A woman of average stature, Calista Luinaree stands at 5'7" and weighs a decent 130 lbs. She commands a pleasant figure, but it has no hints of toned muscle visible in her scant clothing. Her hair is currently a delicate lavender, and her eyes a smoldering gray. Calista has smooth alabaster skin, with heavily inked black tattoos cascading down her body, showing mystic runes that hinted at a greater purpose, though one could only guess at said purpose. She adorns herself in skimpy robes, with belts, buckles, pouches, and other needless baubles to enforce the image of her magehood, knowing that her popularity is directly proportional to the chances of getting opportunities to steal souls. Her face is normally passive with hints of pleasantry, but her eyes are perpetually searching, trying to see everything at once and rarely lingering in one spot too long.

Full Name:
Calista Luinaree

Age:
49

Gender:
Female

Species:
Born Witch

White or Black Magic:
White Magic

Physical Mutations:
In respect to her chosen school of magic, Calista's appearance is ever-changing. Her eyes, hair, and skin fade from color to color with time, and have been seen from one end of the spectrum to the other. She normally does not conceal her unusual hair and eyes, but does keep her skin appearing her natural ivory pale color. In addition to its color, the texture of her skin changes as well.
Calista counts herself lucky to have such slight mutations, especially having seen the horrid women that magic had corrupted and distorted in the past.

Most Used Power:
Illusion
An ambiguous specialization, illusory magic is fickle and often considered weak. However, when used correctly, illusion can be used for a variety of purposes both insidious and benevolent. Illusion ranges from the smallest of dancing lights to impressive, encompassing phantasmagorias that ensorcel one's mind into a world of the illusionist's choice. That power is reserved to the most powerful of illusionists, and although Calista has notable power, she cannot claim to have such command over this power. The difficulty with illusory magic is the mechanics behind it when one wants it to be so powerful; it involves empathetic abilities (those of which to sense other's emotions), as well as what Calista calls 'interpersonal cognition,' which is basically the ability to see into one's mind. Calista cannot 'read minds' or know another's exact thoughts; she can sense present emotions and their underlying causes. Unfortunately, that process is extensive, exhausting, and has a prolonged casting time; as much as she could do so, with the time and resources, it is an effort that rarely surfaces as pertinent. Basically, Calista can cast illusions upon anyone of her choosing, but taking the time to study the mark, and thus control the mark almost entirely, is more than she cares to do for her purposes.

Calista also uses the minor ability of telekinetic magic, and is often seen floating instead of walking to help enforce her image as a witch, and when she needs to carry anything, it is rarely with her hands.

Wand or Staff:
Calista is never without her staff: a long, spindly length of teak which a spiraling grain, stained a gray, ashen color. The tip of the staff curls around a small circular mirror that shows swirling gray mists, and at times, especially at night, emits an ethereal white mist.

Significant/Special Belongings:
Other than her staff, Calista's belongings are as capricious as her appearance and as nonessential as the gaudy trinkets she wears around her neck.

Fighting Skills/Techniques:
Calista does not often fight, but when she does she is not a foe to be treated lightly. Her illusions can capture the minds of those so distracted by adrenaline, and once bewitched, there is little hope for her opponent. For those of higher mental resistance, Calista would do her best to stay out of their hostility. Her telekinetic magic comes into play during combat as much as her illusions, and Calista has a knack for using her environ against her enemy. Calista has very little physical ability, although when desperate she'll knock someone on the head with her staff.

Weapon of Choice:
She fights with her staff, as well as anything on or near her person at the time.

Job Title & Description:
Special Effects Coordinator
Calista is imperative to the amazing dancing light shows that illuminate the night around attractions and vendors alike, soaring over the heads of onlookers to their wonder and delight. She is also used at times for set design, for particular shows that might need the assistance.
Despite those heavier responsibilities, she is mostly seen wandering the carnival, being tailed by children agog by her tricks and frantic parents struggling to contain both their children and smiles.

Number of Souls You Have to Collect:
500,000, but only 451,646 left.

Number of Years You Have to Collect Souls:
250; by that count, Calista has to harvest 6 souls a day to complete her contract with time to spare.

How Many Souls Have You Collected?
48,354 to be exact

How Long Have You Been at the Carnival?
Conscripted at 27, she has been with the carnival for only 22 years.

What Was Your Wish?
Calista's desire was and will always be knowledge. She prides herself on detailed comprehension of the arcane arts, and wishes to master it, for with knowledge comes power.

How the Collection of Souls has Affected Your Character?
Many would consider the change Calista has experienced over her time at the carnival to be a negative one, but the mage herself does not think it was a bad development for her. The past twenty years for Calista have hardened her, if anything. Although she was a reserved child to begin with, the morally degrading act of soul stealing has sapped the vigorous enthusiasm she used to have in life. She views this as a blessing in disguise, because it has helped her to see the uglier side of life.

Personality:
Always a quiet girl, Calista prefers to be a bystander as opposed to being the center of attention. She is unimposing and speaks softly, often giving off a demeanor of weakness or fragility. She is not shy, she just finds it in her best interest to keep to herself; Calista's single most defining characteristic is her persistent paranoia. An unstable and chaotic past has made her weary of surprises, and has given her an anxiety about people and their motives. When seen around circus grounds, her shoulders are continually tensed and ready because of the daunting amount of people around her. She is pleasant enough company, however, polite and agreeing when spoken to, and always respectful. She is not an open person, and parallel with that she believes people aren't open to her. Calista is always searching for the ulterior motive behind the actions of others in a restless manner befitting the actions of a madmen with her compulsive countermeasures and rigid preparation for her personal end of days. Her paranoia results in extreme isolationism, which is followed by a merciless self-reliant attitude, resulting in a poor sense of sympathy. She cares little about how her actions affect others.

Biography:
Born to an average hedgewitch mother and nonexistent father, Calista spent her childhood moving from hovel to hovel in the lowliest slums of Elmis. Here, where the streets were damp with sweat, blood, and tears, her mother sold cheap potions and preformed magical services out of their apartment. Her childhood was plagued by the presence of strangers in her won home, many of them sick and desperate. Her mother had little time for her, being too busy with the continual work she needed to do to support the two of them, and so she spent much of her time alone. Being born with magic, her mother would take the time to teach her small cantrips, but she mostly practiced on her own.

When Calista was around 14, their home was invaded, and her mother was killed after forcing Calista out of the apartment. The attack frightened the girl, but she rarely felt sanctity in her childhood homes either way. The attack reinforced Calista's paranoia, and in the following years she gladly lived on the streets with her belief that if she kept moving, no one would finally get to her. She did not have a permanent residence until being drafted into the carnival.

In response to the chaos and uncertainty of her life, Calista turned to magic. Magic, being the one constant in her life, was and is something Calista takes solace in, and continually practices magic extensively. Throughout her life, she became dependent upon it, fearing her own weaknesses and her paranoia delved into the dark recesses of doubt and anxiety, until it consumed her. Fearing the consequences for not doing so, Calista frantically sought out ways, both known and experimental, to expand her power. When she heard of the Wish Maker, Calista hunted down the carnival immediately and signed herself away without seconds thoughts.

She spends her free time in her room, studied dingy tomes and practicing clandestine rituals.

sugary poison