Sienna had gotten herself a well-deserved day off. It was not that she did not love spending time with her children or Arthur, but at the same time, she had reasoned that everyone needs some alone time, which her family graciously gave her. They were safe now, surely hanging out at some sort of arcade or having a fun activity at home, a thought which made her heart ache. Her boys grew up so quickly, after all... in just a couple of months, even her youngest would focus on something else. Even he would get tired of hearing her stories and then she truly would have nothing left.
She should have felt happy about her day. She should have indulged herself with shopping or meeting up with old friends, but Sienna knew it would only make her more miserable. After all, she would have to keep up the facade in front of them, so what was the point? At least she could let her imagination loose as she walked in Central Park, the location giving her some piece of mind. It let her forget about the concrete jungle around her, not to mention that some of the more obscure paths would lead her far away from people. There, Sienna could sit down to think about what to do next.
Her life needed change, that much was clear. She felt she could not last much longer this way, as her creativity wanted, nay, demanded to be set free in some form and while she did indulge in make-believe with her children, not to mention her hidden sacred texts, her efforts were not enough. Her soul yearned for something else; Sienna only had to figure out what it was unless she wanted to rot away in a cage of her own making.
Seeking out a lonely bench, the woman took her seat and set down her bag, taking a drink from her bottle of water. She then closed her eyes to listen to the sounds of Central Park, trying to soothe herself with nature, but... something did not feel right. The more she paid attention to what should have been chirping birds in the background or noises that reflected animal life, the more she realised that there was a deathly quiet in the air. Normally, she would have chalked it up to the quiet before rain, but this felt different. Almost tangible.
"Maybe I should leave?" she wondered out loud, but shook her head. No, she had to get some peace and quie-
Screams echoed. Something smashed and cracked into thousands of pieces. A familiar feeling rose in her heart; a monster attack.
Sienna froze. The screams came from but a hundred or so metres away at most. She could feel them echo in her bones as her imagination conjured a scenario all too familiar: the enemies of humanity appearing out of nowhere, then terrorising people with all their might. And even though she knew the best thing she could do was run away, her legs refused to more. Indeed, Sienna felt as though she had been glued to her bench as claws sunk into her metaphorical heart, eyes shutting as though they could keep away the sounds of panic.
Had one peaceful day been too much to ask for? She only wanted some time to think for herself, but now... she was in danger. And she just could. Not move. Perhaps it was because she had never been so close to an attack, or because she thought of the innocents caught up in it, desperately wishing, no, praying that a magical girl would arrive in time to save people. More importantly, the magical girl would also save her and for a moment, Sienna would get a glimpse of what her life could have been if she had contracted.
She got a book to the face instead, resulting in a completely unintentional backflip that could have won her a figure-skater's award. It happened so quickly that Sienna did not even have the time to cartwheel her arms. The force of the impact spun her in place several times before she landed on her back, splaying out in what could be only called a magnificent T-pose, her eyes spinning from all the spinning involved.
"There is no time to explain, so please make a contract with me before more people get hurt!" Something rather loud and panicked called out near Sienna's face, who was quite busy watching the world revolve around her as though it were a carousel, thank you very much. She certainly had no time, nor the focus necessary to listen to a single word right now, never mind a sentence, an explanation or people getting hurt. After all, stars pretty!
"Oh for... Not again! I thought I had it fixed this time!" The voice complained before something bright filled Sienna's vision and the world stopped spinning.
"Right, let's try again. Sienna Hawthorne, please make a contract with me! Quickly, before the monster grows too big to handle!"
"What?!" she asked, eyes widening as she took in the floating tome before her. For the moment, she even forgot about the monster rampaging in the background as she tried to figure out what was happening.
"Please don't delay! Just know that I'm a mascot and I have chosen you as a magical girl! Now please make a contract with me so we can save those people!" The tome begged her with all of its might and though Sienna doubted herself for a split second, something deep inside of her responded to that call. Perhaps it was her awe for magical girls and the thought of becoming one proved far too overwhelming. Maybe it was her true self, locked away for all this time, screaming for a way out from her ordinary, grey and grey life. Or it could have been her desire to protect her family from harm. Whatever it was, the moment she reached out for the tome, magic started to flow between the two of them.
"Excellent! Normally, I'd give you the introductions, but I'm afraid we don't have time for that, so you'll have to learn on the fly. Please just think of a name and an appearance, fixate them in your mind, then let the magic do the work for you." Even though the tome blitzed through the explanation, Sienna understood it and did as asked... but unfortunately, while the book's spiel had worked on dozens upon dozens of magical girls before her, Sienna was an adult woman who just happened to possess the imagination of someone half her age.
"Wait... what's happening?" Motes of sickly yellow light started to gather around Sienna as she formed the picture of what she wanted to become. "I... don't think this... this is the right colour..." The skies darkened as magic gathered in the air. "Why... the heck... how... unprecedented..." The grass around Sienna's feet started to wither. "Sieanna Hawthorne, please stop!"
Too late.
With an explosion of sickly yellow, a new magical girl was born in Central Park. And her name was...
