canaryrose

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-202

The Sisters of the Dying Branch

For witches of the Sisters of the Dying Branch coven, each summer begins with a bang. On each year's summer solstice, the elders hold a party to usher in the new season. It's the longest day of the year and an auspicious one. And, once every three years, they hold an initiation on this day, to bond young witches to a wellspring for the very first time. It's an exciting event, a rite of passage, and one met with plenty of partying. New witches are welcomed to the coven with open arms and plenty of barbecue. In these years, the summer solstice party is even better.

This year is one of those years- a year in which witches will be initiated into the coven. It's the summer solstice- the sun is high in the sky, the air is heavy with humidity and heat. And there is a gathering going on at the coven house. It's one of the most extensive gatherings of the year. Hundreds of witches gather on the coven's sweeping swath of property in the Appalachians for a party, ready to celebrate and welcome new witches to their ranks.

The smells of barbecued meats, veggies, and fruits waft from the grills and the tables full of cooking and cooked food. A variety of pitchers full of sweet tea, lemonade, and some stranger looking concoctions rested on the tables as well, slowly gathering condensation. But the ice never seemed to melt, staying frozen after hours of sitting out in the sun. And the food too never seemed to cool off or grow old- it stays in the same state for hours upon end. Witches young and old swarm the food tables, loading their plates up with food and drink. But, beyond the food, witches wander the grounds. They sit at various picnic tables sprinkled around the grounds, chatting with friends that they haven't seen in a long time. There are groups casting spells together near the forest. Children streak across the field, too, seeming to be playing some odd version of tag that involves flying and various other castings. Games like cornhole and hopscotch are set up across the field, entertaining various witches.

But, beyond the Fourth of July-esque party, the true attraction of the gathering is the initiates. A wooden picnic table is set aside for twenty or so soon-to-be witches, and it's decorated specially- an embroidered black and gold table cloth is set out, as well as several other party favors such as goody bags and nice-looking necklaces. A few initiates that live at the house are already there, and witches crowd around them, congratulating them and even gawking a little. Elders, conspicuous in their black robes, also dot the premises. Although there are fewer of them than others- most of them seem to be inside the house, preparing for the ritual to take place later that night.

As the day goes on, more and more witches trickle in. Dozens turn into hundreds, filling the field almost to the brim. The sun reaches its peak in the sky and then dips down, casting its rays upon the coven.

Once the sun sets, witchlings turn into witches.

---

Take a sip of my secret potion / I'll make you fall in love / For a spell that can't be broken...

An older pop song blasted through the car radio as a yellow Jeep pulled to the side of the winding mountain road. Once she had gotten herself straight, the girl driving put the car in park. She needed to get out of the car, but this was such a good song. It never came on the radio anymore, which was a shame. So, she let it play until the end, bobbing her head along to the rhythm. And then... well, another banger came on the radio. So, of course, she had to listen! Before she knew it, a half-hour had passed, and she hadn't even stepped out of the car. Fuck. She tightened her hands on the wheel. Surely they didn't need her until sunset, right? She could stay in the car, keep listening to music until the sun set, and the ritual began. Yeah. That sounded okay.

"Calypso!" A voice came from outside the car, and then a knock. Calypso turned and saw her mother. She winced. Somehow, she had forgotten that her mother had been waiting for her at the party. Her mother was a woman that looked very unlike her. Straight, long red hair. Pale, freckled skin. A sharp contrast to her daughter's kinky, dark brown hair and light brown complexion. The only thing they really shared was an on the tall side of average height and brown eyes. Calypso could guess that the rest was all her dad. But, right now, her mother had her brows scrunched in the middle, and her mouth hardened in a thin line. Her arms were crossed.

Reluctantly, Calypso turned off the car, opened the door, and hopped down. She was wearing a bright yellow tank top and a pair of jean shorts, along with a pair of heeled sandals and a sky-blue headband in her hair. "Sorry Mom," she said, smoothing her shorts. "Got distracted. Good song, you know?"

Her mother huffed. "It's okay," she said. "I was wondering where you were, that's all." She took Calypso by the shoulder and guided her up the mountain path, past the variety of cars parked along the road. She squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "It's okay to be nervous. I was nervous when my time came, too- but you shouldn't miss the party. Today, it's all about you."

Calypso turned her head from her mother's eyes, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "I'm not nervous," she said hotly. "I told you, a good song came on the radio. That's it. I'm... I'm actually excited! I've been waiting for this my whole life."

