[hider=Varvara] [center][i]“Jekh dilo kerel but dile hai but dile keren dilimata” [color=gray][One madman makes many madmen, and many madmen make madness][/color][/i] [img]http://i.imgur.com/YEFXN6s.jpg?1[/img][/center] [b]T[/b]rue Name: [color=gray]Xari Chere [one who swallows stars][/color] [b]T[/b]aken Name: [color=gray]Vara[/color] [b]G[/b]iven Name: [color=gray]Varvara Shishkin[/color] [b]A[/b]ppearance: [color=gray] ears laced in metal, lithe frame standing at 5’6”, pale eyes and a knowing smile, ink licked across her skin in many patterns and colors, the most entrancing sigil hidden beneath her hair at the base of her neck, it was a rune that appeared to pulse and move like worms beneath her skin.[/color] [b]A[/b]ge: [color=gray]24[/color] [b]P[/b]ersonality: [color=gray]She’s a wanderer by blood. Her outward personality is a bubbly and flighty thing. She is disgustingly optimistic, giggly and flirty. She has a difficult time taking anything too seriously, though she is oddly superstitious. She slips in and out of her own thoughts; though she often refers to the arcane as a separate entity within herself. Her lightheartedness is ultimately a safety mechanism to keep the arcane at bay; for any depressive states could trigger a downward spiral that has destroyed many of her kin. Favors the company of shamans; they always have the good drugs.[/color] [b]N[/b]ature of magic: [color=gray]Her family line touched arcane purity and infected all succeeding generations.[/color] [b]M[/b]agic practice: [color=gray]Ruska Roma; fortune teller[/color] [color=orange] [center][i]When you see the lines of past, present and future; is that not proof that they are set? The now is no less maneuverable to the fates than the then; which also brings up troubling questions about tomorrow.[/i][/center][/color] [b]B[/b]rief bio: [color=gray]Her destiny was aligned before her conception. Varvara grew up watching, listening and absorbing all that was her people. She learned to treat others well and blend in communities they cohabited with. She learned to listen; she enjoys it. She would never want to hurt another; but there are gray areas that her upbringing instilled in her morality. She may steal on occasion and pray that it would be appreciated enough to be forgiven. Sometimes it wasn't exactly right, but they could make amends. Her mother once told her, “The Gypsy way is a way that springs from the heart, and the deepest, most primitive instincts of man. It respects nature and man’s place in nature. It teaches us to take joy in the moment.” The women of her family communed with the spirits and the elements, each mother passing down their gift to their first born daughter. Even with powers, she relied on her mother to pass on her knowledge and stories that would lead her down the correct path. She was given lists of herbs and elements and combinations. On what should be a lazy sunny day she would be engrossed in the rituals of asking/taking/thanking; all day, her entire life, little bits of information continue until night when her mother would curl up next to her side. She tells Varvara of the deeper magic, the darkness that lines it, and she offers insight into “The Rite of Graves” showing her how to commune with the dead; She teaches her about the spectres of snares and how to win them over with offerings of your goodness…and Varvara listens, and absorbs. These were gray areas of the tainted knowledge, some of which hint at a darkness her people have attempted to forget. She couldn't forget though. There were generations separating her from the kin that became tainted with power, but it had infected them all, a blood sickness. A greed had entered their souls. The tainted traveled in search of power and found it; arcane purity. A magic that could not be wielded, it consumed the soul, devoured by a strength that blinded and patronized its possessor until insanity and/or death. After a particularly intense festival involving a couple of meditative shaman Vara videotaped herself mapping out a future using odd symbols and hallucinated truths whispered and strung together. She knew what had to happen. She packed up a small amount of belongings and left for America after she exchanged a teary and sorrowful goodbye with her family. She had never been without them before and it was difficult and thrilling. She traded and stole to buy her way and even got a job on a ship for the final leg. She arrived in New York and made introductions with some Romani her family had connections with. It was through them that she found herself in one of the seedier bars that catered to the magically inclined. She was flirting with a gorgeous blonde and it seemed to be going well, and then very quickly it turned bad. She'd never felt a surge of power like the one Johan gave her. She remember puking, shaking, and her mind flooding, waves of time would drown