[hider=Master] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/VcepoVC.jpg[/img] [h1][color=0B6623]"How do you do, fellow magi?"[/color][/h1][/center] [hr] [b]Name:[/b] Katarzyna Jadwiga Kinga Latalski [b]Title(s):[/b] Shaman/Priestess, Head of the Latalski family [b]Gender:[/b] Female [b]Age:[/b] 25 [b]Alignment:[/b] Lawful Neutral [b]Rank:[/b] Cause [b]Objective For Grail:[/b] N/A, is hoping this experience will give her valuable insight. [b]Personality:[/b] As the head of a relic of a family barely trying to keep up with the modern world, Katarzyna finds herself a mirror of the family. She tries to cling onto the ways and proper behavior of a Shaman, alongside adapting the behavior a “proper” magus should have. To place one’s lineage, and the pursuit of the root above one’s self, and one’s own belief. A shaman is to prioritize their connection with the spirits above all us, so at the very least, there is a conflict between these ideas. There is always an attempt to balanced them, but for the way of a magus will usually one if the two ideas meet directly in conflict. Katarzyna herself avoids most of the outside world, preferring to live within the family’s plot of land. While she is away of the innovations that have come with the modern world, she has little to no experience with such things. There is a glimpse of pride she has for humanity when she sees such innovations, but they serve as a reminder of how near obsolete her family are as Shamans. They also serve as a peak into the future, and how magi themselves might one day become obsolete, putting all the sacrifices her family have done to survive in vain. Outside of her life as a magus and Shaman, there isn’t much to the girl. She acts fairly polite when dealing with others, and does her best to refrain from improper language. Katarzyna has immense pride at what her family has done over the years, and being part of said family has granted Katarzyna some level of self pride. Even if she views herself as someone slowly growing obsolete, she can at the very least say she was part of a proud lineage of Shamans. More than that, she can say she was good Shaman in her own right. But that doesn't mean a good Shaman is a good magus, and that is something she is trying to rectify. She surprisingly has a bit of a sweet tooth. [hider=Biography] [center]The invasion of those unlike you. The rise of something new and great. The fall of traditions and the old way. What is there to do when time passes you by? This was the dilemma of the Latalski family.[/center] A family of Shamans from Polish lands stretching back far beyond than what the family remembers. The land that would become Poland was filled with firm believers in the ways of Rod, Perun, and the old faith. A mysticism rooted deeply with the land, and one's connection with the world around it defined how well they'd do in life. To have the blessings of the Gods meant success in every avenue of life, and it was the job of a Shaman to make sure the Gods were appeased. Unfortunately, this way of life didn’t last forever, as upon the region being united, and the state of Poland being formed, Mieszko I converted to Christianity. It would be right to say that ever since its formation as a nation, Poland was always a Catholic country on a national level. Yet, the beliefs of the king was not the belief of the people. While the constant efforts of both Mieszko I and his heir Bolesław I the Brave were making progress, Catholicism wouldn’t become the faith of Poland until the 13th century. Many different outbreaks would occur during this era, and it was clear that the people during the time would not submit. Those who clung to the old faith fought hard, but that just wasn’t enough. This new faith, and the unstoppable wave of Jesus was finally enough to topple over many of those with held onto the traditions. Unfortunately, the Latalski, known by a different name at the time, were part of the losing party in this war of faiths. Of course, this wasn’t enough to make them give up. In response, those who clung to the old ways practiced their traditions in secret. Their old temples would be destroyed, but a new temple can be built. Their old sacred groves would be cut down and used for something else, but they can make more. The Slavic Faith would continue on for as long as those who held the faith close to them continued to hold to these traditions. But, for how long can these traditions live on for? As time passed, those who once clung to the faith desperately either dropped it entirely, or converted to Catholicism. More and more, those who still believed in Rod were becoming relics of a bygone era. What was a family of priests meant to do in a world without their Gods? They became members of a dying breed, and were becoming obsolete as time kept moving by. The family would