"How foolish of you, enemies of humanity, that you have not counted upon the arrival of my magnificent self... for I, Her Eternally Exalted Excellency, The Diligent Dealer of Death, Decay and Devastation, The Righteous Regent who Reminisces of Ravaging Rebellions with Relentless Rows of Revenants, Magicae Mortem Puellae Quae Dominatur Arcem Loculis, shall render onto you the greatest gift which can be offered by entropy: death!"
Personality: At a first glance, Sienna is a model housewife. Not only is she a loving spouse, but she is also great with children. She cooks, cleans and does the laundry. She is always by her husband, taking care of their three children so that they may have bright futures. Furthermore, Sienna always awaits her guests with a loving smile, not to mention that she minds her manners maybe just a little bit too much. Indeed, from the outside, it seems that she loves and is loved in return in equal amounts.
Yet this is a mere facade.
Deep down, Sienna is a woman with a vivacious fantasy, an imagination beyond compare and ambitions that she never fulfilled. The only time when her real personality gets to shine is when she is telling fantastic stories to her children... but even that is starting to fall by the wayside. With her youngest starting school soon, he is growing out of her 'childish fantasies' and so, Sienna finds herself at her wits' end. Every day, she feels like she is playing a role, that she is living out the ideal life of someone else. Everyone tells her that they are envious of her situation and it is slowly killing her inside because she can never be who she truly is.
Backstory: Born to a middle-class family, Sienna's story started out great. She had everything one could want in life: a loving family, an older brother and a younger brother. She especially loved playing with her siblings, often using her vivid imagination to conjure make-believe scenarios that were beloved by all. She always dreamed of worlds beyond worlds; even at a young age, she excelled in telling stories to everyone. Her parents humored her as was their duty but while most kids grew out of their story phase, Sienna had not really gotten the memo.
While her parents had warned her repeatedly, Sienna did not listen, which turned into a disastrous school debut. Instead of endearing the other children like her family, she alienated them. They thought her weird for living in a world of fancy fantasies, quickly deciding that she came from another planet, then ostracising her in a rather cruel fashion. Rumors spread about her through the whole school, turning Sienna's life upside down to such a degree that her parents made the decision to switch her schools.
While there had been no physical bullying, Sienna did learn her lesson. Never again would she share her internal world with others even if it killed her deep inside. After all, nobody truly wanted to hear about it. Even her family had only indulged her because they were nice to her. And so she created a facade to hide behind, painting a thick, metaphorical mask over her face. No longer was she a girl of stories, of creation. No, instead she was interested in the classic topics: Boys, gossip and whatever else seemed popular at the time.
Wearing this mask only further reinforced her beliefs, for the more she talked about what others wanted to hear, the more successful she became socially.
Therefore, her fantasies were useless. The worlds, the characters she created were worse than worthless. They held her back. Society did not value such things; instead, it emphasized being just like everyone else. And so she would have to adapt even though it slowly murdered her inside. Every smile she put on, every gesture she faked, everything she did to appeal to others only diminished her, grinding away at her soul iota by iota. And yet no matter how she tried, she could not shake off her 'childish tastes' - they seemed to be a part of her soul regardless of how much it hurt to acknowledge.
So she tried her best to forget about them. She did everything correctly - married young to a relatively wealthy husband, gave him beautiful children, stayed home to take care of them. Played the part of a perfect housewife, of a loving spouse. Swallowed poison every single day. Broke just a little bit more every single day. And as her children too, started to grow up and discard the fantastic stories she told them, Sienna realised just how alone she truly was. Indeed, she could never show her true self to anyone else, lest she be destroyed again.
And yet, there was hope within the darkness. Ever since her disastrous debut at school, Sienna found solace in the stories of magical girls. She loved how they presented themselves. She loved how they fought for justice. She wished that one of them had stood beside her when she was being bullied, but more than that... Sienna wished to become one of them, for they would have allowed her the freedom of using her imagination. They would open the doors of the gilded cage she constructed for herself, relieve her of the burden of pretense.
Except that moment never came in her life. Indeed as she entered into her thirty-third year, Sienna realised that this is yet another of her childish dreams and yet... she just can not let go of it. Oh if only she could don a mask and unburden herself! If only she could unleash all of her fantasies and fancies without a care in the world! That would be true heaven for her.
Other Details: - There is some Italian blood in Sienna, the relevance of which will become evident later on. - She enjoys being a magical girl way too much and would rather spend her time in costume than out of costume. This makes her already tense relationship with her Mascot even more so. - Sienna is good with young children, often captivating them with her imagination. - She is also excellent at household chores, though she does not enjoy them.
Her Eternally Exalted Excellency, The Diligent Dealer of Death, Decay and Devastation, The Righteous Regent who Reminisces of Ravaging Rebellions with Relentless Rows of Revenants, Magicae Mortem Puellae Quae Dominatur Arcem Loculis
A.K.A.
