[Hider=Henri Baptiste][center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LjQ0NzI0MC5TR1Z1Y21rZ1FtRndkR2x6ZEdVLC4w/american-label.rough.png[/img] [color=DarkSeaGreen]✦[/color] Character Theme | [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ixq1O7eLQ][color=DarkSeaGreen]Hybrid Rainbow[/color][/url] ✦ [hider=Appearance][img]https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5f/30/7e/5f307edd74b02aba6dcfd2d674050e03.jpg[/img] [sub][i][color=silver]6’3” 270 lbs[/color][/i] | [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ce/1c/32/ce1c32af81ece6bc5ac5ca596287e7cd.jpg]Outfit[/url][/sub][/hider][hr][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjY2LjQ0NzI0MC5WR2hsSUVSeWIzZHVaV1FnVjJsMFkyZywuMAA,/american-label.rough.png[/img][hr][/center] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Full Name[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Henri Baptiste[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Age[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]27[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Gender[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Male[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Species[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Human, Witch[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Personality[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Henri is an old soul who enjoys the simpler things in life. His quiet stoicism often makes him appear disgruntled, but he really just doesn’t have a whole lot to say. Pragmatic to a tee, Henri knows when he’s out of his depth and doesn’t often seek to rise above his station. This isn’t to say he’s lazy; far from it. Henri is one of the most reliable, hard working men you’ll ever meet. He doesn’t think twice to lend someone a hand, even if it were to inconvenience him. He’ll do anything he can to help a situation, but is able to admit that sometimes a task is just beyond him. When it comes to ambition, Henri just doesn’t see himself being much more than he already is; and that’s okay. At least, that’s what he tells himself. Deep down he wonders that perhaps he has reached the culmination of all he can be, and that terrifies him. Rather than address those fears, he’d sooner continue to plot along at his own laid back pace as if such struggles do not concern him. A delicate farce that could shatter if one were to look too closely at it. Henri grew up the eldest of four, with a lot of pressure on him to help provide for his siblings. Even though he is somewhat resentful of having to give up his own dreams; the desire to be needed has remained strong. He often acts the part of an elder sibling with the younger guild mates - unconditionally supporting them under the guise of playful jests and teasing. Despite all of his years at Wolven Pyre, Henri still feels as though he is an outsider to the world of Witchcraft. It wasn’t a heritage he was born into; fate brought him to Priscilla later in life. He often feels disconnected during his practice; as though he is undeserving of his power.[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Strengths[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]✦ Durable. Henri can withstand a lot of punishment. ✦ Aquatics. Henri is a fantastic swimmer and specialises in fighting underwater. ✦ Humble. There’s nary a shred of arrogance within the man.[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Weaknesses[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]✦ Follower. Lacking real ambition, Henri isn’t a go getter who takes charge. ✦ Stubborn. It’s hard to change his stance on something once he’s committed; even if he rarely does so of his own volition. ✦ Brute. The way he fights lacks any real grace or finesse.[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Guild[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Wolven Pyre[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Mage Rank[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]A Rank[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Magic[/color][/u][/b] [i][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Witchcraft[/color][/u][/i]: The term given to practitioners of Dark Magic who identify as Witches. As broad as the term ‘Magic’, a Witch’s power can manifest in a multitude of practices. The commonality between them all is that a Witch’s magic is gifted to them through a deeply personal and sacred relationship with their Deity. Deities are entities whom a Witch learns to make contact with through the streams of Ethernano that bind the world. Their natures are as diverse and unpredictable as us mortals, each with their own goals and alignments. Witches work to hone their craft in the same way a Mage