most traditional methodologies espoused by her teachers, in favor of far more experimental efforts in the furthering of the Matriarch Program.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Moriah is a surprisingly laid back individual for being so intimately involved with the daily grind of business ownership and coven leadership. This is mostly due to confidence and self-assuredness, which she had the opportunity to develop over a youth spent totally conscious of her purpose in life. Additionally, there are hypnotic anti-triggers locked in her manufactured brain which prevent overreaction. Any impulse that would unseat her stability is snuffed out before she can process it with a roughly 99% chance of efficacy. Therefore, her only true intention is to be the best Matriarch she can be: Fair, even-tempered, thoughtful, accepting and gracious. Though, notably after an altercation with her direct progenitor, Momo has made subtle alterations to her behavior. Among them, she's far more hands-on in just about everything she can be than she was previously. Frustratingly, she's become something of a micro-manager because of it.
SECRETS ⫻ Moriah has a deep-seeded and desperate need for excellence and the recognition that it brings. Such is her fervor and need to accomplish this that she has completely divested herself of any rules and regulations set forth by the Coven of the Whispering Flesh in regards to the continuity of the Motta line of Matriarchs. Of note, a regulation stating that a Matriarch will only ever prepare a single replacement has been completely done away with, as Moriah began work on a simultaneous batch of ten "Unborn". The process of preparing even a single Matriarch Unborn is a grueling and resource-intensive endeavor, especially given the requirement of constant genetic source material to pull from. While she does her absolute best to responsibly acquire said source materials, not all donations have come willingly... But if Moriah sees qualities and traits that she wishes to express through her Children, well... She can't help but fixate. One can only hope that a monthly blood donation is the least of their concerns.
SEXUALITY ⫻ One of the many quirks of the Matriarch Program's earliest days is the simultaneous coexistance of both types of human sexual organs. While she finds pleasures of the flesh to be accurately named, Moriah was born with a built-in drive to spread her genetic lineage as far and wide as possible while simultaneously storing and integrating any genetic material she happens to alternately receive.
FEARS ⫻ Prior to the Cataclysm, Moriah had been working on a single Matriarch. Over four painstaking years, Moriah had put her heart and soul into a single Unborn which had, in her mind, a strong potential for a split- Twins. Her ultimate goal, ripped away from her in a single instant of destruction. Her laboratory, her personal sanctum wasn't just crushed: It was swallowed whole. Since then, she's put a great deal of focus into making sure something like that never happens again. Thus, not only has she broken her Coven's laws by forming more than one, but she's also obsessively hidden locations in which her Daughters are kept all throughout the city and surrounding area. Something so wretched as loss of her Unborn can never happen again.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Coordinating efforts to both mitigate damage and maximize the effectivness of her Coven's small but capable fighting force, Moriah was quick to align her forces with the Keepers of the Grove and other likeminded local groups. Her main goal was, at the time, recovering what she thought would be her safe and well-protected Unborn from an otherwise catastrophic lapse in defendable territory: Of course that didn't happen, and many got to see the brutality of a Matriarch in mourning first hand.
FLAWS ⫻ Unlike normal humans, Moriah was born with purpose and destiny pre-programmed into her psyche. While she is a thinking, feeling, living human with real hopes and dreams, her course and destiny were somewhat predetermined. As such, while others may change the course of their lives over and over again in order to better themselves, Moriah treats every brick wall she meets as just another obstacle. She is unflinching, unbending, but also inflexible when faced with something that will affect the overall positive status of her goals.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "In line for the ol' song and dance, huh?"
Moriah's story starts in a plague-ravaged village at the foot of the Italian/Swiss Alps nearly a thousand years ago. An isolated village, one where the only people left alive were the feared Strega, who were rumored to toil over bubbling cauldrons deep in the forests. Before the destruction, many of the locals tried and failed to uproot this secretive Coven, only to be turned back as the forests themselves came alive. They all believed that the disease came from those cauldrons, whose sickly green trails could be found weaving their way through the fields and streets after particularly dark nights. La Sorellanza della Carne Sussurrata: The Sisterhood of Whispering Flesh, who came to the villages at night to take their Tithe... Being sick in the Motta Monad Valley wasn't just a death sentence in those days; it was a guarantee that your home would be invaded, and your loved one would be taken. Lo, more and more fighting men were sent to end the percieved threat. Consequently, less and less men were seen walking about the Valley. Eventually, less and less men were seen throughout the region as sickness took the weak, and the Flesh took the strong.
The ignorant couldn't have understood what they were trying to do: That the magical plague which was spreading across Europe had it's origins in a war so ancient that even the Sisterhood was infantismally small in comparison. The Sisterhood were healers, or at least attempted healers, as their Coven toiled in service to the Deer whom they deeply worshipped. They closely monitored local infection rates, and would attempt to minimize the spread by isolating the sick from their villages. Those "dark nights" were the result of a gentle -albiet still fairly disturbing- preemptive gassing of the locals with a sleeping agent. Their stilt-walking cauldrons were typically the last things that the townsfolk would see before the darkness fell around them; and those unaffected were typically the scant few magically-inclined individuals who had some sort of Emotional Field to protect them. So naturally they'd be targeted. Hated. Suspected of creating the sickness to steal the sick and sacrafice them to the Devil. And naturally, with money harder and harder to come by, fighting Men would seek out the paychecks provided by mercenary groups. The very same who would find themselves traipsing through the Motta Monad Valley on the hunt for Witches of the Wilds. Of course they would, in turn, defend themselves.
By the end, one could count the amount of men in the surrounding region without an abbacus. When cities like Venace and Naples came to claim their soldiers, they found villages devoid of life, save a few pox-free women and children who somehow managed to escape infection. They never found their men: Those men weren't found until recently, when a logging operation in that same valley turned up trees whose cores were the mummified remains of long-dead mercenaries, still clad in their armor and clutching their weapons for dear life. Rather, unable and unwilling to push their luck in the dark forests, the famed city-states of Italy condemned the valley in all but the most blatant of wall building. Those who could flee did, and those who couldn't threw themselves from the nearby peaks. Only the Sisterhood remained. And while they were alone, they had not been idle with those who they couldn't save: Instead keeping their essential parts in biological stasis until a time where a cure for their sickness could be achieved. It's said the Deer itself called to them through the forests- "Mankind has failed. Go, and and do as they have, o' Sisters of the Flesh. Maketh of a New Man in thine own image." And with the Deer's instruction, the Sisterhood learned to craft flesh from flesh recycled. Their cauldrons became wombs into which the lives and memories of the sick were poured.
Each sister would craft a mirror of herself, and each would inevitably crawl into their own creation in order to spark new life. These creatures, made of pure arcane biology who were born from their cauldrons as grown things, transcended the boundaries between the biological poles. Each then learned and taught and understood one another intimately; and the first of the Matriarchs were born. From them, more would come in generations upon generations, the technique being refined as the Matriarchs joined and split throughout Europe's checkered history. They would eventually weave their way into the fabric of European high society, expanding the genetic pool far beyond the picturesque hills they came from. With this influence, Matriarchs would then return to the Motta Monad bearing mortal followers, materials, resources - All in the service of giving back to the land that had cradled them. A city which would remain outside of time, outside of the realms of Blind Humanity, and deep in the Deer's most sacred of mountain groves. The city of Matriarchs: Culla, the Cradle of Mothers, where the eldest and wisest of their kind would rule the forests and guide the evolution of the Coven of Whispering Flesh into a global effort. A practicing plan to replace the follies of Mankind with the pure, natural expression of Maternal love and tenderness.
Culla remains hidden in the Monad Valley, even as industry and modern technology move back into the lower parts of the landscape abudding the Cerva River. The revival of humanity, and the eventual repopulation of the area by the Blind Majority, were always part of the Whispering Flesh's plans after all. Importantly, due to that consistent slow prodding, defenses had to be erected. A garrison formed, made up of the mortal followers and biological Sons of the Matriarchs of Culla, dubbed the Children of Alezia. Purely practical at first, it was a way to put the otherwise mostly useless and heavily scrutinized menfolk of Culla to good use: Living and dying for their mothers and Matriarchs, their loyalty was supreme. As more Matriarchs were born, however, and many came to Culla from the far-flung branches of the Whispering Flesh, a new purpose was given to the otherwise mostly ceremonial "police" organization. The Commendatoriate was formed, essentially as a college for younger Matriarchs to come and hone their skills. With the leadership of the Sons more closely controlled by the Commendatoriate, the Matriarchs of Culla were free to begin selling their magical mercenary company to the surrounding areas, and eventually further abroad as conflicts became more global and widespread.
Now, with the origins covered, we can talk about the New World: A Matriarch named Sylvia, born as a noble Matriarch of Culla and carrying the bloodline of one of the Originators, was an especially gifted and talented individual among her peers. Selected by her Matriarch and the ruling council of Culla, Sylvia uprooted herself and her closest followers to make passage for the New World, recently reborn as the United States of America. A few lesser Sisters made passage first, returning letters detailing a mountain range with suitable connection to The Deer's influence: A perfect place for Sylvia to settle and take advantage of the burgeoning diversity of the newborn Country. Peoples of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the native peoples who had called this "New World" their home for thousands of years prior, would all be available for them to easily pull and create from. Especially fascinating was the Native American's particular closeness and affinity for the natural environment most closely associated with The Deer. It was believed that their natural connections would make particularly quality contributions to Matriarchal bloodlines of the future. As such, a branch was formed at the feet of the Appalachian Mountains: La Congrega della Gloria Immacolata, the Coven of Untouched Glory.