Coffin Fortress
Appearance:
Si omnis mortalium qui conspectui meo occurrere audet, carnem eorum in saxum sua insensibilem vertetur (Every mortal who dares to meet my gaze shall have their flesh turned into unfeeling stone): When Coffin Fortress channels magic into her baleful eyes which conceal behind them the horrifying truth of life and its end, she gains the ability to freeze creatures by looking straight into their eyes, or equivalent sensory organs. Should she meet their gaze for a long enough time, usually measured in a dozen seconds at least, her target's bodily functions will also start to fail, slowly killing them as time goes by.
This ability is far from instantaneous; the stronger Coffin Fortress' opponent is, the harder it is for her to paralyse them, never mind eliminate them using this spell.
Omnes mortales sarcophagum amplecti cupiunt, et gratiam eis misericordiam tribuo maledictis redemptionem affero (All mortals crave to embrace the coffin, and so I show them mercy by delivering it unto their cursed souls): Reaching deep into the endless void from which there is no escape and which will never accept a living thing for as long as it exists realm of eternal rest, Coffin Fortress summons a large coffin beside herself, which she then launches at an enemy of her choice. These 'projectiles' may be summoned rapidly if she desires, but the more she creates at once, the smaller their size - and impact - will be.
Loculis solamen mortuis non tuentur, sed nam tutelam homines praestabunt donec parati sunt fatum suum amplecti (Coffins do not offer their comfort only to the dead, for they will ensure one's protection until they are ready to embrace their fate): Calling upon the spinners of Fate who determine one's life just as much as they determine their death her magic, Coffin Fortress summons seven revolving coffins around an ally or herself. These coffins follow and protect their target as though they were a shield, though they can not completely defend against stronger attacks.
Per crux vivis et dedit crucem morieris (It is by the cross that you live and it is by the cross that you shall die): Opening her hands as though she were embracing the inevitability of Death itself, Coffin Fortress creates a massive, elaborately detailed cross as a weapon in her hands. Her gaze then sweeps across the battlefield until it lands on an opponent she deems suitable, marking them as her target. She may then use weapon in one of two ways: Either she can launch the cross at them with supernatural speed, impacting and hopefully pinning or impaling her opponent, or she can blitz up to them to deliver a vicious blow. Coffin Fortress can use the cross for as long as she fuels her spell with magic, choosing new targets as she pleases.
Requiescit non curat qui in eo infernus (The grave does not care about who rests in it): With a loving kiss to the ring on her right finger, Coffin Fortress closes her eyes and summons up to thirteen ornate graves around herself, always arranged as though they were points on a star. Forged by Death itself and decorated with the trappings of a world far beyond mortals, These graves are masterfully crafted, ornate constructs that emit an aura of crushing despair. Should any creature stray too close to them, no matter how strong-willed, they will be overcome by the urge to open up one of the graves and lay there, unmoving until death comes for them.
Somnum: Coffin Fortress raises her left hand to the sky, the very appendage that serves as the key to the door of the afterlife and utters one simple word. The heavens themselves respond in kind, ominous, pale clouds gathering above her as she begins her ritual. As she focuses her energies, baleful lightning builds up around her, lashing out at any who come too close and injuring them, all the while building a bridge of cursed light that strives to reach ever higher. When it reaches the clouds, the ritual is finished.
The next moment, a coffin smashes into the ground behind her. Several times taller than she is and as vast as the realm of Death itself, it opens with an ominous creak, letting out a swarm of hideous, skeletal hands that can stretch for as long as they please to seek out Coffin Fortress' enemies, seizing them with supernatural strength. Then they are dragged towards the coffin - their certain death - with nigh irresistible force, for nothing that goes past the coffin's lid will ever live again.
When the spell is finished, the coffin slams shut and ascends back to where it came from.
Given its sheer strength and versatility, it is unfortunate that this is one of the few of Coffin Fortress' attacks that can be disrupted by interrupting it in the ritual phase. When this happens, she may not invoke it again for some time.
Transformation item: Coffin Fortress' Mascot also serves as her transformation item - as such, she always carries it with her in a shoulder bag.
Magical weapon: The Dread Rabbit of Caerbannog. While this creature may look like an ordinary hare, it possesses powers far beyond one's imagination. Not only is it fiercely loyal to its master, but its teeth are also capable of shearing one's head from their neck. It is also incredibly fluffy and friendly to those its master deems harmless. Petting it is encouraged!
Other details: - Coffin Fortress' personality changes completely in her Magical Girl form. All of Sienna's inhibitions, all of her fantasies and fancies are released, let out to the wind and the resulting picture is... well... someone who speaks in a baroque, over-the-top manner; uses elaborate and overly complex sentences; never refers to people by their name, opting a to use a title instead - which changes about as often as one changes their underwear; and plays up their own powers along with that of her team-mates. - Her Magical Girl personality is contagious to a degree. The longer someone fights beside her, the harder it is for them to remain themselves. This does not effect everyone to the same degree. (Read as: all characters can resist this effect until their player finds the timing sufficiently funny.) - Not even Mascots are immune to this effect. Hers seems to be the only exception to the rule. - Why, yes, Coffin Fortress loves to shout the full name of her abilities. Fortunately(?) there seems to be some sort of weird time distortion effect that allows her to be always on time with them, regardless of how long they might be.