need a revolution if they wanted to survive, and that is what the official first head of the Latalski family managed to do in the late 1500s. The faith didn’t need to be abandoned, but they couldn’t proceed as they currently were. The longer the family waited, the faster they would become obsolete. A Priest always needed a purpose, and if it was not to just lead the people in spiritual matters, where would it be? A solution was found, and that was to become a family of Magi. If a goal of Magus was to reach the Root, then truthfully, it was no different from what the family was currently doing. Shamans were already about invoking the gods, and becoming one with them. To become one with the Origin was already the goal of both groups. The origin from which all came from was known to the Slavic Faith as Rod. He encapsulated the origin, and absoluteness. He was the primordial existence from which all came from. Rod shares similarities to the Nordic Ymir, but this only reaffirmed the family’s believe in becoming one with Rod was the path to the root. After all, a European term of the Gate of Akasha is Ymir’s Entrance. Since then, the family has focused its efforts on becoming one with Rod. As they were now a family of Magi, becoming one with the Mage’s Association was the only proper course. Considering the family was filled with Shamans, the only logical branch of the Association to work with was within the Sea of Estray. At the very least, they were an organization that looked fondly upon Magecraft of the far past. Finally, as the family were now Magi instead of being simple Shamans, a Magic Crest was created. Of course, it was far more symbolic than anything. A shaman was something that needed to be experienced, not something that could be merely passed down in a Crest. In later generations however, their current work in Black Magic has added to the crest. For roughly 300 years the Latalski family have been magi. Despite all the odds, the family has survived, as well as their grasp on their own faith. They’re still spiritual leaders to those who follow the faith, but their main focus has become the Root. This is fitting, considering the family this has been the priority of the family since they became magi. They’ve remarkably been able to keep their old roots while working as magi. During this time Russia had taken over their former Polish land, but it wasn’t like they’d lose their identity. Plus, Russians were also Slavs? Different language, but it was something they'd adapt too. The family had come much too far to let a minor setback like this stop them now. Before she had been born she was designated as the next heir to to the Katarzyna magus lineage, and as the next Priestess. Calling her a Priestess sounds much better than it actually is, considering their “temple” can hardly be called such. It is the bare minimum needed for a temple, but it would do considering the current state of their near non-existent family. The more relevant thing, of course, was that she'd be a magus. At this point, the family had already adapted quite a bit to the traditions of the Modern era. Her name was a reflection of that. A family of Shamans trying their best to be magi, even to the point of adopting a naming scheme that was more customary. No part of her name was actually Slavic in origin, but were merely different names of Saints. A worshiper of the old ways stained with the name of those who tried only to destroy it. It wasn't a thought Katarzyna could indulge much in, as the deeper implications of it would only unearth things she didn't care too. After the years of training to not only become a magus, but a Priestess, she accepted the honor of the family crest. However, she has yet to take over for her Mother as a spiritual leader. This was preferable, as it would allow Katarzyna to focus her efforts on more important things, like research. Despite being a member of the Sea, Katarzyna has little to do with the inner workings of it, and tends to act like a hermit. Not that her research has gotten her anywhere meaningful. Why would it? She wasn't much of a magus, no part of her family really was. No matter how hard they would try, they'd all be Priests trying their best to be Magi. It is a painful fact to accept, but one she would need too. In order for the family to make meaningful progress, it had to be accepted that they would start from an inferior place. This did not mean they could not achieve the heights of other families, it just meant they'd be working from a disadvantage. They might just be idiotic priests pretending to be Magi, but they were still skilled priests at the end of it. During her research, she had come upon a ritual in the East. Normally, it wasn't like her to ever take part in such a thing. However, once she had heard other prominent magi would be attending, she