It's been three-hundred years since the founding of Untouched Glory. Unbroken for nearly all of it, the Sisterhood has been nothing but successful in their quest to perfect the process of Matriarchal Unbirth. Their claim to fame: Learning how to break the cycle of Reclamation, which prevented Matriarchs from needing to sacrifice themselves in order to birth the next generation. The phenomena of Twin Matriarchs, once seen as a blessing of fertility, became secondary to the new and modernized Unbirthing process. Now, it's merely seen as a good omen; a preferable outcome to see two Matriarchs born from the effort of one. Sisters no longer crawl into their own cauldrons to provide the spark of life: Thus, the number of Matriarchs in the world swelled from dozens to thousands within a few generations. The unprecedented boom in population has since forced the Whispering Flesh to classify their ranks even further, creating less and less significant positions of authority and bureaucracy for those "honored sisters" who just don't stack up to their peers. Most don't even see the City of Culla now, and frequently these "Lesser Dames" choose to break with tradition altogether in favor of free lives among the world.
This process has since broken up the very Coven which created the situation in the first place: Sixty-five years ago, the renowned Matriarch twins Allegra and Bella, "Greater Dames" in their own right, returned from their time spent behind the forest walls of Culla with a new plan. Immediately, they petitioned for branching from the Untouched Glory, taking little with them and making way for the burgeoning city of Cloverfield not from their Motherland near the city of Roanoke. After all, they both had the chance to travel in the Commendatoriate, and saw far more of the globe than many of their sisters and progenitors before them. Fascinated by the liberation movements and rebellions sparking across the planet, their belief was that there was never a better chance than that moment to slip into modern City life. Like the Matriarchs of ancient times, the two sisters quickly wove their way into what passed for High Society in the Appalachian South, finally forming the Twin-Hill Coven. Soon, the city's first strip club was opened- Originally a juke-joint and speakeasy in an otherwise dry county, Sin Sisters' became the premier club not only to see beautiful women, but to socialize and party to one's content. Of course, the sisters themselves only had one goal: Gather as much genetic diversity and potential as possible.
Famously inclusive and anti-segregationist, the Sin Sisters' Club became the gold standard for nightlife in Cloverfield's Upper-West End. Allegra Motta especially garnered a great deal of attention as a Texas Guinan-Style nightlife hostess: Her presence in the Club on any given night could reportedly turn the atmosphere from comfortable mellow to an absolutely electric fervor. On more than one occasion, it was said that the revelry would spill from the club into the gilded streets of Cloverfield's ritzy North side, lasting until every last man and woman made it back to their beds safely. It was a golden age, and the sisters prospered as they developed their own Matriarch Progeny. A concerted effort on the part of Allegra and Bella, the two experimented on further perfecting a single progeny which was allocated double the resource pool. An experiment that's said to have created the single strongest Matriarch to have ever lived: Cadenza Superiore Motta, the first of the New Breed. The trend was not ignored, and while Cadenza's childhood rolled into her own time behind Culla's walls and at the helm of the Commendatoriate, Matriarchs around the world attempted to copy the results without success.
It's said that the bond Allegra and Bella share- Matriarchal Twinhood -was the spark that allowed for such an outlier to exist. Since, only the scant few twin-contemporaries have even come close to replicating the Motta Sisters' results. As such, Cadenza remained uncontested for almost twenty years as the "Arch-Matriarch". It was expected that her own progeny would either be a blessed Twin Unbirth, or at the very least an even stronger specimen than herself. And so finally, we've reached our hero: Moriah Bella Motta, Matriarchal Progeny of the Greatest among them. Born to Cadenza behind the walls of Culla with only two years of Unbirthed gestation, Moriah was seen as "Uncooked" by those who found her infantile form as nothing more than a premature release. A test for Cadenza's future endeavors, and nothing more. So, it was fairly shocking to the Matriarchs of Culla when this "infant" strode and spoke and thought as if she were fully termed. Typically, a Matriarch would gestate for an entire decade as their Progenitor gathered genetic material from as many sources as possible.
For Cadenza, this process was simple: Why bother with outsiders? Everything Moriah needed to be was already behind the walls, and while most Matriarchs were covetous and guarding of their own personal genomes, none could resist the Arch-Matriarch's demand for their materials. She took whoever she could by charm and grace, and those who did deny her could scarcely prevent her from enacting the Right of Dueling to take by force. Thus, unlike most Matriarchs whose genetics come from a laundry list of Blind, Mundane or otherwise non-Matriarchal Adept tributaries, Moriah Bella was made entirely by the collected genetics of the best and brightest of her kind. Like her Matriarch, Moriah was powerful and gifted- growing faster outside of her artificial womb than she ever would've inside, by her tenth birthday, Moriah took her position in the Commendatoriate in order to travel the world and complete her education. While most Matriarchs learn to fight and to lead in the Commendatoriate, it was here that Moriah instead learned how to be a human. Gifted as she was, her life as a fully conscious and adult-minded child was spent being taught to control herself and the powers within her. Cadenza was a harsh Mistress, and perfection was never enough to impress her, so Moriah only strove to seek that out. Emancipation from that, her time spent among her Peers as a leader of mercenaries in the modern age of Cold Wars and Hot Conflicts across the magical world, was like Rumspringa.
Moriah would spend the next decade among her peers as an unparalleled warrior princess, earning the highest honors among the Matriarchs in the Commendatoriate that she could before finally retiring to her true Motherland: Cloverfield. While she'd spent the occasional summer there in her early life as Cadenza's needs required, Moriah became especially fascinated by the lifestyle of her Grandmother-Matriarchs. Their oppulent Coven, the gilded Mansion they lived in, were very stark in contrast to the egalitarian and naturalist lifestyle of Culla. She would find later, during her time in the service, that more places were like Cloverfield than Culla: A realization that stuck with her and managed to draw her back once she had the freedom to do as she pleased. As it was, she was still following her revered Mother, as Cadenza had returned to Cloverfield in order to address conflict within the umbrella of The Untouched Glory. Partly in support, but mostly independent, Moriah began to spend more and more time with her Grandmother Allegra. Learning about becoming a part of the Sin Sisters' Family as both a dancer and ultimately the facility's manager, Moriah became more and more comfortable with the urban highlife of America.
Cadenza eventually returned to Culla, trusting her daughter not only with ensuring the stability of the Coven of Untouched Glory, but the safety and protection of her non-matriarchal Consort and the gaggle of children that the two had naturally: Moriah's many "Mundane" siblings. Some remained with Bella Motta in the Ashram of Untouched Glory, others were trusted to various Covens in the local area. Cadenza was expressly clear, however. "The only person who matters is Nikki. Protect my Consort. Protect my Love." Moriah never could've predicted what happened next. How through a slow, subtle chain of events, the woman she knew as "Momma" would be slowly, surely lured through her children into the waiting arms of a criminal mastermind. One whose experiments of Blue Lux hungered for the incredibly durable and power-laden bodies of the Matriarchs. She disappeared one day, and without Moriah even prompting her to return, Cadenza made way for Cloverfield in order to find her missing lover. Before she too disappeared, Cadenza was sure to let her daughter know exactly how she felt about her failure of duty... Though she couldn't be stripped of her titles and rank, Moriah was stripped of every bit of dignity and peace she'd built for herself: Cadenza left no fault or flaw undescribed, dressing Moriah down to the point that when the Arch-Matriarch did disappear, there was no followup. No response.
All of Momo's affection and love toward her Progenitor died alongside her. There was no effort put into into mounting an investigation. Her half-siblings were quickly scattered about the local area, sent to different Covens who would take the orphaned children out of Momo's hands until a time where they'd be old enough to make their own decisions. Allegra, in mourning at the fate of her "Perfect Child", completely retired from public life to be with her beloved twin in the Ashram of Untouched Glory where they'd been born. Now, she's been left to her own devices: Moriah has taken to her position as Matriarch of the Twin-Hill Coven like a fish to water, contributing a significant Tithe of genetics from her facility to the higher branches. Satisfied with the status quo, the Matriarchs of Culla have asked few questions... After all, despite her power, few wept at the loss of Cadenza Motta. Her impersonal, aggressive and often elitist attitude to those who she deemed "lesser" made her an incredibly unpopular figure across the entire family tree of the Whispering Flesh. By contrast, Moriah is looked upon fondly by the Matriarchs of Culla, as the eldest of their ranks remember the strange little girl for who she had been naturally. The opposite of her Matriarchal Progenitor, Moriah was always the first to rally Lesser Dames to her cause, and to uplift those she could wherever possible.
Momo has become a name that Culla can trust in the United States, while her Grandmothers Bella and Allegra have faded into quiet retirement with the loss of their "Perfect Child". While talks are in the works to push her toward leadership of the Untouched Glory, Moriah has since made plans of her own. Specifically, her own personal refinement to the process of cross-Matriarchal birth. The same kind of development her Progenitor Cadenza had created for her, Momo's intention was to experiment with a longer gestation time under the same process. This meant a ten-year development period for her personal Unborn, who she had affectionately named Fiora before the girl ever could've known. Life settled into a rhythm from there. Sin Sisters' continued to be successful, and Momo's presence at the club was felt much like her social mentor. Healthy genetic diversity, the currency within the Whispering Flesh, bought her plenty of Matriarchal Material in turn, which provided for Fiora's planned gestation. Things were good, and Momo was at her absolute height in regards to her success. She was able to rebuild herself in the wake of losing her Mother both physically and mentally...