Before Calypso knew it, they had come up to the field. Music was playing through the speakers- some old country song. Dixie Girls, she remembered. Immediately, people swarmed them. Mostly her mother's friends, some of their children. All congratulations and hugs and dizzying arrays of questions. Calypso put on her best smile and replied as best she could, all the meanwhile wringing her hands behind her back. She just needed to get to the table... yes, the initiate table. She peered over the heads surrounding her, glancing at the table in the center of the field. A couple witchlings were already there- probably the ones who lived at the house, she guessed. Breaking free from the circle and making her excuses, she made a beeline for the table. Those goody bags looked good. What was in them? Chocolate? Good chocolate? Maybe a pendulum? She definitely needed a new one of those, hers was cracked.

Once she got to the picnic table and the spot designated for her, she sat down, twiddling her fingers on the tabletop. There was a name card made specifically for her- Calypso Barnes, it read. There was one for everybody else, too. She grabbed it. Would make for a nice souvenir, she guessed. Her brown eyes flicked to the food table longingly. Some grilled zucchini sounded great right now... but it wouldn't do to go get food first. She should say hi to the other witchlings before she did. Not that she didn't know them already, but she hadn't seen some of them in such a long time.

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-199

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-194

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-191

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-189

The Sisters of the Dying Branch

I couldn't help but borrow from @WanderingSpirit's very attractive format. I present for your consideration:

An Eery Monster of a Man

Theme Song

══════════════

BASICS

Name:
Dante Erie

Gender / Preferred Pronouns:
He / Him / They

Age:
20

Birthday:
April 15 ♈︎

Sexuality:
Heterosexual

APPEARANCE

Dante has a very straightforward look in that most of his wardrobe is composed of jeans and t-shirts. He keeps his face scruffy and his body well toned and ready for a fight if ever it came to fisticuffs. His feet are typically adorned in leather boots and he's most often seen dressed in darker colors. He's got a burn scar across his left shin, a gift left over from a dual with a fellow magic slinger that has never quite healed. His eyes are a vibrant hazel and his hair a dark brown.

PSYCHE

This man's personality can be described in five simple words: Mischievous, sarcastic, competitive, ambitious and fearless. Dante is very selective when it comes to friends, but once you have his favor, it's hard to get rid of him. He can be considered aggressive, easily upset if he feels he's not being given his due respect. To that end, he is also earnest in his drive to get the things he wants and is not quick to give up in those goals.

BACKSTORY

Dante Erie is a mutt. There's no other way to describe the young man, given the story of how he came to be. Conceived by a magically gifted Katherine and Windol Erie, the start of Dante's story seemed like it was sure to end well with a cozy house, black picket fences and not a care in the world. Windol and Katherine used to be star pupils of their craft, but when news of the baby came to them, they quickly decided to change their lifestyle, choosing their future family over the mystic arts.

Abandoning their coven, the two found themselves secluded on a plot of land populated by very few to live a life of independent solitude. Windol and his wife carried on through life almost as humans would, living off the land and putting in long hours of manual labor to keep food on the table. There would be times when Windol would cheat, employing his supernatural gifts, but the couple had moved so far from any wellspring that the fuel that fed their magic was hard to come by.

One day, just like any other, the Erie family was met with intruders. A pack of werewolves had invaded their homestead, mindlessly looking for a prize at the end of their hunt; a warm meal. The very pregnant Katherine attempted to run away, to find a spot to hide, but her reflexes were nothing compared to the lycan who pursued her. She paid for her sluggishness with flesh. As soon as the crimson fluid reached the surface of her wound and began pouring to the ground, Windol was taken aback and reacted with primal rage. Summoning every ounce of strength and power within him, he charged at the wolves and laid slaughter to them all in a scene of gruesome arcane horror. The last hurrah came with a price, though, and despite his victory, Windol ultimately fell.

The pains of sudden labor woke Katherine up out of her shock. The baby was coming and something felt... wrong. Quickly, she left her home, which was now just a scene of crimson death, and made her way to the coven that raised her. The contractions were growing exponentially in force and frequency. Soon an unnatural pain began to erupt from her abdomen as blood began to fill her mouth, dribbling out the corners. Finally she found herself on the grounds of The Sisters of the Dying Branch. As she collapsed in the front courtyard, she screamed out in horror as the skin on her stomach began to move and stretch. A little hand could be seen pushing out and at the tips of each finger, streams of blood began to form on the surface of Katherine's belly. She was being ripped apart from the inside out. She whaled uncontrollably, but there was nothing anyone could do at this point. What was going to happen was inevitable.