her and then cease just long enough for her to gasp for air. A separate, hungry self entered her mind while Johan did what he could to fix her. He gave her a rune on the base of her neck that worked as a sort of filtration system. Hungry worms pulled some of the arcane from her, trying to create a suitable level for Vara to survive. Varvara took quickly to the cards, even as a child. She found them soothing. She dealt for others, for a price. Girl has got to eat. Her mother had taught her at a young age that people rarely sought truth, what they needed was faith and comfort; so more often than not, that it was Varavara offered. They didn't offer solid facts anyways. She saw paths and choices; but now that Johnny had 'accidently supercharged' her, well, she saw a future and a past that riddled choices and consequences and human nature. She would spend hours dealing while meditating on choices. She left New York and moved to Dunwich, Mass. She roomed with a quiet studious follower of the Hermetic Order of Golden Dawn. He was fascinated with her predicament and often times viewed Vara as an experiment as much as a friend. He was understanding though and didn't seem to mind that she would lock herself up for days at a time and go on heavy benders. The two were sharing a bottle of wine sitting on the floor and talking about Enochian magic when she first felt the prickling presence of the stranger. Then the dreams started, and followed her into her waking state. Sometimes it was just the feeling someone was watching, but it was getting stronger, more tormenting... There was something there, something she was missing... After her first dream with the man she spent days, restless and swaying between a drunken and lucid trance, dealing the cards, over and over. She had to go back to New York.[/color] [/hider] [hider=Varvara Redux] [center] [img]http://i.imgur.com/hRlqES8.jpg[/img][/center][center][sub][color=ebd2b2].Jekh dilo kerel but dile hai but dile keren dilimata.[/color][/sub][/center][center][color=C6A57C][sup]// One madman makes many madmen, and many madmen make madness //[/sup][/color][/center][center][h3][b][color=#c6a57c]V[/color][/b][color=#aa9f79]α[/color][color=#8f9877]ʀ[/color][color=#739274]ᴠ[/color][color=#578b71]α[/color][color=#7c9d81]ʀ[/color][color=#a1af92]α[/color] [color=#ebd2b2][b]S[/b][/color][color=#baba9c]ʜ[/color][color=#88a387]ị[/color][color=#578b71]s[/color][color=#739274]ʜ[/color][color=#8f9877]ᴋ[/color][color=#aa9f79]ị[/color][color=#c6a57c]ɴ[/color][/h3][color=5d6089][sup]Xari Chere // the one who swallows stars[/sup][/color] [sup][sup][color=#333333]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#ebd2b2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#333333]⋆[/color][/sup][/sup][/center] [indent][color=578b71][b][ ★ ] A[/b]ge // [/color][color=578b71][b]A[/b]ppearance[/color] [indent][color=c6a57c]Twenty-four years had been kind to the provocative gypsy, at least on the exterior. Her skin was freckled with twinkling metal, lithe frame standing at 5’6”, pale eyes and an innocent yet knowing smile. Ink licked across her skin in many patterns and colors, the most entrancing sigil hidden beneath her hair at the base of her neck; a gifted rune that appeared to pulse and move like worms beneath her skin.[/color][/indent] [color=578b71][b][ ★ ] P[/b]ersonality[/color] [indent][color=c6a57c]She’s a wanderer by blood. Outwardly she is a bubbly and flighty thing, disgustingly optimistic, giggly and flirty. While she genuinely is a good person, morality in the gypsy community was always a bit gray. Sexuality, thievery and substance abuse fall into the aforementioned gray. She has a difficult time taking anything too seriously, though she is oddly superstitious. She slips in and out of her own thoughts, often referring to the arcane as a separate entity within. Her lightheartedness is ultimately a safety mechanism to keep the arcane at bay; for any depressive states could trigger a downward spiral that has destroyed many of her kin. Favors the company of shamans; they always have the good drugs.[/color][/indent] [color=578b71][b][ ★ ] ]N[/b]ature of magic[/color] [indent][color=c6a57c]Her family line touched arcane purity infecting all succeeding generations.[/color][/indent] [color=578b71][b][ ★ ] M[/b]agic practice[/color] [indent][color=c6a57c]Ruska Roma; [i]fortune teller[/i][/color][/indent][/indent] [center][sub][sub][color=#333333]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#ebd2b2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#333333]⋆[/color][/sub][/sub] [color=5d6089][b][sub]When you see the lines of past, present and future;[/sub] [sup]is that not proof that they are set?[/sup][/b][/color] [img]http://i.imgur.com/36Bt0Cp.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/GMpIA2a.jpg[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/BH60d2f.jpg[/img] [color=5d6089][b][sub]The now is no less maneuverable to the fates than the then;[/sub] [sup]which also brings up troubling questions about tomorrow.