And then the Cataclysm came. It was devastating to the entire area, and even with the combined might of so many different forces coming together to try and stop it, there was only so much anyone could do. Ever the pragmatist, Momo did her best to use the time surrounded by the various covens of Appalachia to both gather material, and solidify alliances. At first, the Upper-West end was more like a breathing crater of destruction. Not only was the original Sin Sisters' club destroyed, but gut-wrenchingly, so had the underground laboratory which Momo had hoped would be safe for Fiora... It hadn't been. Years of effort and material were wiped clean from the world by the chaos of the Cataclysm. More importantly than any of that, however, was the emotional attachment. Momo had, unlike many of her peers who saw their progeny as nothing but experiments, grown to love her Unborn like a true mother would... As if she'd carried the child in her own body. Maternal instinct gave way to mourning, coincidentally returning her to a closeness with her Grandmother Matriarchs that she'd been callous and cold about previously. But it also turned her into a frothing monster in opposition to Nyrah the Destroyer's nightmarish forces. Some called her bold, others foolish - But in the end, nobody could question that her efforts to reclaim the Upper-West End were pivotal in the overall reduction of Nyrah's capacity to wage war on the city.
And she didn't leave after, either. Despite so many people fleeing the city and the temporary reinforcements heading back to their respective homes, Momo was one of the first people to start putting resources back into the city. She became more than just a nightclub owner - She became a public figure whose contributions to the fiscal, material and labor requirements necessary for the initial disaster relief were recognized by politicians both local and Federal. She had, after all, already claimed payment. The corpses of the dead were necessary contributors to the war effort... And the various post-conflict clinical facilities gave her plenty of magical and mundane material to send as unbroken Tithes back to Italy. Unbroken Tithes that earned her not only respect, but absolute trust among the Matriarchs of Culla. The kind of trust and respect which privacy can thrive in. As the Upper-West End was built back up to its gilded glory, the various magical groups playing a large part in the city's reconstruction over such a short period, Momo has taken the chance to work her way into various local enterprises.
Ever expanding her Tithe collection and unburdened by the expectation of her superiors, Momo has been free to experiment as she pleases. Because of this, she's divested herself of a cardinal rule: No longer is she restricted to a single Unborn. Instead, having established several hidden laboratories around Cloverfield's Upper and Lower ends, the amount of Unborn she's juggling in various stages of different methods and techniques has ballooned to ten. And each, separated from the rest, require tremendous amounts of time and resources in order to form correctly. Rarely does Momo sleep, for there is simply no time. It's been almost two years since the devastation wrought by the Cataclysm. It's safe to say that, unlike many, the Twin-Hills Coven has thrived in the rebuilding effort of Cloverfield. Despite her pain and traumas, Momo has come to find joy and fulfillment in her life once again. Now, the only question for the future is: How long will she be able to keep up with the juggling act?
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Green Lux is pretty crazy: It's everything Red Lux is, but better!"
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Bio-Chemical Equation: Green Lux focusing on Periodic Elements and the part they play in Biology. Moriah's Channeler is a band made of pure gold implanted around the base of her spinal chord.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ There are Adepts who come from long-lived magical lineages, who are almost immediately opened to their third-eye and encouraged in every possible way to kindle early. Expectedly, they make for exceptionally talented individuals whose jump on the magical world around them leaves them overall more studied and capable than their peers who come into that world later in life. But what if one could twist and bend the Lux around the genetics of humanity, forming a vessel through the ebb and flow of magic that could be rendered as a willing host? Alternatively, what if one simply kept that child waiting, growing freely without the concern of lifespan as the constant manipulation of their body in a semi-formed state?
For Moriah, both of these ideas were used in tandem. Born through the Mother Deer's Gift - A process of gestating a child through multiple genetic donor sources by a competent Green Lux Adept - Moriah was created by one of the most skilled Green Lux users of her age. As such, her connection with Green Lux and her ability to wield and manipulate it down to the finest chemical elements found in nature is said to be peerless. Two years of gestation was all it took, and Moriah was born from the viscous amneotic pool in which she was developed with a fully developed mind and body. Cadenza, her Matriarchal Progenitor, had managed to make the unthinkable happen by claiming enough genetic material from the pool of Matriarchs spred across Dazzle to develop her progeny entirely from that source.
Until then, it was a source that nobody thought was possible to tap fully. A Matriarch may have two or three peer-donors, trusted fellows whose power or grasp on their Lux was particularly potent or desirable; but Cadenza sourced a reported five-thousand Matriarchal donors - Practically the entirety of their secret society's upper crust. It's had a potent effect on Moriah, and to this day her ability to control Green Lux borders on Apparitional. Spells, incantations, rituals; these things are only present as guidelines to educate lesser Adepts so they can hope to pull from a shallow pool of creation. For her, they're little more than party tricks, while she's able to call out to and reach for the chemical elements that surround all of us in subtle ways, using only her tremendous Green reserves as the catalyst.
The Mother Deer's Gift ⫻ As the primary building block of the magics utilized by Matriarchs of the Sisterhood of Whispering Flesh, the Mother Deer's Gift was the spell taught to the original Sisterhood who gave themselves to their cauldrons to kickstart the evolutionary process necessary to transcend their humanoid biology. At its most basic, the Gift is a fundamental understanding of the liquidity of Biology, and how the proper chemical compounds can create and maintain life with indefinite success. Understanding organic polymers created by nucleotides, and the further knowledge of how to create those building blocks through chemical elements and the formulation of amino acids, is a crucial stepping stone for every Matriarch. Thankfully, this knowledge is usually second nature, as in the process of their creation, Matriarchs will invariably program this understanding into their "Unborn" progeny while they're creating them.
This process, the creation of a new Matriarch through the Mother Deer's Gift, is just as much a science project as it is a ritual spell. A great deal of Green Lux is focused into a protein-filled slurry - the components of which are historically recycled biological materials from corpses, but has expanded into pretty much any bio-organic material that can be gathered - which is then seeded by the Matriarch's own biological eggs from their womb. Over time, this slurry breaks all contributory sources down into their most basic elements, and one is left with a pool of resources from which a human can grow just as they would in a normal womb. The only difference is that, in this state exposed to so much Green Lux, every bit of contributory material can be sorted, organized and intelligently allocated to insure the perfect environment for growth.
As a magical side effect, all tributary materials are reliably preserved at a quantum level to retain cellular memory. As such, a properly formed Matriarch child - a process usually taking between five and ten years depending on the quality of materials used - is usually born with knowledge that a child otherwise wouldn't be. How to talk, how to read and write, how to walk and run and sprint and swim; the things that one would often spend those years teaching a child, they're born knowing. Beyond that, the Matriarch themselves typically pass down their knowledge of Green Lux through their own contributions, meaning that a Kindled Matriarch is a naturally competent Adept of Green Lux capable of replicating their Progenitor's own control. Thus, the greater the Progenitor, the more able the Progeny without intervention or education.
Cellular Banking ⫻ Matriarchal culture is all about genetic materials. From the time they're born until the time they die (sometimes hundreds of years later), Matriarchs are plagued by the goblinesque impulse to gather and maintain a stock of genetic material which they can then break down and convert to a more usable form. The most common method is through the ability to self-fertilize, which all Matriarchs are capable of through gamete-reconstitution by usage of donor materials. The goal with self-impregnation is not to carry a child to term, rather to produce a constant stream of high-quality Embryonic Stem Cells through the process of targeted self-renewal. In it's natural division, a fertilized egg will produce blastocysts whose inner walls are chalk full of stem cells. Green Lux is further used to extract the fresh material, which is then packaged and sealed with a stable shelf-life which can be refreshed by the same Lux which forced it's creation in the first place.
Thus, genetic material of the highest quality can be stored for future use while the lesser quality product is shipped directly to Culla in order to pay the expected Genetic Tithe, alongside similar shipments of raw materials for the Matriarchs to produce their own stem cell banks.
Bio-Engineered Perfection ⫻ As the Whispering Flesh refined their control over the secrets of recycled life, they found that those secrets were equally capable of affecting those already born and grown. What started as simple rejuvenation techniques to prolong the lives of the Whispering Flesh's eldest Matriarchs became far more than the Sisters could've imagined. Rejuvenation became restructuring, the forcing of organs and soft tissue to function similarly using new materials that made them more robust and efficient. Some Matriarchs, unsatisfied with their human forms entirely, spend their own personal time and effort changing bodily systems altogether; developing cutaneous respiration, restructuring the nervous system, improving musculature and durability through various material means. Modern Matriarchs, Moriah especially, have gone so far as to completely weaponize their forms. Bio-mechanical weaponry, post-human strength and reflexes, entire "Superman" conversions allowing the Matriarch to effectively transform into a far more deadly battery of Green Lux-powered destruction.
Moriah's main focus in this practice comes with a great deal of confidence in the Human form as the most potent vessel for Lux to be channeled through. As such, her preferred method of expressing her power is through the usage of tier-stepped levels of power which she uses to both gauge the power of her enemy, and conserve energy and resources in order to prolong her effective uptime before she requires replenishment.
Riposo (Resting): Moriah's standard level of existence. Though she's no Hulk, Moriah benefits from an overall improved physique; a more robust musculoskeletal system, highly efficient respiratory/circulatory systems, and a gastrointestinal system capable of converting just about any organic material into its constituent parts.
Migliorato (Improved): Moriah's primary combat form. This level of improvement is generally subtle, putting as little strain on her form to maximize improvements as possible. The integumentary system thickens, forcing cutaneous nerves under the surface to ignore basic surface pains. Energy and oxygen is diverted to the muscular system, and lactic acid produced by the increased strain is more directly filtered into the kidneys and liver which are improved to efficiently perform gluconeogenesis. While she doesn't experience any direct or apparent changes to her outward appearance, the results of study have shown that the transition from Riposo to Migliorato translates to a twenty percent overall increased output of power from her muscles; allowing her to run faster, jump higher, punch harder, and live through more devastating physical impacts without her body requiring any more energy than it was already using.