thought it would be a valuable experience to see how they would perform. Could following their example show her how to be a proper magus? Probably not, only an idiot would actually show up to this Monkey Paw ritual. [/hider] [hr] [b]Magic Circuit Switch:[/b] Remembering the pain of being shocked [b]Number of Magic Circuits:[/b] C [b]Quality of Magic Circuits:[/b] C [hr] Elemental Affinity: Earth and Wind Magecraft: [i]Slavic Shamanism[/i] - A school of magecraft dedicated to the invoking, and communing with spirits and gods. It is also worth noting that it allows one to open their body to spirits. As a Shaman from Poland, she relies on the faith and customs of traditional Polish Slavic Faith, so healing both physically and spiritually is crucial to it. Katarzyna herself is quite gifted in imbuing objects, and people with boons. For example, blessing a vial of water to heal curses is well within her power. This is not to say she is lacking at the other aspects, but this is where her skill truly begins to shine. She is one of the last remaining priestesses of the faith after all It has ties to both Formalcraft and Black Magic on principle. [i]Formalcraft[/i] - A method to do Magecraft using Mana instead of Od. A caster make contact with mysteries through processes established in ancient time such as sacrificing a chicken, or praying in a magic circle all night. It plays an important part in the ritualistic nature of Shamanism. Doing a dance around a magic circle for the rain goddess to bring a light rain around your house, and things of that nature. [i]Black Magic[/i] - Another fundamental part of Shamanism, considering the European ideas of Black Magic partly stem from the works of Shamans. Things that fall along the lines of potions, medicines, spirit exorcism, hexes, and so forth fall under this. In general, things you would commonly associate with a Witch can be found in this school, such as broom flight. Katarzyna’s witchcraft in particular is about repurposing parts of the body. [i]The Fundamentals[/i] - The basics you would expect from just about any magus. [b]Crest:[/b] Around 300 years old [hr] [b]Equipment:[/b] Materials to make potions/effigies Broom, and Anti-Gravity Ointment. The limbs of someone who was wearing the Jarilo Outfit kept in suitcases to preserve them, and have a weight reduction spell upon them. A series of objects that can create a temple to the Slavic Gods. [hider=Perun’s Stones] A pile of stones sacred to the God of Lightning and War, Perun. They were believed to be the remains of the weapons fired by Perun. If kept under the earth for 7 years, they are said to return back to Perun. The actual use of these stones are to act as Magic Resistance amulets equivalent to D rank MR, and to bring luck. Despite their protective properties, they can still be used as simple lightning projectiles. [/hider] [hider=Golden Apples of Perun] In Slavic faith, the ultimate weapons of the god Perun are his arsenal of Golden Apples. For this reason, a Golden Apple has become a talisman of ultimate destruction. While the Latalski family could never create something akin to a Divine Weapon, they have tried to make these talismans as close to the original as they could. The family has grown apples in an orchard located in a sacred grove dedicated to Perun. If they can’t possess the actual ones of Perun, at least they could have “fruits of Perun” instead. The true use of these apples is for a Grand Ritual to create an explosive surge of lightning. They also make an incredibly tasty snack. [/hider] [hider=Jarilo Garb] A piece of traditional garb that has been in the family since around the start of it. When the faith was more prominent, it was used during one of the most important festivals of the year, the Jarilo. It was named after the god Jarilo, a trickster god of fertility, health, rebirth, and springtime. One person was chosen to become Jarilo, and would wear this outfit, becoming a physical representation of Jarilo himself. As the faith has been mostly purged from Slavic lands, it has been nothing more than a simple family heirloom. Being built from objects found in the sacred groves, it is very in tune with the Shamanism of the family. It has been used a few times in the past for purposes relating to their Shamanism. Katarzyna herself has used it very recently in preparation for this war… Katarzyna herself will only wear it in specific situations. Simply put, it allows the wearer to become a physical manifestation of Jarilo. It makes for an easier connection with the god, and makes the body more compatible for his influence and power. It allows for a shard of the powers of Jarilo to be bestowed upon her, such as his ability to sprout life from where he walks over, and his healing abilities. [/hider] Exceptional Benefit: Mystic Code (Jarilo Garb) [/hider]