does; through dedicated training and perseverance. However this journey is also supplemented through their worship and reverence of their deity, which can take many forms. Ultimately, a Witch must appease their deity in order to keep their connection strong; lest they risk having their gifts taken away. These rituals are unique to each practitioner. [u][i][color=DarkSeaGreen]Familiars[/color][/i][/u]: Witches may choose to bond with one or more animals linked to their deity, gaining a magical companion who acts as a conduit for her spells. The extent of this connection depends on the Witch. Caring for a familiar may be a requirement to maintain their bond with their Deity. Familiars can also take the form of a favoured animal, wherein the Witch shares a connection with a specific type of animal rather than an intense bond with a single creature. In this form, Witches are always perceived as a friend to these animals and can be communicated with - but they will not inherently listen to a Witch’s orders given their temperament at the time. Higher calibre Witches may also take the form of their familiar or favoured animal, though this is purely an illusory effect and none of the physical/magical attributes are shared [hider=Spell List][b][i][color=DarkSeaGreen]Path of Phorcys[/color][/i][/b]: Phorcys is the enigmatic lord of the deep, connecting Henri’s mind to the abyssal depths and the terrors that lurk within. Henri communicates to his Deity through water and Sycorax, his familiar. Henri draws power from the dark, crushing abyss of the deep sea and is most in his element when submerged in water. He can breathe underwater indefinitely, move through water like a natural predator and manipulate water to wrack foes with the intense pressure of the deep. Phorcys is the warden of the [i][b][color=darkseagreen]Drowned Ones[/color][/b][/i], spirits of those who lost their lives at sea. In order to maintain his gifts, Henri is to harvest the wandering souls of those who escaped from the icy depths. By consuming these souls, Henri acts as a gateway to [i][b][color=darkseagreen]Sycorax[/color][/b][/i] - who guides these spirits back to Phorcys. [i][u]Abyssopelagic[/u][/i]: Henri can blight the land around him with the power of the deep, rapidly increasing the moisture levels of the environment around him to the point it begins to bloat and deteriorate from the inside out. The air becomes dense and marginally more difficult to move through for all those standing within the affected area. Henri can move through the air as though he were fully submerged in water in these zones. The spell’s effective area is determined by Henri’s power level, but he can minimize it where necessary. At present he can command an area with a radius of about twenty-five meters. Any damage caused to the environment by this spell is reversed upon the end of its effects. [i][u]Rupture[/u][/i]: Henri focusses the intense pressure of the deep sea on a small area within [i][u]Abyssopelagic[/u][/i], causing targets who try to move through it to take damage with every motion until they leave the area or stop moving. [i][u]Kraken Wrack[/u][/i]: Whilst inside [u][i]Abyssopelagic[/i][/u], Henri may conjure the [u][i]Augur of Sycorax[/i][/u] from any affected surface rather than just his own limbs. [i][u]Kraken Shell[/u][/i]: Surrounds Henri in a layer of dense, churning waters that significantly bolsters his defenses at the cost of speed. [i][u]Abyssal Torpedo[/u][/i]: Henri launches himself at the target whilst surrounding himself in a churning vortex of water, dealing heavy damage to targets on collision. Can also be used to quickly traverse large bodies of water. [u][i]Undertow[/i][/u]: Henri dives into any solid surface within [u][i]Abyssopelagic[/i][/u], allowing him to swim through it out of sight. Rumbling tremors emanate from his location, disturbing the footing of anyone he passes under. He may choose to emerge in a highly pressurised geyser. [u][i]Subduction[/i][/u]: Henri can pull a target into the depths during [i][u]Undertow[/u][/i] - trapping them in an abyssal, dark prison temporarily. They’ll still be able to breathe as normal. [u][i]Divination[/i][/u]: Henri can receive and interpret signs and information from Phorcys by using water as a medium. Most effective when he is fully submerged. He is still relatively new at this skill, learning under Priscilla’s guidance. [i][b][color=darkseagreen]Sharks (Favoured Animal)[/color][/b][/i]: Henri can communicate with Sharks and they always consider him friendly. This does not mean he has any authority over them. His teeth are sharp, possessing an inhumanly strong bite. [i][u]Infested Waters[/u][/i]: During [i][u]Abyssopelagic[/u][/i] Henri may summon a watery effigy of a great white