Potenziata (Enhanced): Potenziata is where things start to get noticeable in terms of Moriah's overall change. Great reserves of Green Lux go into converting stored genetic materials, resulting in several body-wide mutations that leave no room to doubt that she's built herself for war. To start, the musculoskeletal system undergoes an overhaul as bones and muscles increase in size by an average of forty percent. New organs (called the Peripheral Chemosynthetic Glands, or PCG) form in her throat meant to gather chemical elements and produce compounds not naturally formed in the body. Her skin becomes hard and dense, utilizing the gathered materials from her new organs to inject a subcutaneous carbon-filament layer. Essentially bulletproof, ligaments and connective tissues are also coated in the same carbon layer in order to insure they can handle the increased strain. In addition, organs that otherwise would be used for everyday functions are stagnated as the energy they would otherwise used is allocated to more pressing systems. This is a full transformation, and the first sign that Moriah considers what's in front of her as an actual threat rather than a nuisance. Through sheer vanity, her outward appearance doesn't deviate much beyond a near three-foot overall height increase. Most notably, an aura of Green Lux typically surrounds her at this point, as the amount of it she's gathering and expending to maintain the form can be anything but subtle.
Apice (Apex): At this point, all but the most necessary organs and bodily functions have been converted into pure glucose for energy. Nociceptors are completely disconnected from the nervous system, deadening her sense of pain and relieving her of any potential reactions due to it. The stomach and existent PCGs merge together into a single organ capable of breaking down just about anything into its constituent elements. This allows Moriah to eat damn near anything and repurpose it into her body in some way (a process responsible for her unique nickname and callsign within the Commendatoriate: The Uranium Angel). The skeleton is typically the first bit to be replaced, calcifying to the point that breaking one would require the force of a jet hitting her directly. The material swap usually comes with another size increase, bringing her to nearly eleven feet tall. The skin is further changed, becoming rigid plates of carbon steel wherever motion isn't a major requirement, and additional PCGs form in her arms and hands that are specialized for handling the formation of elements into blasts of incredibly reactive materials. At this point, the Lux energy radiating off her is so concentrated that walking about causes life to grow from beneath her feet. Her body itself, a walking breathing chemical factory, is now capable of replacing just about any "lost or missing" piece which may happen to come off during combat; though at a tremendous material cost that would probably still take her out of a fight temporarily as she devours anything she can get her hands on for a reset.
Sconosciuta (Unknown): This categorization is for the unexpected: Moriah is constantly experimenting and developing her abilities in the search for perfection. The conflict with Nyrah the Destroyer's forces has been a sticking point in her mind for almost two years now: Her pursuit of perfection is rooted in the (self-aggrandizing) belief that one day, something worse will come, and she'll be the ultimate bulwark to stop it. Having never seen what her Progenitor Cadenza could actually accomplish at full power, Moriah only has the stories from the Commendatoriate's records to go by, and any first hand accounts that remain. To such an end, she's absolutely sure that her Apice form is anything but an Apex... An subpar estimation of perfection.
LIMITS ⫻ The main limitation in every single part of Moriah's understanding and control of Green Lux comes down to one limiting factor: Material quality. In the beginning, the Sisters of Whispering Flesh were forced to use corpses and materials from the natural world around them: While this mostly worked, living tissue was still required to complete the ritual behind the Mother Deer's Gift. As such, they would most often sacrifice their own lives in order to be "reborn" into the world as new beings. In this modern techmaturgical age, the flesh of the dead is seen as a middling quality material at best, used to pad the quantity in one's Tithe with an overall efficient and renewable material. For Moriah, this means that eating as a human would is practically useless. As a "New-Breed" Matriarch, Moriah's nutritional needs are incredibly taxing and difficult to fulfill. As such, a great deal of care is taken to ration and control the genetic stock which she collects. There are alternatives, of course... In desperate times throughout history, Matriarchs have been known to cannibalize their "lesser" Adept followers, and even one another should the stakes be incredibly desperate.
Alternatively, the very presence of miasmic Black Lux can throw a Matriarch's entire body into chaos and disarray. The presence of undead, and the necromantic Black Lux Adepts who typically control them, is complete anathema to the Matriarch; the typical reaction is a lapse in control over the systems which are necessary to maintain their battle forms. Thus, Matriarchs either flee the conflict, become locked in a regressive state as their bodies consume themselves, or fly into a berserk rage which is completely ruined by the fact that their bodies are no longer capable of performing the same feats of power as usual.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
The Mother Deer's Gift ⫻ While the process of creating an Unborn no longer requires a Matriarch to sacrifice themselves, the creation and nurturing uses the Progenitor's energy. On days that Momo actively tends to her Unborn she will be more lethargic, perhaps weakened. This side effect can be negated by the consumption of the correct genetic material to fuel herself.
Bio Engineered Perfection ⫻ Each tier of power requires an increasing amount of Momo's energy, and fuel to go with it. It starts as being easily maintainable at the Migliorato level, to requiring frequent nourishment at the Apice level (of anything and everything, preferably higher quality materials). Maintaining it is strenuous, and pushing all the way to Apex level will leave Momo weakened for a couple of days afterwards - and unable to push herself back up to it.
At Potenziata, Apice and Sconsciuta (when its obtained) levels, Momo is giving out an aura of Green Lux powerful enough to start changing her surroundings. While this doesn't seem like a weakness on its surface, it comes with unexpected changes to any living being that comes into contact with it. At Potenziata this is minimal - animals may mutate slightly, Blinds find their cell generation increased. It's at Apice level that it gets dangerous. Her Green Lux aura causes rapid, uncontrolled cell proliferation in any biological creature that gets near her. Animals rapidly mutate, becoming twisted far beyond their natural form. Blinds mutate too. How this happens varies - sometimes they change physically, developing deformities or even growing new limbs. The increased cell growth leads of tumor formation. Essentially, getting near Momo will cause the development of cancer for all Blinds. It can do this for those with Emotional fields too - they're more resistant, but at this power level weaker Paranormal can be effected at a slower rate. This means Momo can hurt the very people she's trying to protect.
Also with each tier, Momo feels more and more uncontrollable impulses to gather material - and an increased desire for what comes with that. This lingers even after she goes back to her resting state. While at the higher tiers, this can be very... painful.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "My Angel fled to the Deer long ago... Funny I get left for another woman."
I missed a part about Momo's affair with a fellow Matriarch, and how she died in combat and Momo couldn't save her. And about how Fiora, her first "Unborn", was made with the stored genetics of Momo's dead lover. It drove her pretty crazy, but I doubt it'll come up ever.
Ioan M. Foster, a.k.a. Mr. Foster, a.k.a. The Devil of Southside
_______________________________________________ Ioan M. Foster
He/Him | Age: 47 | Ethnicity: Southsider Mutt | Height: 5'5" | 135lbs. _______________________________________________ Ruthlessness _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have an offer for you that I think you'll find very interesting." ___________________________________
CEO ⫻ Mr. Foster is an efficient manager and organizer - some might say manipulator - of people and money. He's the CEO and controlling shareholder of Metizo Felix and Foster Industries (MFF Industries). Ioan Foster is a prominent industrialist, philanthropist and leading citizen in Cloverfield, with interests in many of Cloverfield's businesses. MFF Industries specializes in energy and manufacturing. In short, the man commands wealth and resources.
Mad Scientist ⫻ Foster is an engineer by training, and a self-declared scientist/inventor by disposition. Despite never actually completing a degree, it's well known that some of MFF Industries key innovations have come from his work alongside the employees of MFF Industries' secretive, and allegedly ethically challenged R&D Division. He is an extremely capable artificer things and processes.
The Devil's Bargain ⫻ If you ask most people about his business they'd say he's an inventor, or perhaps a business magnate with diversified investments around Cloverfield. If you ask Foster himself, he'll say he's in the business of people. More specifically: making deals, trading favours. Foster's been around awhile - engineering things for people and he's owed a lot of 'favours' from people in both high and low places around the city.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Here boy, hang onto that. I used to shine shoes this same corner when I was your age. Now look at me? Not bad for a south side street rat eh?"
Ioan isn't a physically imposing man. He's shorter and smaller than average. His physician tells him it's a result of nutrient deficiencies growing up and breathing air from the coal districts most of his life. He does, however, have presence. Sharp, angular features, a hawkish nose and possessed of an air of confidence. He's invariably seen in only in tailored suits, waistcoats, with polished shoes.
Despite the deficiencies of his age, and well-known years of hard living at 47 he looks remarkably young, passing for a man in his early thirties. He's a ruddy complexion of mixed ethnicity, notable mostly for the old scars that mark his face, and a thick head of dark hair punctuated by a pair of shrewdly piercing blue eyes.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”Nietzche said that men who stare over long into the abyss should beware, that The Abyss stares back into you. But let me tell you, I've stared into that abyss long and hard and the truth I saw was different.
It's not some darkness that comes from the outside, no. The darkness is always there, inside each of us, always has been and when we stare into the abyss, what we're really staring at is ourselves; the monsters without are reflections of those within.
And it's only by staring into that abyss that a person discovers who they truly are."
