[centre][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200105/0894520a0593551892c3885cc9845278.png[/img][/centre] [hider Avery Vexx] [center][sub] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] 67 [b]|[/b] ♀ [b]|[/b] Silverton, Novigrad [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup] Sorceress and Advisor[/sub][/center] [center][b][sub]══════ A P P E A R A N C E ══════[/sub][/b][/center] [indent]Avery stands tall and proud at 5’8 with a shapely and curvaceous physique. Her skin is pale, bearing peach undertones that she highlights with light sweeps of bronze makeup around her sharp cheekbones. She has fuller lips, but unevenly so - with the upper lip being thinner with a well defined cupid's bow. Despite her overall fondness for make-up, she prefers not to wear lipsticks unless it’s a special occasion. When she smiles, it is clearly a mischievous one that reflects her mind at work - brimming with ideas. Her thick and angular brows provide the perfect frames for her unusual eyes. The Sorceress is well known for her heterochromia. Her right eye is the colour of sapphire, and the left an emerald green, under normal circumstances the colours individually are not particularly special - but she has a habit of using her magic to enhance their brightness and make them appear far more enchanting. This is usually as an aid to hypnotise or lure people to her. Said eyes are darkened significantly with further makeup and a soft black kohl lines her them and she applies a soft, glittering copper powder to her lids. One further detail of note around her eyes is a large freckle just beneath the right - it is unknown whether or not she was born with this complimenting imperfection. She has brown hair the colour of chocolate, that falls in soft curled layers to her collarbones. Very few know this, as she opts to keep it well-groomed in either a mid-set bun or chignon - there is often some kind of bejewelled hairpin holding everything in place. One such piece that she owns, is a very ornate, coiled golden snake with rubies beset into it as eyes. Avery will occasionally wear this wrapped around her bun with the face staring out behind her almost menacingly. Some have whispered that this is so the Sorceresses can have eyes in the back of her head if need be, and on days where she is said to be wearing it her peers will avoid walking behind her. Sorceresses are known to take pride in their wardrobes, and Avery is no exception to that. She opts for colourful garments in warm hues and shades of green that show off her enviable figure with sartorial elegance. She almost always chooses clothes that are practical for work, but to relax in? She'll happily and comfortably opt for clothing that leaves little to the imagination...[/indent] [center][b][sub]═══════ P E R S O N A L I T Y ══════[/sub][/b][/center] [indent]Upon a first impression, Avery seems to perpetuate the Sorceress stereotype - aloof, cunning, and concerned entirely with her beauty and youth. She carries herself with an almost quiet charisma and charm, she is not particularly extroverted, and in fact spent most of her studies and early career as a loner - feeling outcast by her peers. Over time, Avery came to terms with this, and now manages to carry herself with a certain [i]je ne sais quoi[/i], a cool effervescence that is hard to define that suggests a confidence in herself, with the way she chooses to live her life, and in the ways she does not. She acts in an advisory position to political figures despite having a natural disliking for authority and arbitrary rules. This extends into her personal life. Where many choose to live in an organised manner - Avery flouts this etiquette. One need only walk into her quarters to see her idea of tidiness and order... Making the bed is simply the last thing on her mind when she eventually stumbles out of it at whatever ungodly hour she chooses to rise. Avery only ever really lives by the laws of her own whims. In her profession, she has an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by perceived social roles or expectations. This is something that most of those that she advises do not appreciate, but when Avery is right, she’s [i]right[/i] - just try and convince her otherwise.. She has managed to build a good reputation for herself in her work, known for a level of wisdom and political nous that is not commonplace, and usually only found in Mages. Behind closed doors she is an imaginative and enthusiastic free spirit. She delights in causing playful and [i](mostly)[/i] harmless chaos - behaving in a mischievous manner to toy with people that she believes should be brought down a notch. To cause shock and disarray thrills her, a hobby she has developed over the years that was born from a place of pain, a lack of control, and a lack of understanding of her abilities. The Sorceress is not without compassion, and while on the surface she appears almost to be a borderline antagonistic presence to most of the people she spends her time with, it's done with mostly good intent. Should she ever stumble upon a scheme to threaten innocent lives, or the lives of those she holds dear - she will act to protect without a second thought with true and unmatched fury. As a rule, she gravitates more towards introverted, and emotionally intelligent people when seeking friendships and relationships. She has very little patience for shallow individuals, even less so for lewd ones. She has a strong belief that her position as a Sorceress coupled with her appearance attract the sort of men whom she does not find interesting on anything other than a superficial level. She has no desire to be a notch on a bedpost or the simple, exaggerated subject of a story between drunken men as they brag about