Name:The Star-Studded Tome of Salvation De mortalium suscitandas et carnis ad potestate mortuae carnes.
Appearance:
Personality: Once a book of hopes, light and dreams, Salvation - he refuses to be called by the silly name that Coffin Fortress gave him - is rather angry about being turned into "The ultimate, unquestionable weapon of death from which not a single entity - whether they be mortal or not - is capable of escaping, for entropy and the end of all things will inevitably reap every single soul." and he would rather be elsewhere. The only thing keeping Salvation by Coffin Fortress' side is their contract, but even that is a rather tenuous link. Indeed, he only helps her out if it is absolutely necessary for the completion of her duty, choosing to sulk in silence instead.
Seriously, why did he choose this girl... woman in the first place? Gods, is he ever embarrassed about it. And he had more than enough of her behaviour, thank you very much! She should just shut up already instead of going on tirades about the death, darkness and the nature of the universe and... gah! Why, oh why couldn't he have chosen someone else? Sure, it was an emergency, sure, the whole world depended on it, but he still regrets it to this day and is always looking for opportunities to be rid of her. Unfortunately, magical contracts are a two-way street, so Salvation is stuck being snarky or playing straight man to Coffin Fortress.
Now post for Coffin Fortress so MDP can befriend her.
Will that be a traditional befriending or a Nanoha-style befriending?
On a note related to my post, @shagranoz, do Magical Girls get the "usual" suite of physical enhancements that is common in Magical Girl anime (enhanced strength and speed) or do they only have their magic when compared to their human selves?
WIP. Most of the important details are ironed out and it is only missing some flair, but it is... rather important flair.
Name: Sienna Hawthorne
Age: 33
Appearance:
Personality: At a first glance, Sienna is a model housewife. Not only is she a loving spouse, but she is also great with children. She cooks, cleans and does the laundry. She is always by her husband, taking care of their three children so that they may have bright futures. Furthermore, Sienna always awaits her guests with a loving smile, not to mention that she minds her manners maybe just a little bit too much. Indeed, from the outside, it seems that she loves and is loved in return in equal amounts.
Yet this is a mere facade.
Deep down, Sienna is a woman with a vivacious fantasy, an imagination beyond compare and ambitions that she never fulfilled. The only time when her real personality gets to shine is when she is telling fantastic stories to her children... but even that is starting to fall by the wayside. With her youngest starting school soon, he is growing out of her 'childish fantasies' and so, Sienna finds herself at her wits' end. Every day, she feels like she is playing a role, that she is living out the ideal life of someone else. Everyone tells her that they are envious of her situation and it is slowly killing her inside because she can never be who she truly is.
Backstory: Born to a middle-class family, Sienna's story started out great. She had everything one could want in life: a loving family, an older brother and a younger brother. She especially loved playing with her siblings, often using her vivid imagination to conjure make-believe scenarios that were beloved by all. She always dreamed of worlds beyond worlds; even at a young age, she excelled in telling stories to everyone. Her parents humored her as was their duty but while most kids grew out of their story phase, Sienna had not really gotten the memo.
While her parents had warned her repeatedly, Sienna did not listen, which turned into a disastrous school debut. Instead of endearing the other children like her family, she alienated them. They thought her weird for living in a world of fancy fantasies, quickly deciding that she came from another planet, then ostracising her in a rather cruel fashion. Rumors spread about her through the whole school, turning Sienna's life upside down to such a degree that her parents made the decision to switch her schools.
While there had been no physical bullying, Sienna did learn her lesson. Never again would she share her internal world with others even if it killed her deep inside. Nobody wanted to hear about them. Even her family had only indulged her because they were nice to her. And so she created a facade to hide behind, painting a thick, metaphorical mask over her face. No longer was she a girl of stories, of creation. No, instead she was interested in the classic topics: Boys, gossip and whatever else seemed popular at the time.
Wearing this mask only further reinforced her beliefs, for the more she talked about what others wanted to hear, the more successful she became socially.
Therefore, her fantasies were useless. The worlds, the characters she created were worse than worthless. They held her back. Society did not value such things; instead, it emphasized being just like everyone else. And so she would have to adapt even though it was slowly murdering her inside. Every smile she put on, every gesture she faked, everything she did to appeal to others only diminished her, grinding away at her soul iota by iota. And yet no matter how she tried, she could not shake off her 'childish tastes' - they seemed to be a part of her soul regardless of how much it hurt to acknowledge.
So she tried her best to forget about them. She did everything correctly - married young to a relatively wealthy husband, gave him beautiful children, stayed home to take care of them. Played the part of a perfect housewife, of a loving spouse. Swallowed poison every single day. Broke just a little bit more every single day. And as her children too, started to grow up and discard the fantastic stories she told them, Sienna realised just how alone she truly was. Indeed, she could never show her true self to anyone else, lest she be destroyed again.