When the sisters of the coven finally came upon the scene, they were greeted with a bloodied boy playing delightfully in the entrails of his mother as he looked up at them with a grin and giggled with a chime of innocence.

The little monster was sent away to be raised by a friend of the coven, Sarah Langford, who volunteered to help create a blessing out of tragedy. Raising this witchy spawn who also had a diluted, yet versatile animalistic curse running through his veins was no easy task. Even still, Sarah stuck it out and raised the boy as her own. Though Sarah was not a witch of impressive talent, she knew just enough to give Dante a head start in his studies. Once he came of age, the Coven took over his tutelage, training Dante to hone his magical abilities to great effect.

Notable Rumor:

• Some have said that Dante exclusively relieves himself in outdoor settings as a way to mark his territory.
  
  _{While part of that is true, it can be more accurately attributed by Dante's laziness in trying to find the nearest restroom}

Greatest Fear:
Looking Stupid or Weak is Dante's worst fear. Whether its a result of being unprepared or putting all of his faith into poor choice, Dante constantly second guesses himself even if it's not outwardly obvious. To that end, he hesitates when it comes to taking a leadership role in a group as he's never sure if his opinion is the best or if his abilities are the most powerful. Despite being at the coven for quite some time now, Dante is also a little sensitive that others younger than he have already surpassed him in most of their mystical mastery.

NOTABLES

Magic:

Dante's Area of Studies

Most Notable Study: Shapeshifting
Unlike glamour, Dante is both cursed and blessed with the ability to physically manipulate his body with the aid of magic to create lasting, tangible effects. His favored battle form is a bipedal werewolf, though his version is of smaller stature than your classic lycanthrope, looking more like a man stuck halfway between a full transformation. He can also change isolated elements of his limbs to suit his purposes such as claws when he needs to climb, eyes when he needs nightvision or webbed extremities if he needed to move through water. This ability is a byproduct of his diluted exposure to the lycanthropic curse when he was in his mother's womb as explained in the Bio section, and it's source of power is slightly different than most magic used by witches.

The cost for this magic is control. The longer and more often he utilizes this ability, the harder it is to come out of it. It is one of the reasons he is interested in charm magic as he hopes he can one day find a supernatural lightening rod, so to speak, that can help him stave off the bestial nature that continues to try and dominate his mind.

Interested Studies: Self Healing
The ability to control the intricacies of one's vessel comes with a lot of possibilities for magical advantage in any given situation. One that Dante is interested, but not well versed, in is the ability to heal himself by mentally commanding his body to mend just as he does to transform. While the latter is instinctual and therefore easier to perform, the former takes a nearly surgical understanding of the body that Dante does not quite possess. Small scrapes and cuts are easy enough to tend to with some guided mystic will, but any wound of significant damage would have to be treated the old fashioned way.

Interested Studies: Charms
Many witches create charms as a way to perform magic with less taxation. Dante is only just beginning to learn about the advantages of charms and how to put them to use, but he is working toward finding a way to evoke his transformative magic without feeling the drain of the feat.

Interested Studies: Incantation
In order to maintain a dominant will over his instincts, Dante has made great use of mantras and the power of the spoken word. Articulate and gifted with advanced memory, Dante can learn incantations with a natural ease when given the opportunity.

Lackluster Studies: Potions
Dante couldn't make a dinner more complicated than a sandwich, much less a potent concoction of magic. He leaves the science to the scientists, so to speak, and while he respects those who can mix together power in a bottle, he is just not among those brewmasters.

Other:

• Despite not being of legal age, Dante enjoys a drink or two.
• Gambling is one of Dante's many famed vices.
• Dante has never turned down a dare as a point of pride.

@Rekker

Hey, Rekker! Glad to have you. I like your character sheet, but there is one issue.

Lycanthropy doesn't affect witches. It's okay if you didn't get this, since we discussed it almost exclusively in the Discord, but witches cannot be turned into werewolves or vampires. Being bitten by one does have an effect on them, however- it makes them very ill.

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-186

《 H. E. R. O. 》

"I am not fat!" Patricia whisper-yelled at Grace's comment, turning away for a single moment with crossed arms and a pouting face. "You're just way too skinny."