conquests with each other. It may well be rooted in arrogance, but Avery is waiting for someone different than the usual crowd - someone [i]worthy[/i] of her time and affection. In her heart, she knows who that individual is - and there are clues and motifs on her presence that may hint at what her heart longs for. Paradoxically, growing up, she was never shown much love or affection by her family and so has always felt somewhat unworthy of it in the first place. It is a concept she is wholly unfamiliar with, and she will avoid discussion of it for the most part. [/indent] [center][b][sub]═══════ H I S T O R Y ══════[/sub][/b][/center] [center][Hider The Spectre of Silverton - 1210] *[i]From the journal of Kacper, School of the Viper[/i] Headed to Novigrad. Needed to resupply, and wanted to relax for a day or two. Stumbled upon a contract - supposed spectral activity in Silverton. A nice, hefty reward too, so how could I resist? Not something I would usually pay mind to, but I was there and it was easy payment. Spoke to an Innkeep called Brajan who explained his son and friends were tormented by a wraith in an alleyway. Word got around, and rumours of a wraith meant that the customers weren’t exactly flocking to his Inn. No deaths though, and no injury - just a group of loud and frightened children. When I inspected the scene, I found no traces of anything spectral in the slightest but there was a vibration in the air. Something wasn’t quite right. Tracked down the boys and spoke to them, asked them to tell me what happened. I managed to squeeze it out of them that they had been throwing stones at cats, giving them shit, trying to hurt them when a shimmering light came out of the wall and screamed at them. Didn’t sound like a wraith to me. Needed to go back to the site, this time I took meat treats… Put out the treats and waited. A Witcher waiting for a cat… Eventually cats flocked into the alley, and they weren’t alone. A little girl. She had one of them in her arms - a big tom cat it was. Ginger and fat, it was almost as long as the child. First thing I noticed about her were her eyes, bloodshot - and her pupils looked like they were bleeding into her irises. My medallion rumbled at her. She was shy, appeared almost malnourished and her dress was torn at the hems. But she smiled at me like she trusted me, even if the cat squirmed and ran away. I asked her what her name was, Averina. She lived in Silverton with her parents, and explained that she looked after the stray cats because the other children wouldn’t play with her. She went on to tell me when the boys had hurt the cat, she’d been overwhelmed and that’s when the Spectre had appeared. Involuntary use of magic? An emotional outburst? I asked her why she didn’t think I was going to hurt the cats too, and she said that she couldn’t decipher any feelings from me - only a calm. A natural telempath perhaps? A rare skill that could easily be exploited. I didn’t want that to happen, I liked the girl and she was not the monster that the contract had claimed. Just a frightened young girl with a gift. The child was a source. I took her to a mage I knew in Oxenfurt, Florian, and he all but confirmed what I had suspected. He was quite taken with the child, and she him. A natural connection of sorts. I spent some time with them both. The girl was curious about me, fussing over my medallion. Florian theorised that the magic in the medallion reacted with her own and helped her to feel its presence and ground herself - come to terms with it all. So that was that. No Spectre in Silverton, just a young mage who then found herself a mentor. I didn’t return to Novigrad for a long time, but when I next met Florian he told me that the child had moved on to Aretuza and was doing well.[/hider] [Hider Of Illusions - 1219-1221] *[i]From the research journal of Urzula of Vspaden, Aretuza[/i] 1219; The Silverton girl has shown promise throughout her schooling at Aretuza. She was slower than most, didn't take well to learning her Elder Speech as the other girls. I attribute this to a lack of reading comprehension throughout her upbringing. She is however, diligent with her studies and works far harder than the other girls out of hours. She is dedicated. Where she stands head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd is in her emotional intelligence. The girl is able to pick up on emotional energies in the room with much more clarity than I've seen before. She's even managed to slip past my defences and get into my own thoughts, whether consciously or unconsciously, it's hard to say. I have yet to see her manipulate this ability to her advantage. 1221 The Silverton girl has adopted the identity 'Avery Vexx'. She had no surname before her arrival here, nor did she wish to align to Silverton as part of her own name. I suppose there are bitter feelings about her upbringing and this is her way of distancing herself. She gets clearly annoyed if one calls her 'Averina'. She has worked hard in tempering her natural ability, and her studies have allowed her to find further aptitude in creating illusions. I have seen her craft illusions in extreme detail. She does not show much interest in any elemental magic. One day I happened upon Avery in her quarters, having decorated the room from floor to ceiling in creeping ivy - the ceiling had been replaced with the nights sky despite it being midday. Everything, down to the smell of roses was there. Quite fascinating. I'm proud of the girl, she's come a long way and for all of her flaws and quirks of personality, she will fare well in her profession. She will be sent to advise a Lady in Lyria when her studies have finished. [/hider] [Hider A Mentor - 1255] *[i]From the diary of Jonny Aurentalus[/i] Today I am