And yet, there was hope within the darkness. Ever since her disastrous debut at school, Sienna found solace in the stories of magical girls. She loved how they presented themselves. She loved how they fought for justice. She wished that one of them had stood beside her when she was being bullied, but more than that... Sienna wished to become one of them, for they would have allowed her the freedom of using her imagination. They would open the doors of the gilded cage she constructed for herself, relieve her of the burden of pretense.
Except that moment never came in her life. Indeed as she entered into her thirty-third year, Sienna realised that this is yet another of her childish dreams and yet... she just can not let go of it. Oh if only she could don a mask and unburden herself! If only she could unleash all of her fantasies and fancies without a care in the world! That would be nothing else than true heaven.
Other Details: - There is some Italian blood in Sienna, the relevance of which will become evident later on. - She enjoys being a magical girl way too much and would rather spend her time in costume than out of costume. This makes her already tense relationship with her Mascot even more so.
Transformed Name: Her Eternally Exalted Excellency, The Diligent Dealer of Death, Decay and Devastation, The Righteous Regent who Reminisces of Ravaging Rebellions with Relentless Rows of Revenants, Magicae Mortem Puellae Quae Dominatur Arcem Loculis
A.K.A.
Coffin Fortress
Appearance:
Minor Powers/Attacks
Si omnis mortalium qui conspectui meo occurrere audet, carnem eorum in saxum sua insensibilem vertetur (Every mortal who dares to meet my gaze shall have their flesh turned into unfeeling stone): When Coffin Fortress channels magic into her baleful eyes which conceal behind them the horrifying truth of life and its end, she gains the ability to freeze creatures by looking straight into their eyes, or equivalent sensory organs. Should she meet their gaze for a long enough time, usually measured in a dozen seconds at least, her target's bodily functions will also start to fail, slowly killing them as time goes by.
This ability is far from instantaneous; the stronger Coffin Fortress' opponent is, the harder it is for her to paralyse them, never mind eliminate them using this spell.
Omnes mortales sarcophagum amplecti cupiunt, et gratiam eis misericordiam tribuo maledictis redemptionem affero (All mortals crave to embrace the coffin, and so I show them mercy by delivering it unto their cursed souls.): Reaching deep into the endless void from which there is no escape and which will never accept a living thing for as long as it exists realm of eternal rest, Coffin Fortress summons a large coffin beside herself, which she then launches at an enemy of her choice. These 'projectiles' may be summoned rapidly if she desires, but the more she summons at once, the smaller their size - and impact - will be.
Loculis solamen mortuis non tuentur, sed nam tutelam homines praestabunt donec parati sunt fatum suum amplecti (Coffins do not offer their comfort only to the dead, for they will ensure one's protection until they are ready to embrace their fate): Calling upon the spinners of Fate who determine one's life just as much as they determine their death her magic, Coffin Fortress summons seven revolving coffins around an ally or herself. These coffins follow and protect their target as though they were a shield, though they can not defend against stronger attacks.
Medium Powers/Attacks
Per crux vivis et dedit crucem morieris (It is by the cross that you live and it is by the cross that you shall die): Opening her hands as though she were embracing the inevitability of Death itself, Crossed Swords spends a moment to summon a massive, elaborately detailed cross as a weapon. Her gaze then sweeps across the battlefield until it lands on an opponent she deems suitable, marking them as her target. She may then use weapon in one of two ways: Either she can launch the cross at them with supernatural speed, impacting and hopefully pinning or straight up impaling her opponent, or she can blitz up to them to deliver a vicious blow. Coffin Fortress may use the cross for as long as she fuels her spell with magic, choosing new targets as she pleases.
Requiescit non curat qui in eo infernus (The grave does not care about who rests in it): With a loving kiss to the ring on her right finger, Coffin Fortress closes her eyes and summons up to thirteen ornate graves around herself, always arranged as though they were points on a star. Forged by Death itself and decorated with all trappings of a world beyond mortals, These graves are masterfully crafted, ornate constructs that emit an aura of crushing despair. Should any creature stray too close to them, no matter how strong-willed, they will be overcome by the urge to open up one of the graves and lay there, unmoving until death comes for them.
Major Power/Attack
Somnum: Coffin Fortress raises her left hand to the sky, the very appendage that serves as the key to the door of the afterlife and utters one simple word. The heavens themselves respond in kind, ominous, pale clouds gathering above her as she begins her ritual. As she focuses her energies, baleful energies build up around her, lashing out at any who come too close and injuring them, all the while building a bridge of cursed light that strives to reach ever higher. When it touches the clouds, the ritual is finished.
The next moment, a coffin smashes into the ground behind her. Four times as tall as she is, it opens with an ominous creak, letting out a swarm of hideous, skeletal hands that are far longer than they should have any right to be. They seek out Coffin Fortress' enemies, whether they be few or many, dragging them towards the coffin with supernatural strength, for no creature that crosses the lid will ever live again.
When the spell is finished, the coffin slams shut and ascends back to where it came from.
Given its sheer strength and versatility, it is unfortunate that this is one of the few of Coffin Fortress' attacks that can be disrupted by interrupting it in the ritual phase. When this happens, she may not try invoking it again for some time.