MAIN GOAL ⫻ Since he was young, Ioan felt driven. Driven to escape his circumstances. Driven to prove himself. Driven by innate curiousity of the world, people and forces within it. When he was young he understood the hunger he felt, but somewhere along too much somehow became never enough. A restless hunger that never leaves him alone. Cloverfield needs to rebuild and he's the man that knows how to rebuild it. There are threats to be identified, studied and managed. New projects and sources of power to be exploited. Deals to be made. Power begets power and Ioan always wants... more.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ The world is cold and dark, a never ending struggle that carries on until it too will, inevitably, be carried into the great abyss like everything else. Good and evil, these are stories people tell one another to keep society functioning - simplistic truisms reflecting only vaguely the barest necessities of the human condition in a universe that cares nothing for our simple wants and deeds.
And there are two types of people in the world. Those who understand this reality, that we are all already dead men walking and that if one isn't careful the blessings of the meek are simply lessons of the blind and that ruthlessness, in truth, is simply the act of having mercy upon ourselves. People judge what they do not understand, but the world has need of men like Ioan, those willing to do what's necessary, to sacrifice what's necessary, to keep the very darkest of shadows at bay.
And if the world ever truly forgets that lesson - and the time will inevitably come - that will be the moment that darkness finally wins, and life and light, are finally extinguished forever.
SECRETS ⫻ It's an open secret that the Devil of Southside has skeletons in his closet. In spite of his many, many critics, Mr. Foster actually takes great pains to stay uninvolved in criminality, despite a youth that occasionally overlapped with gangs and petty crime. If you asked him though, the most damning indictment of his alleged 'crimes' is that they're all perfectly legal with, a handful of forgettable (and some might even say commendable) exceptions.
There is one exception that is very much not forgettable. The story of the victory over Nyrah the Ravager is well known: a powerful attack by a powerful adept managed to finally hurt and stun Nyrah. Ioan was not the adept, of course. But did anyone stop to ask, how or why this adept was able to do what all the others could not? Or what happened to them?
Rumours abound of things locked away beneath MFF Industries R&D Building. And that perhaps things have been done there that perhaps should not have been. Rumours of people screwed over in business dealings with him, of not reading the fine print in their contracts. Rumours too that his relatively youthful appearance is, in someway. unnatural: that Foster meddles with beings and forces that, perhaps, ought not be meddled with.
It's rumours like these that earned him the nickname, The Devil of Southside.
SEXUALITY ⫻ Mr. Foster presents as a cis-het male, with a not very well known kink for dominant women, and has been known to frequent a few select establishments and has relations with a few dominatrix types down there.
FEARS ⫻ The End of All Things. Ioan, pointedly, does not fear his own death indeed, there are times he would welcome the release. But in Nyrah, he glimpsed not only his own death but the death of all things. An end to everything. An inevitability perhaps, but not one he intends to allow.
What he does fear is loss of control, and helplessness. These were feelings he experienced, acutely, as a child and young man and the thought of going back to that place is deeply troubling to him. All men die, and great works pass to the ages but the thought that he's been through the things he's been through and done the things he's done just to wind up back in the same place he started: he would do anything, and rather die than go back to that place and those feelings.
And while he doesn't admit it, he finds the idea that anything in this world, or any other, could be beyond his ability to understand... disconcerting.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Ioan was already a public figure during the catacylsm and his role there is... frequently remarked upon. He was involved in the initial fight with Nyrah, and - along with many others - believed to have perished there, only to emerge afterwards, very much alive, but having made no further appearances during the cataclysm itself.
In truth, after nearly dying, he spent much of his time working in his bunker - not quite hiding as many assumed - but creating artifacts to support the work of other adepts. Despite his work in many ways being vital the the defence of the city, his role is basically uncredited and he himself doesn't speak of it. Giving vague responses that he 'supported' the fight.
FLAWS ⫻ There's very little actually holding Foster back these days, if anything this is the real problem. Unrestrained ambition and pride that he believes is well constrained by an meticulous, analytic mind. To Ioan M. Foster, there's no problem, force, or entity in the universe he can't overcome given enough time, resources and - of course - power.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You see I was just a young man trying to survive, get through another day in hopes of reaching a place where every waking moment wasn't some life or death struggle just to breathe.
Until one day I woke up and realized there was only ever one path out for someone like me."
Iaon was born in the lower south side to a mother that engaged in prostitution to make ends meet and father he doesn't remember whose claims to fame were being a alcoholic steelworker, beating his wife and kid and whose primary redeeming feature was having the decency to get himself killed in a back alley behind a bar before Ioan had formed any real permanent memories of the guy.
Most people who knew him in his younger days remember a dirty, scrawny, bookish kid who was always keeping busy either reading or hustling. Worked odd jobs. Saved money. He did the gang shit too, but hell, every kid had to when you grew up in the sort of neighborhood even south siders knew to avoid; he learned the hard way the gangs would just send the older kids to beat the shit out of you if you didn't pay your dues. If they said rough some other kid up, you roughed 'em up. If they said you had to steal shit from a store, you stole the shit.
That's just how things were.
But Iaon studied. Took his books with him even when they were shaking kids down or working corners. Read every moment he could. Innate curiosity they called it. But more than that his mom kept him going, told him he was a gifted kid who could make something of himself. That maybe one day he'd get them both out of the southside.
And he was good at it. Got a scholarship - all expenses. Big name university for mechanical engineering. For a time it looked like he really could escape the south side.
But the south side wasn't done with Iaon Foster. It wouldn't ever be done.
Third year at school, Iaon's mom died of a terminal condition she hadn't told her son about. Preventable too, but she hadn't had a doctor and she didn't have healthcare coverage for it through her work. It was the sort of shit happens every day southside. Iaon fell into a serious bout of depression, his grades slipped and the school pulled his scholarship, his second last semester he was trying to finish his coursework while couch surfing and living on the street but eventually he was forced to drop out.
Ioan doesn't talk much about those days, but his early 20's were lost years. He ended up back on the south side streets. The old gang. Drugs. You name it. It was this time, however, he experienced his Kindling-Event. He doesn't talk about what he saw. But it definitely changed him.
His first enterprise involved getting the lease on an old mill using money everyone assumed he borrowed from organized crime. By his 30's he'd leveraged his lux abilities into a reputation as an industry redefining inventor in the emerging magitech field, credited with a number of new inventions that maintained his operations at the forefront of the emerging magitech industry.
By the time he was 40, Iaon Foster's name was almost synonymous with Cloverfield industry itself. Despite impressive success, Foster resisted pushes by several subordinates and potential investors to off-shore operations, even when it hurt his bottom lines. At the same time, he'd gaine a reputation for many of his business practices and contracts being exploitative. Several research ethics scandals in their southside operations also resulted in prominent colleges and universities cutting ties with Foster and MFF Industries.
Despite these and other unsavoury reputations, Foster is one of the few people investing serious money into the south side, and has put a great portion of his fortune into rebuilding his operations in the south side; one of the few success stories to emerge south side since the cataclysm itself.
Metizo Felix and Foster Industries was the brainchild of two men, Ioan Foster and Josiah Felix, who together started a company exploring commercial possibilities for artifact creation. Their initial work resulted in the patents for artifacts and process related to collective, storing and using lux energy for commercial-industrial application. Many of these are in very high demand in the outside world, though the 'magic' portion of their equipment is obscured behind industry secret and patent protection laws.
MFF have a number of interests, but it's best known for show-casing technology for zero-emission engines in the energy and automotive sectors, as well as several novel processes for low cost goods. Their engineering and R&D consulting departments have a reputation for producing bespoke novel solutions to engineering problems thought to be 'unsolveable' for high paying clients.
MFF has recently emerged as an innovator in the consumer market with mass-produced simple 'devices', sold under a variety of branded holding companies like "Lucky Charms", which sells their popular necklace accessories which can be attuned to things like keys or cellphones, allowing people to know where they are at all times.
Recently they've begun exploring higher consumer products on fee-for-service or single use disposable basis to rave applause by investors who strongly approve of the company's increased revenue figures.
Key sellers in this emerging market involve single-use consumables under the popular 'Artifact Energy' brand of snacks and drinks, known for their 'cool' 'luminescent' snacks and beverages. They've also begun exploring prospects of single use items for PRA use in dealing with supernatural threats.
Although many of these things, the non-consumable ones, could be made as permanent effects it requires less lux energy to produce the single use items, and it also ensures a steady revenue stream.
Other prominent MFF Industries initiatives: Southside Interlink - an MFF sponsored non-profit that provides free wifi to Southside residents, one of the only perks to living southside while also serving as a tax write-off... and may also secretly harvest the emotional energy of Southside residents. Southside Blood Services - another Southside outreach project, in which people donate blood and plasma for regional hospitals... and may more directly harvest the emotional energy of Southside residents. Mr. Foster is very committed to the area and has also been known to help down on their luck individuals, with money or 'special' trinkets to help get back on their feet and has sponsored many successful local area businesses. Terms and conditions may apply, consult Mr. Foster for details, all contracts and deals are made on an as is basis, all deals are final, no refunds.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Oh my friend, there are endless wonders we could create for you, but you're asking all the wrong questions. What you need to ask is: how much are you prepared to sacrifice to make your dream reality."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Orange Lux - Artifact Engineering
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Iaon actually has no abilities to produce or wield lux energies per se himself. What he can do is work lux energies that exist in the world into artifacts. This is his lux ability, but his true specialization is in his ability to incorporate lux effects into mundane electro-mechanically engineered systems to create magitech.
LIMITS ⫻ Ioan requires not only his Channeler - necklace pendant of his mother he wears - but also tools, equipment and time to ply his craft and the enchantment must occur during the formation of the item itself.
