ThemeMorganna ‘Morgan’ LeStrange◆ 23 ◆ December, 24 ◆ 5’7” ◆ Guardian Morganna delivers the sass and bluntness as if it were second nature. Discovering the inefficiency of beating around the bush, Morganna says it how it is. The reception for her has been mixed. As many friends as she’s gained from her rough exterior, she’s made just as many enemies. It’s not her job to play nice. All means justifies the completion of her purpose.
The world lies heavy to the extremes for Morganna. Either something should be done or something shouldn’t. Compromising was reserved for the weak. With much of Anatolia - the motherland - residing in the dark zone, corruption of the Mordrem offered no mercy to those infected. If the slightest hint of a person being infected was real, they would be purged. The dogma of the Fanatics ran strong on the outskirts of Anatolia where she lived. Their ethics had long since became her own due to their protection. Without their purges or protection, Morganna was sure she would’ve been assimilated by the dreaded Mordrem.
Though forthright with her thoughts, Morganna has seen enough to develop a bleak view on the world. Hope given from her doesn’t come from words of encouragement or optimism but by simply doing. Being the last to advocate on behalf of a common stranger, Morganna throws herself at her purpose in hopes of uplifting the world. Still not viewing anyone with the stigma favorably, the deep rooted Fanatic ethics have subsided marginally.
How she cares about people is through bitter kindness. Though the surface meanings of her words and actions may hint at aggression and provocation, those who survived in her village expressed love through discipline. Those that were soft didn’t survive for long. Those who were tempered through surviving the foray of the Mordrem did. It is because of this Morganna views front line soldiers and guardians with more camaraderie than that of those in reserves. The same goes for civilians.
As violent and villainous as she may seem, those who become her brother or sister have the tenacity of a Fanatic to back them. Whatever the situation. Whatever the cost.
◆ B A C K G R O U N DGrowing up on the border of Anatolia and the dark zone, survival of the fittest was a lesson learnt quickly. A natural culling of the weak and sparing the strong. At a young age, her parents taught her the ethics and logic of the Fanatics. The heroes of her village, for they protected their way of life while Petragrad's - a city-state - army did nothing to stop any Mordrem raid. Every child, man, and woman held the beliefs strong as anyone with the taint of the stigma was purged. Human and Mordrem alike.
Ifrit. The revered symbol of the Fanatics. As part of the indoctrination, Morganna learned to love fire and exalt the great Eidolin Ifrit. From giving warmth in the cold nights of Anatolia to burning those infected with the stigma to nothing but char and ashes. When the power of fire was first taught to her, Morganna hated the idea of using it on another human being. She believed the stigma had to be exterminated. She believed that fire was the rightful weapon to kill off the infection. She just couldn't bring herself to experience the rapture of human immolation. Her stubbornness would sanction the catalyst that would forever change her perspective on everything.
Believing that her hesitation was nurtured at home, her parents were brought to the main square of the plaza. Though she was nine years old, Morganna had seen enough warfare and lived in her Fanatic controlled village long enough to know what was next. The Fanatic leader told her it was her last barrier to experiencing the rapture. Setting her parents alight, she saw a rapture of her own.
Uncovering her latent affinity to the spirits, Morganna went on a rampage. Exhuming fire in all directions, she started with those wearing the hallowed hazmat suits. None survived her rage, and she found clarity amidst the glowing heat of flames and overcooked stench of human flesh. The infection came in the form of physical symptoms and mental afflictions. The purge was inevitable. The creed of the Fanatics indoctrinated into her mind was absolute on that. Her purpose - given to her by the holiness of Fire and the exalted Ifrit - was to purge those tainted within the Fanatics and leave only the purest. Only then could she continue to original purpose and become a saint.
Carrying out her holy crusade, Morganna reveled in flames as she set another Fanatic controlled village ablaze. Distracted by her purpose, a patrolling Petragradian cohort confronted her. Though used to death and delivering it, Morganna was no soldier. When other spirit users - later she'd know as guardians - subdued her, she was put under close guard as she awaited what was to be done with her. The prospect of death frightened her. Not because she was afraid to die, but she hadn't fulfilled her purpose. She hadn't purified enough to join the hallowed saints whom walked with the fire lord Ifrit. As she sat in her prison, she recited the Prayer of the Purge:
Life and death, giveth to that of the flame and the exalted Ifrit.
Give the kiss of release to the wicked, may the flame's blessing free the forsaken.
I am an instrument; I am a tool; I am the cleanser of the forsaken.
Our merciful release safeguard the pure, the forsaken dirty us no longer.
Men, women, and children forsaken, no longer suffering shall touch them.
The flames cleanse their souls, their Earth, their deeds. They may begin anew.
Hark! Saviors of the forsaken.
Hark! Children under the loving flame and the exalted.
Hark! Bathe them in flames and set them free.
They shall suffer no longer, for they now walk with the exalted and his saints.Cognizant of the indoctrination, the Petragradian government placed her in their custody and went about to reeducate her strongly held beliefs. When she 'improved', the government sent her to Oakridge in hopes of setting her 'purpose' onto the Mordrem that threatened humanity as a whole. Though she was released, the message was clear.
Reform your purpose or face execution.
Playing along, Morganna never forgot her true purpose. Ifrit demanded what she would deliver. She would fulfill her purpose, and one day, she would walk with the saints that went before her.
◆ W A R F A R EThough guns and flamethrowers were a huge part of her childhood, the trauma left on her has made Morganna stray far away from the death givers. Instead, she prefers something more tangible and intimate. Guns were too impersonal. If she is to kill, she’d give the courtesy of staring at the person before delivering death — or having death be given to her. Her weapon of choice was one crudely furnished until she had the technology of the guardians at her disposal. The club-scythe. For encounters up close and personal, a spiked club favored by strength and surface area contact allows for deadly blows. For those far away or being granted more terrible deaths, the club can be extended into a double handed scythe.
The club is reserved for those that Morganna wants to take her time with. The scythe is for those who she wishes to grant agonized mercy.
In lieu of the flame throwers used by the Fanatics, she simply uses her magic to set bodies ablaze. To those that survive, she will ensure they burn alive, so she may recite the 'Prayer of the Purge'.
(I am more than happy to provide the translation for the Latin, if anyone likes.)
◇ Furia [Fire] Harnesses the power of fire to rain down repeatedly on a target. The longer/number of times the spell is used, it has the chance of directly impacting Morganna’s disposition. True to Fury, the more zealous Morganna will become dealing out the accumulated wrath (fancy way of saying more violence).
◇ Decima [Fire] [(-) Meltdown] An area of effect spell, Decima creates mini implosions of fire. The attacks are meant to hinder and slow versus dealing out substantial damage allowing time for the wielder or other allies to attack. Decima sways Morganna towards the path of showing no mercy, no prisoners. Those who surrender were weak and deserve the disgrace of a inglorious death. Exotic effect: meltdown.
◇ Impieta [Fire] [(-) Pain][(-) Imperil] [(-) Poison] A non-lethal spell, Impieta burns away an enemies fortitude. Impieta may cause Morganna to zero on the failures of others and ostracize them for it. For enemies, she will simply taunt them before killing.
◇ Nefara [Fire] [(+) Blaze] [(-) Frostbite] Similar to Furia, this fire magic focuses on engulfing an enemy in flames and slowly spirals inwards. The spell inspires a sense of glee in Morganna as she watches the wicked pass away. She sees herself as a saint saving a tainted soul. Nefara closely resembles her Fanatic upbringing.
◇ Lancer
◇ Ravager
◇ Sentinel
◇ Fanatic
Scout