Transformation item: Coffin Fortress' Mascot also serves as her transformation item - as such, she always carries it with her in a shoulder bag.
Magical weapon: The Dread Rabbit of Caerbannog. While this creature may look like an ordinary hare, it possesses powers far beyond one's imagination. Not only is it fiercely loyal to its master, but its teeth are also capable of shearing one's head from their neck. It is also incredibly fluffy and friendly to those its master deems harmless. Petting it is encouraged!
Other details: - Coffin Fortress' personality changes completely in her Magical Girl form. All of Sienna's inhibitions, all of her fantasies and fancies are released, let out to the wind and the resulting picture is... well... someone who speaks in a baroque, over-the-top manner; uses elaborate and overly complex sentences; never refers to people by their name, opting a to use a title instead - which changes about as often as one changes their underwear; and plays up their own powers along with that of her team-mates. - Her Magical Girl personality is contagious to a degree. The longer someone fights beside her, the harder it is for them to remain themselves. This does not effect everyone to the same degree. (Read as: all characters can resist this effect until their player finds the timing sufficiently funny.) - Not even Mascots are immune to this effect. Hers seems to be the only exception to the rule. - Why, yes, Coffin Fortress loves to shout the full name of her abilities. Fortunately(?) there seems to be some sort of weird time distortion effect that allows her to be always on time with them, regardless of how long they might be.
Name:The Star-Studded Tome of Salvation De mortalium suscitandas et carnis ad potestate mortuae carnes.
Appearance:
Personality: Once a book of hopes, light and dreams, Salvation - he refuses to be called by the silly name that Coffin Fortress gave him - is rather angry about being turned into "The ultimate, unquestionable weapon of death from which not a single entity - whether they be mortal or not - is capable of escaping, for entropy and the end of all things will inevitably reap every single soul." and he would rather be elsewhere. The only thing keeping Salvation by Coffin Fortress' side is their contract, but even that is a rather tenuous link. Indeed, he only helps her out if it is absolutely necessary for the completion of her duty, choosing to sulk in silence instead.
Seriously, why did he choose this girl... woman in the first place? Gods, is he ever embarrassed about it. And he had more than enough of her behaviour, thank you very much! She should just shut up already instead of going on tirades about the death, darkness and the nature of the universe and... gah! Why, oh why couldn't he have chosen someone else? Sure, it was an emergency, sure, the whole world depended on it, but he still regrets it to this day and is always looking for opportunities to be rid of her. Unfortunately, magical contracts are a two-way street, so Salvation is stuck being snarky or playing straight man to Coffin Fortress' insanity.
Personality: At a first glance, Sienna is a model housewife. Not only is she a loving spouse, but she is also great with children. She cooks, cleans and does the laundry. She is always by her husband, taking care of their three children so that they may have bright futures. Furthermore, Sienna always awaits her guests with a loving smile, not to mention that she minds her manners maybe just a little bit too much. Indeed, from the outside, it seems that she loves and is loved in return in equal amounts.
Yet this is a mere facade.
Deep down, Sienna is a woman with a vivacious fantasy, an imagination beyond compare and ambitions that she never fulfilled. The only time when her real personality gets to shine is when she is telling fantastic stories to her children... but even that is starting to fall by the wayside. With her youngest starting school soon, he is growing out of her 'childish fantasies' and so, Sienna finds herself at her wits' end. Every day, she feels like she is playing a role, that she is living out the ideal life of someone else. Everyone tells her that they are envious of her situation and it is slowly killing her inside because she can never be who she truly is.
Backstory: Born to a middle-class family, Sienna's story started out great. She had everything one could want in life: a loving family, an older brother and a younger brother. She especially loved playing with her siblings, often using her vivid imagination to conjure make-believe scenarios that were beloved by all. She always dreamed of worlds beyond worlds; even at a young age, she excelled in telling stories to everyone. Her parents humored her as was their duty but while most kids grew out of their story phase, Sienna had not really gotten the memo.
While her parents had warned her repeatedly, Sienna did not listen, which turned into a disastrous school debut. Instead of endearing the other children like her family, she alienated them. They thought her weird for living in a world of fancy fantasies, quickly deciding that she came from another planet, then ostracising her in a rather cruel fashion. Rumors spread about her through the whole school, turning Sienna's life upside down to such a degree that her parents made the decision to switch her schools.
While there had been no physical bullying, Sienna did learn her lesson. Never again would she share her internal world with others even if it killed her deep inside. After all, nobody truly wanted to hear about it. Even her family had only indulged her because they were nice to her. And so she created a facade to hide behind, painting a thick, metaphorical mask over her face. No longer was she a girl of stories, of creation. No, instead she was interested in the classic topics: Boys, gossip and whatever else seemed popular at the time.
Wearing this mask only further reinforced her beliefs, for the more she talked about what others wanted to hear, the more successful she became socially.
Therefore, her fantasies were useless. The worlds, the characters she created were worse than worthless. They held her back. Society did not value such things; instead, it emphasized being just like everyone else. And so she would have to adapt even though it slowly murdered her inside. Every smile she put on, every gesture she faked, everything she did to appeal to others only diminished her, grinding away at her soul iota by iota. And yet no matter how she tried, she could not shake off her 'childish tastes' - they seemed to be a part of her soul regardless of how much it hurt to acknowledge.