Nothing comes of nothing and Iaon's ability actually requires him to have access to 'raw lux energies' themselves to do anything. For instance, to create an enchanted sword with fire, he would require not only the tools to forge a sword - but also some access to fire, or very strong destructive emotions or preferably both.
Iaon's creations are only as good as his materials. Crafting a magic lighter that produces a small flame? Easily done, with just some flame. Want something bigger or a permanent effect instead of a one off? Nothing comes from nothing. It's gonna need a power source.
None of the spell effects Ioan uses typically functional through an active emotional field. Nor can they be used to remove an adept's ability to use lux (though they might need to rest after getting the old juices sucked out). To be clear, they also cannot replicate someone's specific abstraction abilities.
Spells ⫻
Lux Fixation ⫻ This is the main ability Iaon possesses, fixing a source of lux energy into an object. This requires, as above, a source of both the lux effect, and a power source if the effect is going to be more than a one off deal.
Lux Distillation ⫻ This spell, cast into an object, allows that object to distill lux energy out of a source into some sort of container. For instance an artifact imbued with this ability might allow red lux energy to be distilled from an actual fire, or a source of intense, destructive emotions and transferring it into a suitable receptacle, and you wind up with fire in a bottle, or gem, or something else suitably cool.
Lux Transference ⫻ Allows the transference of lux from one source to another, can be seen as a sort of booster effect. The lux types must be compatible - i.e. blue lux energies can only be transferred to something also blue lux affiliated. Like distillation, this removes lux energy from the source effect and empowers the target(which must be a capable receptacle). This effect cannot be used to siphon energy from a lux user, but it can siphon energy from someone actively casting, and while it doesn't impact the spell, the user might feel a bit spent and require a rest before casting again.
Lux Transformation ⫻ A work around for the above, requires creation of a separate artifact. Imbues an object with the ability to act as a bridge, converting different forms of energy into another form: i.e. With some limitations, for instance, antithetical energies - transferring energy from hatred into calm for instance - has more of a cancellation effect. This is more an industrial spell application for when you've got 2.3 kilotons of blue lux energy and you say, need to power an artifact that takes green lux. This handy orange lux spell has your back!
WEAKNESSES ⫻
Lux Transference-Lux Transformation ⫻ Adepts can only be boosted by their own Lux type. If this spell is used to boost an adept, it will bring about a sickness fueled by the dominant lux of the adept. For example, Green Lux is typically associated with joy however when boosted this joy will be extreme. They will feel a sickening joy at everything and it will be intoxicating. This will be true for all lux types. Emotional Sickness will last for an hour after the spell ends, and will leave the adept feeling exhausted and find that their own joy is missing. As well, this spell can not penetrate emotional fields meaning that every adept must consent, and every adept can revoke that at any moment. Apparitions, with their stronger emotional fields, will be nearly impossible to crack unless he finds a way to remove or weaken it.
The All Hunger - Most artifacts just work. Permanently. For whatever reason those designed and built by Ioan Foster need to be fed in order to function. They can be one time use. They can be rechargeable but if they're constant use, they need a steady supply of fresh lux energy to keep them going.
She/her | 23 | Caucasian | 64 inches | 110 pounds _______________________________________________ Subtle _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Every tattoo has meaning. Every bullet is meant." ___________________________________
Knowledge of the Adel Legacy ⫻ Everything that is within the Adel Coven, including its rituals, inductions, and clandestine tattoos. This also includes the well-mapped sewers and safe houses scattered across the North and South of Cloverfield. Knife Adept ⫻ She knows how to throw knives and darts, and wield them for self-defense. Gun Adept ⫻ She knows how to load and wield pistols and rifles.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ”My guests prefer a beautiful vampiress."
She stands at 5’4 with a slender build, piano fingers and manicured nails. Her skin is pale alabaster, with just a touch of honey. Her hair is ashen blonde, curly, with loose bangs. It's of medium-length, and often pinned together in an elegant up-do. Her ears are pierced once. She has an elegant and intricate shoulder-to-elbow tattoo filled with hidden meanings about her family, or it should be said, coven, and its relationship with its parts, and the city.
A notable scar on her person is hidden beneath the rose over her right eye. The skin looks like a many-faced star, with the heart of it right where the bud of the flower grows. Her right eye has long been dysfunctional, a mere scarred mass.
She is often seen wearing elegant evening dresses, formal wear, and gold. Her rose she distracts from or disguises with veiled hats.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Cloverfield: my lovely playground…"
MAIN GOAL ⫻ She wishes to find the sources of pain within Cloverfield, unearth them, and delicately exacerbate them. She also doesn't wish for other factions to have more power than herself over Cloverfield, and is very interested in ensuring the Adel Coven thrives. This means rooting out all the evil in Cloverfield, the wolves in sheep's clothing, so that only her soft and gentle evil remains.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Just because those around her are tools, doesn't mean she doesn't care about them. In fact, she might just care about a tool or a pet just as much as her own blood. She believes most doors open to subtlety, to well-placed generousness, and well-meaning. Intimidation is used as a last resort only. She prefers leeching information, and having that information to her advantage, as it can conquer before a blade can strike.
SECRETS ⫻ Her thralls of the Adel Coven often take part in ritualistic pain sessions, both physical and mental, to the benefit of the Adel family. She is completely fine with this. They also extort tributes from their thralls.
It is a family practice to reinvent themselves every twenty years or so in a new area of Cloverfield under a new name. Twenty years ago, they were known as the Lucilles Coven. This helps disguise just how long the Coven has had its roots in the people of Cloverfield.
Subtlety is most important for the Coven, however, and prefers to keep its existence a secret. However, it's only after the Cataclysm that the Adel Coven rose to the Lower District from their abode under the city, in the sewers.
SEXUALITY ⫻ N/A.
FEARS ⫻ She fears the Cataclysm happening again. She fears the police in the overworld of Cloverfield finding out about the Adel Coven. She fears the monsters coming to life in the city streets that threaten to disrupt her way and her family's way of living.
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Lorenza was present in the later stages of the fight, attracted to the overwhelming bouquet of pain and with a desire to protect Cloverfield from being wiped out, both in equal parts. Her curses were used to push back the onslaught.
FLAWS ⫻ On her worst days, Lorenza's competitiveness, cruelty, and cunningness get the better of her. These prevent her from seeing the bigger picture, and sometimes it takes a sharp jar for her to realize life is more than just extorting thralls.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Sure, I'll share a little of who I am with you, since you're so well-behaved."
Vampires.
They exist, especially so in Cloverfield, though they haven't always been so pronounced in their presence.
But before we talk about Lorenza, we have to talk about the first ‘Adel’, the first of Lotenza's bloodline where, 200 years ago, they were cursed.
Yes. Vampirism, at least this strain, was and is a curse so powerful so as to be passed down to the next generations. A powerful Blue Lux wielder cursed the first ‘Adel' to outlive their family, to no longer derive joy from conventional food, to limit their movement by prohibiting crossing moving water, and to make them bloodless as a side effect of their cursed loneliness. And, cursed to curse others, and perpetuate the cycle of pain.
And so began the lonely existence of the Adels, trying to come to terms with their existence and cage out a slice of paradise for themselves despite their sorrows.
Lorenza was born to Jullius Adel and Maria Snow, the only possible way an Adel could actually have children. Adels were, in fact, a type of fairytale vampire, and so couldn't reproduce in ways normal humans, magic or not, do. So Lorenza grew up with a vampiric father and a wholly human, albeit magical, mother.
Lorenza noticed things were strikingly different from her mother. Mainly, her diet. While her mother ate fruits and vegetables, Lorenza preferred blood, and pain as an emotion. Once, her mother accidentally cut herself on a knife, and Lorenza immediately stuck the cut finger in her mouth, drawing out the pain. And Lorenza felt full afterward.
Lotenza also noticed another thing. Her mother aged, but Lorenza, after she reached twenty-one, stopped physically aging. She looked similar to her father, who also hadn't aged a dime.
Dialing back the years a few, when Lorenza was twelve, she saw the surface for the first time. Up until that point, she had lived under the streets in their home chiseled secretly into the sewer walls. It was midnight when she and her mother came up to the street level on the Lower District side of Cloverfield. Lorenza was in awe, staring up at the streetlights and watching cars pass along the streets.
However, when she and her mother were passing a particular alleyway, they were pulled in and roughly thrown to the ground. Men stood over the two of them, wielding knives and admiring the gold on them. But before they could put hands on her mother, Lorenza Kindled, and touched them. They immediately burst into black and red flames, and fell over each other as they tried to run away, before collapsing to the cement.
Mere moment later, the vision in Lorenza's right eye disappeared as a rose sprouted violently from within her eye.
Lorenza was officially an Adel.
From the night if her Kindling and onward, Lorenza would be involved in the deeper parts of the Adel Coven. Namely, participating in the pain and bloodletting rituals for sustenance, and perfecting her curses under the tutelage of her father.
“We need strong Adels. You will be the pride of our family, Lorenza.” Was what her father always said. Though his teaching method was strict, and punishment swift, Lorenza was attached to her father, and took on his lessons well.
Lesser family members, cousins and cousins-first-removed, were in charge of finding new thralls. Lorenza never suffered the bore of finding more willing victims unless it was what she desired. And when she requested doing her high-school studies in a proper school above, instead of being homeschooled, she found many, many disenfranchised youth of the North side of the line that were eager to find a way to get rid of their pain, dealing with insufferably vain parents. They were also more than happy to pay tribute. Her father was pleased.