Patricia listened to Tom speak, nodding along and following him down the walkway. She did, in fact, feel a little like shit. Breaking out of here would be way easier if she still had her powers- Vinnie's definitely wouldn't protect against hers. And crowd control was always great to have. But stupid her had to go and get caught and jabbed. Now, they had two powers and a suspicious-looking machete among the three of them. Normally, that would've been fine, although not ideal. But now... well, they had to free 3 people from the clutches of an organized crime ring that were working with what seemed to be some of the scariest people this side of the planet. Her power could've neutralized them all in seconds, but all they had were portals and gravity.

Patricia audibly gasped as Tom said that Angie had been captured. She wedged herself into a spot where she could see out of the hatch and looked on in horror. No, no no no... But... Angelica was so smart and covert and responsible. How had she gotten caught? Had it been Patricia who had given her away? They must've remembered that the two had come in together and figured out that Angelica must be a mole, too. Patricia bit her lip. They couldn't let them kill her- no way. She couldn't even imagine the look on Eliza's face if her sister died. The thought made her stomach plummet. They had to save her. The urgency of the situation thrummed in her veins. She wasn't entirely sure how they could beat them by themselves, but they could try.

She nodded along at Tom's plan. In the back of her mind, she thought it was a little reckless and would definitely get them murdered, but... they had to take the chance. She clutched the machete, a look of resolve settling in on her face. "Yeah, of course," she whispered to Tom before he kicked in the hatch and dragged Grace and her down into the hallway. She was about to slash at the goon when Grace hit him with a portal, sending him crashing into a light fixture. At least she had tried Patricia half-scowled, glancing around at the three unconscious people littering the ground. If she had her powers, she could've put them all to sleep easily. And without as much noise.

"Angelica!" Patricia rushed to the woman once the fight was over, worry and relief in her eyes. "Thank God you're okay. Let's get out of here and go free the other-"

Patricia whirled around at the sound of Vinnie's voice, her heart suddenly pumping a mile a minute. Her gaze widened at the sight of the gun. Shit! All the things she had read about Vinnie in the folder suggested that he was not fucking around. And just when they had been about to escape. What a bastard. Both anxiety and fury were swimming around in her chest.

Patricia glanced at Grace, who was kneeling on the ground as he had asked. She should probably follow Grace's lead. The older woman was smart, and responsible, and experienced, but... ugh, she didn't want to! But it made sense. She had half a mind to throw a high heel at his face but knew that he was more likely to shoot her in the head than be distracted by it. And any other angry thing she did would also be met with a shot to the face. So, gritting her teeth, she knelt slowly on the ground next to Grace.

@Hitman@Amethyst@KaijuBaragon

---

"Christina!" Jamie shouted, a wide smile appearing on her face. She turned to her boss, clapping with glee as Paradox flew away. "Woo! You beat him!" She was happy to see Christina. The fight hadn't been going too well, and her appearance seemed to be just the thing to drive him away. She had been just a little worried that they might not get out of this one whole. She went over to Blake to help cut him free, but it seemed that Christina had already done most of it. So, instead, she listened to the two of them talk, following them into the rubble of the house.

Jamie hung back for most of it, having not been given explicit instructions. She would have helped to clear the rubble, but she wasn't sure if her power would just make it worse or not. She picked up on most of the conversation- that Tom, Patricia, Angie, Brie, Will, and some girl that she didn't know were in trouble. She frowned. That didn't sound good at all. But they were about to go save them, so they would probably be fine soon! She squatted down to sift through the rocks with Blake, blowing a few piles away with a well-placed shockwave. They'll be okay soon, she reasoned to herself, but her stomach was plummeting all the same. She hadn't watched a lot of movies or read a lot, but being stuck in a mansion with mafia people sounded bad. And she wouldn't want any of her friends to be hurt... just the thought made her feel sad.

She wandered over to the hole after Christina announced that she had found it. Peering down it, she gulped. It looked like a ladder going into the abyss. But if this led to her friends... well, she had to save them! She looked up to Rumi and Blake. "Of course we won't, Christina! We'll be fine, don't worry. Um, you guys... I'm going, just to make it clear. I guess... come if you want?" At that, Jamie hopped on the ladder and started to climb down into the tunnel.

@Hitman@Scarifar

Men vs. Women Race to 1000: Version 2.0

-182