So she tried her best to forget about them. She did everything correctly - married young to a relatively wealthy husband, gave him beautiful children, stayed home to take care of them. Played the part of a perfect housewife, of a loving spouse. Swallowed poison every single day. Broke just a little bit more every single day. And as her children too, started to grow up and discard the fantastic stories she told them, Sienna realised just how alone she truly was. Indeed, she could never show her true self to anyone else, lest she be destroyed again.
And yet, there was hope within the darkness. Ever since her disastrous debut at school, Sienna found solace in the stories of magical girls. She loved how they presented themselves. She loved how they fought for justice. She wished that one of them had stood beside her when she was being bullied, but more than that... Sienna wished to become one of them, for they would have allowed her the freedom of using her imagination. They would open the doors of the gilded cage she constructed for herself, relieve her of the burden of pretense.
Except that moment never came in her life. Indeed as she entered into her thirty-third year, Sienna realised that this is yet another of her childish dreams and yet... she just can not let go of it. Oh if only she could don a mask and unburden herself! If only she could unleash all of her fantasies and fancies without a care in the world! That would be true heaven for her.
Other Details: - There is some Italian blood in Sienna, the relevance of which will become evident later on. - She enjoys being a magical girl way too much and would rather spend her time in costume than out of costume. This makes her already tense relationship with her Mascot even more so. - Sienna is good with young children, often captivating them with her imagination. - She is also excellent at household chores, though she does not enjoy them.
Her Eternally Exalted Excellency, The Diligent Dealer of Death, Decay and Devastation, The Righteous Regent who Reminisces of Ravaging Rebellions with Relentless Rows of Revenants, Magicae Mortem Puellae Quae Dominatur Arcem Loculis
A.K.A.
Coffin Fortress
Appearance:
Si omnis mortalium qui conspectui meo occurrere audet, carnem eorum in saxum sua insensibilem vertetur (Every mortal who dares to meet my gaze shall have their flesh turned into unfeeling stone): When Coffin Fortress channels magic into her baleful eyes which conceal behind them the horrifying truth of life and its end, she gains the ability to freeze creatures by looking straight into their eyes, or equivalent sensory organs. Should she meet their gaze for a long enough time, usually measured in a dozen seconds at least, her target's bodily functions will also start to fail, slowly killing them as time goes by.
This ability is far from instantaneous; the stronger Coffin Fortress' opponent is, the harder it is for her to paralyse them, never mind eliminate them using this spell.
Omnes mortales sarcophagum amplecti cupiunt, et gratiam eis misericordiam tribuo maledictis redemptionem affero (All mortals crave to embrace the coffin, and so I show them mercy by delivering it unto their cursed souls): Reaching deep into the endless void from which there is no escape and which will never accept a living thing for as long as it exists realm of eternal rest, Coffin Fortress summons a large coffin beside herself, which she then launches at an enemy of her choice. These 'projectiles' may be summoned rapidly if she desires, but the more she creates at once, the smaller their size - and impact - will be.
Loculis solamen mortuis non tuentur, sed nam tutelam homines praestabunt donec parati sunt fatum suum amplecti (Coffins do not offer their comfort only to the dead, for they will ensure one's protection until they are ready to embrace their fate): Calling upon the spinners of Fate who determine one's life just as much as they determine their death her magic, Coffin Fortress summons seven revolving coffins around an ally or herself. These coffins follow and protect their target as though they were a shield, though they can not completely defend against stronger attacks.
Per crux vivis et dedit crucem morieris (It is by the cross that you live and it is by the cross that you shall die): Opening her hands as though she were embracing the inevitability of Death itself, Coffin Fortress creates a massive, elaborately detailed cross as a weapon in her hands. Her gaze then sweeps across the battlefield until it lands on an opponent she deems suitable, marking them as her target. She may then use weapon in one of two ways: Either she can launch the cross at them with supernatural speed, impacting and hopefully pinning or impaling her opponent, or she can blitz up to them to deliver a vicious blow. Coffin Fortress can use the cross for as long as she fuels her spell with magic, choosing new targets as she pleases.
Requiescit non curat qui in eo infernus (The grave does not care about who rests in it): With a loving kiss to the ring on her right finger, Coffin Fortress closes her eyes and summons up to thirteen ornate graves around herself, always arranged as though they were points on a star. Forged by Death itself and decorated with the trappings of a world far beyond mortals, These graves are masterfully crafted, ornate constructs that emit an aura of crushing despair. Should any creature stray too close to them, no matter how strong-willed, they will be overcome by the urge to open up one of the graves and lay there, unmoving until death comes for them.
Somnum: Coffin Fortress raises her left hand to the sky, the very appendage that serves as the key to the door of the afterlife and utters one simple word. The heavens themselves respond in kind, ominous, pale clouds gathering above her as she begins her ritual. As she focuses her energies, baleful lightning builds up around her, lashing out at any who come too close and injuring them, all the while building a bridge of cursed light that strives to reach ever higher. When it reaches the clouds, the ritual is finished.