Lorenza, among other powerful members of her Coven, made a stand against Nadine and Nyrah, hurling everything could at the villains. In the aftermath, a striking vacuum of power left the South wide open. Lorenza's father almost immediately purchased a mansion on the South side, and the Adels and their thralls began living on the surface, reveling in the night and prowling the streets.
Currently, Lorenza has been tasked with identifying other factions shaping up in the city, both North and South. Anything that would take a slice from their pie: The citizens of Cloverfield.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I can be your boon, or an excruciating bane..."
TYPE ⫻ Adept
ABSTRACTION ⫻ Cursed Bloom - Vampiric Curses that affect the mind and body of the unfortunate. Blue and Orange Lux. Channeler is the red rose growing out of her right eye.
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻
The Cursed Bloom has been passed down the Adel lineage for the past 200 years, manifesting itself as a rose of varying shades. The rose takes what it gives, demanding a sacrifice for its power - the true nature of a curse. With Lorenza's father, it took one of his hands. With Lorenza, it took one of her eyes.
With this exchange, Lorenza is entirely transformed. Cursed with immortality and the weaknesses of vampires, such as not being able to be in sunlight, cross moving water, or enter a home unbidden. However, she has a few boons. Appealing to the senses, fangs on her canines, and a diet that is fairly easy to maintain in the damaged city that is Cloverfield. She also has her developing curses that are unique to each Adel.
Curses are given by being in contact with Lorenza's aura, about a five foot radius. They have the ability to eat through Emotional Fields. The victim only needs to be within Lorenza's aura for a few seconds for the curse to slowly be applied. A curse takes about thirty seconds to be delivered in full. They cannot be healed with Green Lux.
Physical Curses
Internal Bleeding ⫻
Cuts and lacerations are struck through in all the internal organs of the victim, causing blood to pool in the stomach and other places it's not supposed to be. Coughing up blood and nosebleeds are common preliminary side effects. As it worsens, weakness, dizziness, low blood pressure, and unconsciousness are possible side effects. Left untreated, it could lead to death after a few hours.
Pain ⫻
The nerve endings all over the body are targeted and stimulated, sending pain impulses to the brain that overload the victim with acute sensations of pain. Whether that's burning or stabbing pain, it's really up to the victim's interpretation of the pain.
Mental Curses
Forgetfulness ⫻
The mind is cursed to forget recent events. This can be as short as the last ten minutes, or the last hour. The victim won't entirely forget; they will have scraps of nonsensical notions that they're forgetting something important, maybe a few foggy faces.
Demon Curses
Flesh Bane ⫻
This is currently the most powerful curse Lorenza has developed. After eating through a person's emotional-field (or attacking outright, though this way is less effective), the victim will catch fire. The fire is magical, consisting of red and black flames that act parasitic. They feed on flesh as a fuel exclusively. They also feed on the energy meridians that run through the body, disturbing the victim's homeostasis. So on top of having burns that have eaten chunks of flesh, they will also feel varying degrees of feverish, confused, and delusional.
Due to the flames not requiring oxygen to thrive, deriving all their nutrients from the flesh and energy of a victim, they can only be removed with excessive, explosive Lux, which puts the victim at risk.
Vampiric Nature
Pain Sense ⫻
Lorenza is able to sense the pain seeping off a person or being within thirty feet. This includes varying degrees of pain, such as discomfort, anxiety, depression, anger, and apathy. The more poignant it is, the more easily Lorenza is able to sense it.
Pain Absorption ⫻
If the victim is within Lorenza's aura, she is able to absorb that pain in its entirety. The victim will feel a striking, cathartic absence where their pain once was. It's incredibly soothing. No matter how much pain, anger, or grief the victim tries to will up, it all just disappears into a spiraling void. Lorenza is devouring these emotions in real time, and gaining fullness and satisfaction from it. She will often pretend to suck someone’s blood to make it appear like her bite has magical pain-sucking properties.
Blood Subsistence ⫻
Along with devouring pain, Lorenza also subsists on blood. She uses her fangs to pierce the skin, and suck blood. Her stomach is able to metabolize the blood, and she derives most of all her nutrients from it.
Emotional-Field Devouring ⫻
Due to her sensitive nature with emotions, it's an easy matter for her to sense Emotional-Fields, their structure and shape, and eat them. Though they provide no nutrition for her, they allow her curses to take an even deeper root into a victim.
Emotional-field devouring is effective for about ten minutes before it builds back up again.
Cursed Artifacts
Bloom Creations ⫻
A gift from her mother, Lorenza earned her Orange Lux from her, and is able to imbue objects with her curses. Curses that she has practiced many times before are easier to create into an artifact, while newer spells or entirely unique spells take a long time to imbue an object. This is a difference between days and weeks.
An example of a Bloom Creation Lorenza can make is a type of grenade. A stone that is imbued with a curse, that she can throw. It has her aura in it, allowing her to reach further places to infect with her curse without putting herself at risk.
The Original Bloom Curse
The Cursed Bloom ⫻
The Cursed Bloom was originally a curse placed on the first ‘Adel’ by a Blue Lux wielder. This cursed the Adel that, upon their inevitable Kindling, the Cursed Bloom would take effect. They would be immortal, bloodless. They would subsist only on blood and emotional pain. Their teeth would have sharp canines to puncture skin. They would be unable to cross moving water. They would not be able to enter a home without first being invited. Their females would not be able to procreate. And, in giving up something to their personal Bloom, they would be able to curse others.
LIMITS ⫻
All curses that Lorenza inflicts successfully, she gets rebound of 20% of the overall infliction.
Emotional-Fields take some time to eat through, and will not allow Lorenza to outright kill anyone.
Internal Bleeding ⫻
Unable to be healed with Green Lux, instead, the limit for this curse is that it can be undone in a matter of minutes by water blessed and sanctified by a priest.
Pain ⫻
A strong electrical current, such as one as strong as touching an electrical socket, and being sustained for a few seconds, can disrupt the nerve signals, and cause the curse to collapse, in need of being recast.
Forgetfulness ⫻
Staring into a mirror for a duration of time, between five to ten minutes, can cause the curse to collapse and the memories to be returned.
Flesh Bane ⫻
Explosive Lux to collapse the structure of the curse, such as a powerful lightning bolt, or fire, can put out the flames, though the burns will remain.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
As a vampire, Lorenza has all of the traditional weaknesses: unable to be in the sunlight, to cross moving water, or to enter a home without being invited. The presence of garlic or religious symbols (not just crosses, but of all religions) weakens her physically, along with magically. She also has the irresistible urge to count small objects spilled on the ground. Things like rice, grain, seeds, pills and similar - Lorenza has to stop and count every single grain, or she'll be in mental agony.
Along with this, as a vampire Lorenza is functionally undead. This means she's weak against magic that affects the undead - whether its Black Lux or other abstractions.
Lorenza's Emotional Field eating also drains her own Emotional Field. She can fully eat through an Emotional Field at the weakening of her own, and getting through more than one will completely sacrifice her own Emotional Field for ten minutes per extra Emotional Field eaten. Her spells can still work on those with partially eaten Emotional Fields (or full Emotional Fields), they're just not as effective.
Internal Bleeding & Pain ⫻ Lorenza can't absorb the pain caused by her own curse, whether through the wounds from Internal Bleeding or the nerve pain for Pain. If she tries to it'll be like eating garbage, and she'll throw it up.
Pain Absorption ⫻ While Lorenza absorbs victims pain for sustenance and get satisfaction from it, she also feels their pain as she drains it.
Bloom Creations ⫻ Making a Bloom Creation drains a bit of Lorenza's life force - making her weaker for a short time. The more she creates, the weaker she'll get... and it'll use up the fuel she got from blood or pain. After making a few Bloom Creations, she'll need to feed.
Other ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I've scheduled a session for you with our psychologist next Tuesday."
_______________________________________________ Idles-In-Shade He/Him | ~200 | Squirrel | 12 in | ~2.2 lb _______________________________________________ Territorial _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Don’t ask why I know these things." ___________________________________
Knitting ⫻ During his relatively brief time in Glare, between periods of attempting perfection, Idles-In-Shade became in a way somewhat bored. Hobbies, frowned on as they were, were scarce and he garnered one of the few that appealed to a meticulous nature. These days, the Aberration makes scarfs, socks, and little mittens for his own bemusement. Unnatural Arrogance ⫻ Confidence unbounding towards his superiority to Blinds and even to a degree Adepts, he can be considered supremely lacking in most forms of fear against them. A failure to prepare is the only fault in Idles-In-Shade’s mind which could undo him.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "It’s not a perfect fit, I admit, but not much is."
Once a common enough American Red Squirrel, he has entirely kept the veneer of being a common enough American Red Squirrel. Measuring in total just 12 in, to include the tail, and having a normative weight of around 2.2 lbs, Idles-In-Shade is of the complete opinion that altering this arrangement would generally also defeat the purpose of the arrangement. Only a few markers might differentiate him from another, that being a number of small enough scars about the back as well as, at times, a small enough scarf about his neck. A minor concession to pride as it is, the Aberration remains quick enough to put such an item away before a Blind might take any measure of notice.
Psychology ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Why do you ask?"
MAIN GOAL ⫻
His ultimate goal in life is to create the fortress that he was made to build and maintain, yet failed to before. After this, in an odd enough way, he would have found his independence entirely despite having been intended to make the fortress for another.