sad, diary. Sad that a dear friend of mine is leaving Lyria. I understand I've had some differing thoughts on Sorceress Vexx throughout her time here, but in the end, I'm glad to call her a friend. Oh I shall miss her. According to my Aunt, she has taught and advised as best as she could and with my Aunt stepping down politically it makes no sense for Miss Vexx to stay. I remember when I was just a young lad, and first met her that she was very cold and ambivalent towards me. Working as her squire was an awkward job for the longest time. She was secretive, rather impatient too. Because of this I grew to resent working for her, and it was only when I started to question and bite back that she seemed to take a liking to me. Over the years working with her, Miss Vexx has taught me many things, from the trivial - riding a horse, etiquette at the dining table... To of course far more difficult things such as navigating political discussions with confidence. I had a stutter back when I was a boy, now I speak as clear as day. I have Miss Vexx to thank for that. She has watched me grow up, in a way she raised me herself and yet I know so little of her. From where did she hail? Who are her parents? Who are her other friends? What I do know, is that the work of a court mage bored her, and when I was old enough to manage my own days she would be locked away in her quarters for the most part. There was a relief in her eyes that I saw when she was told her services were no longer required by my family in Lyria. Today, this evening, to be precise, is her last day in Lyria. Like many of the elements of her life, I have no idea where she is headed next or what is next for her. I can only wish her well on her path. It was the greatest honour of my life to know her. [/hider][/center] [SUB][b]▼ S K I L L S[/b][/sub] [sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► [b]Telempathy[/b] - [abbr=A natural empath since childhood, now amplified by magic, Avery is able to feel into the emotions of those around her. At one time, this process was entirely involuntary, which caused her a great deal of emotional distress as a child. As she developed, so did her ability to drown it out and even begin to use it for her own advantage by manipulating individuals based on the way they are feeling. Using this information, she can create illusions of the mind. Sometimes this presents as showing someone their greatest fear, or pacifying them with beautiful imagery or a memory. During her time at Aretuza, she learned to control this ability very well. Where in her early life, there was little to protect her from the emotions of others, she has now learned how to shield herself from them, and also wears a specific amulet to ward them off. As devious as she may be, she will only use her natural gifts on her peers if they first 'let her in' to their minds. To sneak in, in her opinion, is unethical and not worth the later exhaustion from use of the magic. ]Specialty[/abbr] ► [b]Illusion[/b] - [abbr=Avery's greatest weapon is her ability to create fantastical illusions that seem entirely real. From redecorating an entire room to her liking, directing wild scenarios from thin air, to covering passageways to hide them - Avery considers herself an absolute artiste. Since the illusions are of course not real, they are unable to physically harm another person.] Skilled[/abbr] ► [b]Defensive Magic[/b] - [abbr=Because Chaos doesn’t always have to be chaotic, and can in fact be incredibly useful in dangerous battles. Avery can create shields and barriers that can hold off vicious attacks for a limited time. It has saved her from great injury many times. Her defensive weapon of choice is Air magic, and she will affect the weather via aerokinesis to create cloud cover, or thick fog.]Skilled[/abbr] ► [b]Alchemy[/b] - [abbr=Avery’s knowledge of alchemy is far more basic than she’d like, she chooses to spend her studying time in spellbooks to make her spells more potent, precise, and effective. That said, she is smart enough to realise that potions and alchemical creations are incredibly useful in a pinch... And she can make her own beauty products.] Novice[/abbr] [/SUP] [SUB][b]▼ E Q U I P M E N T[/b][/sub] [sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► [b]Cat[/b] - A vicious, temperamental hairless cat named Winifred. Rescued from the streets by Avery some three or so years prior. The cat is haughty, bold, and mischievous but loyal to a fault to her master. ► [b]Dagger[/b] - An ornate steel dagger with a bronzed hilt, beset with emeralds to the pommel which is engraved like the head of a snake. Hardly threatening and rarely used, but nice to carry around all the same. ► [b]Megascope[/b] - She keeps a Megascope in her quarters. ► [b]Messenger Bag[/b] - Foragers knife, rolled parchment, quill and ink. Sugared almonds, sugar cubes. Animal bait, compact mirror. [abbr=Scent of lychee and rose petals]Vial of perfume.[/abbr] [/sup][hr] [SUB][b]▼ M I S C [/b][/sub] [sup]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► [b]Reader[/b] - She enjoys fictional romance novels, and has a bookshelf in her quarters filled with them. The trashier, the better. ► [b]Sweet Toothed[/b] - She is very sweet toothed, and can’t resist anything sugary. It is one of the few well known facts about her. She always carries a small bag of sugared almonds on her person. To [i]sweeten up[/i] Sorceress Avery’s mood, one need only bring her something with sugar. ► [b]Night Owl[/b] - Considers herself to be a nocturnal creature and will sleep in to the early afternoon frequently, having stayed up until the early hours of the morning. On many an occasion, important meetings have been rescheduled or postponed because of her unpredictable hours. [/sup][hr]