The next moment, a coffin smashes into the ground behind her. Several times taller than she is and as vast as the realm of Death itself, it opens with an ominous creak, letting out a swarm of hideous, skeletal hands that can stretch for as long as they please to seek out Coffin Fortress' enemies, seizing them with supernatural strength. Then they are dragged towards the coffin - their certain death - with nigh irresistible force, for nothing that goes past the coffin's lid will ever live again.
When the spell is finished, the coffin slams shut and ascends back to where it came from.
Given its sheer strength and versatility, it is unfortunate that this is one of the few of Coffin Fortress' attacks that can be disrupted by interrupting it in the ritual phase. When this happens, she may not invoke it again for some time.
Transformation item: Coffin Fortress' Mascot also serves as her transformation item - as such, she always carries it with her in a shoulder bag.
Magical weapon: The Dread Rabbit of Caerbannog. While this creature may look like an ordinary hare, it possesses powers far beyond one's imagination. Not only is it fiercely loyal to its master, but its teeth are also capable of shearing one's head from their neck. It is also incredibly fluffy and friendly to those its master deems harmless. Petting it is encouraged!
Other details: - Coffin Fortress' personality changes completely in her Magical Girl form. All of Sienna's inhibitions, all of her fantasies and fancies are released, let out to the wind and the resulting picture is... well... someone who speaks in a baroque, over-the-top manner; uses elaborate and overly complex sentences; never refers to people by their name, opting a to use a title instead - which changes about as often as one changes their underwear; and plays up their own powers along with that of her team-mates. - Her Magical Girl personality is contagious to a degree. The longer someone fights beside her, the harder it is for them to remain themselves. This does not effect everyone to the same degree. (Read as: all characters can resist this effect until their player finds the timing sufficiently funny.) - Not even Mascots are immune to this effect. Hers seems to be the only exception to the rule. - Why, yes, Coffin Fortress loves to shout the full name of her abilities. Fortunately(?) there seems to be some sort of weird time distortion effect that allows her to be always on time with them, regardless of how long they might be.
Name:The Star-Studded Tome of Salvation De mortalium suscitandas et carnis ad potestate mortuae carnes.
Appearance:
Personality: Once a book of hopes, light and dreams, Salvation - he refuses to be called by the silly name that Coffin Fortress gave him - is rather angry about being turned into "The ultimate, unquestionable weapon of death from which not a single entity - whether they be mortal or not - is capable of escaping, for entropy and the end of all things will inevitably reap every single soul." and he would rather be elsewhere. The only thing keeping Salvation by Coffin Fortress' side is their contract, but even that is a rather tenuous link. Indeed, he only helps her out if it is absolutely necessary for the completion of her duty, choosing to sulk in silence instead.
Seriously, why did he choose this girl... woman in the first place? Gods, is he ever embarrassed about it. And he had more than enough of her behaviour, thank you very much! She should just shut up already instead of going on tirades about the death, darkness and the nature of the universe and... gah! Why, oh why couldn't he have chosen someone else? Sure, it was an emergency, sure, the whole world depended on it, but he still regrets it to this day and is always looking for opportunities to be rid of her. Unfortunately, magical contracts are a two-way street, so Salvation is stuck being snarky or playing straight man to Coffin Fortress.
Ember blinked at Roche's explanation. The food fiasco yesterday had certainly upset her along with Slyvia, but it should be no reason for someone to stop talking to either Suki or Roche. After all, weird things happened in Hibusa Town all the time. A dish coming alive was no different than the usual branch of strangeness their dark kin could see lurking within shadows, if perhaps a little less spooky. That one of their cooking could actually result in that... well... there were relevations even Ember found too unsettling to consider. This one, she would not touch with a fifty-foot pole unless it stared her in the eyes before demanding to be taken seriously.
"There are far too many solutions to the problem," she spoke after a moment's consideration, ignoring Nyxia's noises from down the hallway in favour of picking apart Roche's body language. She seemed anxious and on guard, so this was likely important and a private matter to her, which meant either a dear friend or someone whom she fancied. Tailoring her advice to that would not be difficult to Ember. "Write a letter if and leave it in a place where they could find it would be my first suggestion. Don't use the first draft in any case, think it through before you do something you regret." She dialed down her voice as she spoke, angling herself so that only Roche could hear her.
"You could also use me as an intermediary if I know them, or text them if you have their number," she suggested. "We could discuss the more complicated options too, but I am sure that this is not the best place and time for it, unless you want me to make a time and place for it?" She gave Roche a confident smile as she looked around from the corner of her eyes. Luckily, this particular hallway seemed abandoned and so they would have at least a couple of minutes until someone spotted them. However, the time for the Detention Club to assemble was also fast approaching. Ember did not mind being late to the party, so to speak, as it meant helping out Roche, so it depended on whether the other girl was willing to risk being tardy as well.
Knowing the Rulekeeper, she probably would not. If she did, that was a sign of itself.