PHILOSOPHY ⫻
To survive is to succeed, to retain oneself despite the pressures of all against you is to flourish, and every inch towards a goal is an inch worth fighting to keep: these are the creeds which Idles-In-Shade values, holds close, and cherishes despite lacking any of importance to share them with. Entirely self-concerned - because, after all, no-one truly matters in a life than the life being lived - the Aberration finds some passing amount of pride in the casual helping of another, some minor degree of joy in that, but finds his true reward in building that which he’d been tasked to, in the hedgerows, in the trenches no one could see until they ensnared them. He finds some joy in doling out what could perhaps be called justice, too, the enforcement of his own law in his own domain.
SECRETS ⫻
Everything. Nothing. Idles-In-Shade has everything to hide, no one to pry against him, a perfect creation of that fortress in his own self. He hides from himself why he came to Dazzle in the first place, why he strode between those worlds, hides from himself that deep shame of creating an incomplete fortress, a failed fortress, a broken thing. He hides from himself that his maker is dead by his own failure, his own inaction. He hides from himself the question that, perhaps, he might have had the opportunity to have prevented that failure if he had done more than watch when the fortress burned. Idles-In-Shade has so many things he would hide to the world if the world ever thought to ask.
SEXUALITY ⫻
Asexual
FEARS ⫻
What if the fortress was built for no one? What if there was never a point to it, an answer to the question of who would sit in that seat when the walls were finally complete? It is a question the Aberration has no answer to despite his deep-seated, irreconcilable urge to create that fortress. It is a question that haunts him in the still nights.
What if the urge to speak to another was something more? He watches them from the trees, from the ground, watches and listens and knows. Some little part of that soul wants to reach out to them, speak to them, interact in some way. What if he did? What if that would compromise the fortress?
WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻
When the Cataclysm came, he was in Berny Park in Cloverfield and throughout the Cataclysm, Idles-In-Shade remained in Berny Park. Protecting it, hiding it, applying his Abstraction against it to defend the fortress against the thing that raged against the city, that’s all the Aberration did during that period.
FLAWS ⫻
Idles-In-Shade’s deep-seated, psychological inclination to be shut-in from that world at large gives him a great, grand pause to actually ever interact with that world. He is internally conflicted, divided as a soul ever could be, between that fortress mentality and a soulful wish to join the world.
Backstory ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "They screamed then, and I wasn’t sure if I should weep or laugh."
Made in the universe known hereafter as Glare, Idles-In-Shade was created as an Apparition by an Adept, Charles Cain, in a great gambit to secure a fortress Cain had been building in the Appalachian Mountains. Once a coven leader of other Adepts in that region before slowly, painfully, secretly consuming them, Cain had begun several campaigns to effectively perform the same process to cults of the Blind. Endeavoring with the consumption of souls to elevate himself to the position of an Apparition, immortal in all ways, in an effort to achieve this Cain deigned to create a fortress, let leak to the great many groups of Adepts who find themselves wanting to lay down their law, and in a grand ritual ultimately die. Through this, he planned to become what he believed to be an Angel, a creature of undying and eternal power, and to achieve this fortress the Adept summoned forth an Apparition.
He was born into service, morality not touching his being as Idles-In-Shade labored to bring about his creator’s vision. Years passed by as he did so, the Abstraction of his power formed by the demands of Cain, yet eventually his master grew impatient. The hounds of the Brotherhood, far-flung as they were from their European haunts, had begun to smell the heretical foundations in the Appalachians while the numerous mass deaths - each conducted by Cain with the terrible magician’s flair of feigning his own demise - had begun to attract Blind law enforcement as well as the Adepts who played at that same game. He felt walls close in that may have been only imagined, felt that his fortress had been perfected far enough as any would wish, and thus began his plan.
The endeavor failed. The endeavor succeeded. Cain died, the fortress ensnaring so many of the Adepts, of the Brotherhood, of Blind caught in the play who thought they were simply enforcing Federal laws, and then the fortress erupted in fire. Souls caught by Cain’s magic flowed like rivers, some of these Cain consumed in his death-throes, the magic in the air rending the fortress open to the space between realms. Glare bled out into that space while the space itself flooded in. As chaos grasped hold of all, a question appeared in Idles-In-Shade’s mind, a curiosity, and he indulged in it. He consumed some of the souls, too, and slipped out through the cut in Glare into that space between. Glare ended, Cain dead, but he, he was free.
Idles-In-Shade would land in Dazzle, though he wouldn’t know its name, and set about achieving that fortress which he had once been commissioned to make. A grand misunderstanding - and a grand built-in urge - had resulted in this as Cain had never truly divulged his plans to the Apparition he had created and the demands which he had made upon his creation left the deepest of imprints. He took the guise of a squirrel, a creature few even batted an eye against and fewer still took the great times to interact with in any way, and took residence in an old, disused park in a place known by the Blind as Cloverfield. It was to be the foundation of that fortress, Berny Park in the lower district, a citadel that none would suspect to be a citadel and none would be capable of breaching.
Then the Cataclysm came and then the Cataclysm went. He took to ground, like so many others, focusing his magic such that the park itself became impossible to traverse, such that every shard of Nyrah’s power which ever would cut against it, every stray belch of acid, every coincidental cut of talon, could make little headway. It was taxing and hard, brutally hard, but through it all he and the fortress survived. Through that fact that the fortress had never been seen as a fortress, all remained unnoticed, unfocused by those who would seek to destroy, and the Idles-In-Shade found it all to have been tested satisfactorily…though never tested to completion. There was still work to be done. There was still work to be built. The itch in the back of his mind would not be satisfied by the mere fact of survival, especially when others had survived it by their mere force of will.
He has since become a coincidental, partially benevolent spirit of Berny Park. Though humanity at times baffles him, at times confounds him, the Aberration has taken some degree of pleasure in using his creation towards more present goals. Teenagers who wish privacy might find it in the park where a trail becomes cloistered from even the most prying of eyes, thieves might run from their targets through its trails to become just another face in the crowd, though he takes some degree of satisfaction in giving particular attention to certain individuals. Those who do harm in his fortress, or seek to use his fortress to conceal their deed, do so at their own peril. Idles-In-Shade finds that to be the critical line before the limits of his charity, the obligations of the host, are broken.
Abstraction ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Power is what you hold, what you control, what you claim."
TYPE ⫻
Aberration (Abscised)
ABSTRACTION ⫻
Where The Hedgerows Start A twisting of paths one should know and the warping of a region such that the ways there no longer make sense
ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻
The affliction of this Abstraction causes the area about the user to become twisted, winding, and generally unable to be navigated by any save for the user. This twisting is not based on geography or distance; paths between two points twenty feet away may then take eighty feet to traverse while incorporating many more turns, blind corners, and alternate pathways which would lead to dead-ends.
Constant Application
The constant affliction of this Abstraction on a space will cause that area to continue to retain these qualities for some time after the affliction ends, though at a far lesser degree and only for a month. The degree of severity for the affliction in that area is dependent on the amount of energy placed into it at a time, normally through meditation over a period of hours, though the Abstraction’s effects themselves feed on negative emotions generated while traversing the afflicted area such as fear and panic.
Entity Creation
Much as when one pours water into a cup, some will slosh away or evaporate into the air, with the application of this power some portion will necessarily not be placed within the land itself. This overflow or spillage manifests itself as the normal land might otherwise dictate in animals or insects, beings that would normally inhabit such places, but with connections to the Abstraction and by extension the Aberration which created them in the first place. More capable than their normal counterparts with few markings that would distinguish them apart, they remain linked with Idles-In-Shade throughout their existence. He may command them, garner information from them, and otherwise utilize them for the defense of his fortress.
Immunity
Idles-In-Shade himself can travel his own afflicted areas, though only with strong, markedly focused concentration upon forcing the effects of his Abstraction to give way to normal reality, much as one might work to shovel snow to create a path. Such concentration is subject, of course, to his own mental states and possible panics.
LIMITS ⫻
Range
The affliction of this Abstraction is centered about the user and can only affect a radius of two hundred feet at a time. If such affliction overlaps from uncultivated land to afflicted land, the latter simply has greater severity developed.
Detection
Its existence can be detected by Paranormal beings, though the required sensitivity is tied to the severity of the effect in that area. Generally speaking, such individuals must concentrate in order to detect the affliction if it is not being actively applied.
Teleportation
The Abstraction hampers but does not completely deny the use of teleportation, allowing individuals to enter and leave but severely altering the accuracy of such if the exit point is within the afflicted area. The hampering of teleportation accuracy is generally dependent on the severity of the afflicted area, with less severe regions being subject to differences of up to a dozen feet while the most severe afflictions actively attempt to shift teleporting individuals into solid objects. Teleportation which holds exit points at least five feet above the ground is unaffected.
Different Minds
Created entities hold the same intellectual capacities as their normal counterparts and thus may struggle with more complex commands or instructions. They may also not venture more than a hundred feet outside the radius of an afflicted area; should they do so, spontaneous combustion occurs with the release of magic.
WEAKNESSES ⫻
All White Lux Adepts have an innate ability to navigate the abstraction. They will be able to find the correct path without any effort due to their Lux. As well, once an area has been afflicted it is very difficult to pick up and move to a new location. He will need to either pick the best spot right away, or prepare for a prolonged ordeal to move.
Entity Creation
Idles-In-Shade will have a strong psychic connection with these entities. As such, if something were to happen to them he will experience a psychic backlash that will bring pain and discomfort. The level of which has two factors. First, the backlash will be based on the size of the creature. A single mosquito will bring only a small discomfort, whereas a creature his size could cause him to be in pain for many moments. Second, it will depend on how many creatures have perished. The more of these connections that get severed the greater the impact it will have on him. Thus, he will need to be careful to not put those who call his park home at risk.