[/sup][/b][/color] [sup][sup][color=#333333]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#ebd2b2]⋆[/color] [color=#e0c8aa]★[/color] [color=#d4bea2]⋆[/color] [color=#c9b49a]★[/color] [color=#bdaa92]⋆[/color] [color=#b2a08a]★[/color] [color=#a69682]⋆[/color] [color=#9b8c7a]★[/color] [color=#8f8373]⋆[/color] [color=#84796b]★[/color] [color=#786f63]⋆[/color] [color=#6d655b]★[/color] [color=#615b53]⋆[/color] [color=#56514b]★[/color] [color=#4a4743]⋆[/color] [color=#3f3d3b]★[/color] [color=#333333]⋆[/color][/sup][/sup][/center] [indent][color=578b71][b][ ★ ] B[/b]iography[/color] [indent][color=c6A57c] Her mother once told her, “The Gypsy way is a way that springs from the heart, and the deepest, most primitive instincts of man. It respects nature and man’s place in nature. It teaches us to take joy in the moment.” Beyond the defining aspects of her already prolific heritage there was an addition, a darkness that had weaved it’s way into their family line and taken root within her unborn soul, for her destiny was aligned before her conception. The women of her family communed with the natural leylines, the breathing fates, each mother passing down their gift to their first born daughter. Varvara relied on her mother to pass down more than untrained skill, as those before her had. She needed her knowledge, her stories, as they were the only thing capable of providing a lit path in the twisted over-growth of arcane. On what should be a lazy sunny day she would be engrossed in the rituals of asking-taking-thanking, herbs, talismans, superstitions: a continuous burden. After the sun fell her mother would curl up next to her in whatever makeshift bed they shared and tell Vara of the deeper magic, the darkness that lines it and Varvara listens, and absorbs. These were gray areas of the tainted knowledge, some of which hint at a darkness her people have attempted to forget. She couldn't forget though. There were generations separating her from the kin that became tainted with power, but it had infected them all, a blood sickness. A greed had entered their souls. The tainted traveled in search of power and found it; arcane purity. A magic that could not be wielded, it consumed the soul, devoured by a strength that blinded and patronized its possessor until insanity and/or death. After a particularly intense festival involving a couple of meditative shaman Vara videotaped herself mapping out a future using odd symbols and hallucinated truths whispered and strung together. She knew what had to happen. She packed up a small amount of belongings and left for America after she exchanged a teary and sorrowful goodbye with her family. She had never been without them before and it was difficult, and thrilling. She traded and stole to buy her way and even got a job on a ship for the final leg. She arrived in New York and made introductions with some Romani her family had connections with. It was through them that she found herself in one of the seedier bars that catered to the magically inclined. She was flirting with a gorgeous blonde and it seemed to be going well, and then very quickly it turned bad. She'd never felt a surge of power like the one Johan gave her. She remember puking, shaking, and her mind flooding, waves of time would drown her and then cease just long enough for her to gasp for air. A separate, hungry self entered her mind while Johan did what he could to fix her. He gave her a rune on the base of her neck that worked as a sort of filtration system. Hungry worms pulled some of the arcane from her, trying to create a suitable level for Vara to survive. Varvara took quickly to the cards, even as a child. She found them soothing. She dealt for others, for a price. Girl has got to eat. Her mother had taught her at a young age that people rarely sought truth, what they needed was faith and comfort; so more often than not, that it was Varavara offered. They didn't offer solid facts anyways. She saw paths and choices; but now that Johan had 'accidently supercharged' her, well, she saw a future and a past that riddled choices and consequences and human nature. She would spend hours dealing while meditating on choices. She was sitting at a bar, sharing a bottle of wine with a voodoo chick and talking about Enochian magic when she first felt a prickling “wrongness”. Then the dreams started, and followed her into her waking state. Sometimes it was just the feeling that something was off, but it was getting stronger, more tormenting... After hearing about Remi she spent days, restless and swaying between a drunken and lucid trance, dealing the cards, over and over. There was something there, something she was missing... She had to go to New Orleans.[/color][/indent][/indent][/hider]