shark that lurks beneath the surface of the drowned area - only visible by its dorsal fin. The shark roams the area until commanded to strike, leaping from the depths at alarming speeds with it’s own variant of [i][u]Abyssal Torpedo[/u][/i]. [i][u]Sharkbait[/u][/i]: Henri fires an orb of water at a target, marking them as his shark disappears beneath the depths. At any point, Henri may activate the mark and command his shark to leap up from underneath the target in an attempt to swallow them whole. If successful, they will be pulled beneath the depths as the spell [i][u]Subduction[/u][/i]. [color=darkseagreen][b][i]Sycorax (Colossal Familiar)[/i][/b][/color]: A colossal squid who lies dormant at the bottom of the sea, but can communicate with Henri through her subconscious mind. [i][u]Augur of Sycorax[/u][/i]: Henri can conjure watery apparitions of Sycorax’s appendages from his own limbs. Acting as extensions of his own body, he can strike at distant foes as well as ensnare them in his grip. Multiple tentacles can be summoned and controlled separately, consuming more magic power to maintain. [i][u]Ink Blot[/u][/i]: Henri can spit black ink which temporarily blinds targets. Whilst inside [i][u]Abyssopelagic[/u][/i] the Ink spreads as a dark, murky cloud as if underwater. [i][u]Ink Effigy[/u][/i]: Henri can create a realistic copy of himself made from ink. When interacted with the effigy disperses.[/hider] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Fighting Style[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Henri takes his lickings like a true champ, withstanding blow after blow as a bastion of endurance. Despite little formal training, his natural size and strength have enough presence on the battlefield to make Henri stand out as a heavy hitting juggernaut. He overwhelms opponents by throwing his weight around in heavy hitting strikes that usually incorporate the entirety of his body. What they lack in control or speed, they make up for in raw power. He’s also known to be quite deadly with his anchors, employing the heavy instruments as makeshift hammers to bring down upon his targets. He has surprising versatility and range thanks to his [i][u]Augur of Sycorax[/u][/i]. Henri’s true specialty in a fight is area control. His magic lets him claim a territory and grants specific boons when he fights inside it. Whilst inside [i][u]Abyssopelagic[/u][/i] Henri is able to showcase his underwater fighting prowess as though he were a deadly predator. His speed within water is remarkable for someone so large, able to mobilize in short, powerful bursts to strike foes.[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]Equipment[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent][i][u]Rusty Anchors[/u][/i]: A pair of old, well worn anchors that Henri dual wields. These crude instruments make for a deadly bludgeoning tool when wielded by someone of Henri’s strength.[/indent][/indent] [b][u][color=DarkSeaGreen]History[/color][/u][/b] [indent][indent]Henri grew up in Clover as the oldest of four siblings. Abandoned by their father, he had to step up and help his mother in running the house and raising his younger brothers and sister. His own dream of becoming a mage was pushed to the wayside so he could do right by his family. Whilst he understood that his sacrifices allowed his siblings to flourish, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat resentful. It was as though his own ambitions didn’t matter. At fourteen his mother was involved in an accident that left her unable to work and provide for her children. Henri was pulled from school so that he could start working to support his family. His Uncle was able to secure him an apprenticeship aboard a fishing vessel in Hargeon. Removed from his family and friends, in a town where he knew nobody, Henri was plunged into a life at sea. He found comfort in the open waters. It was as though it was where he was meant to be. For the next few years Henri honed his skills as a sailor and fisherman, sending a large portion of his earnings back home. There were times when he would think about what his life could have been, lamenting the path that was decided for him. When he received letters from his siblings describing their own ventures and ambitions it reminded him of why he had to keep going. At seventeen Henri’s ship became trapped within a furious maelstrom that tore the hull to shreds - sending it’s crew into the watery depths. He tried to fight the pull of the deep, but it was to no avail. He had all but accepted his fate when he felt something stir from deep within him; a presence that had always been there. In his final moments the entity showed him all he could be, if he chose it. His lifelong devotion was to be the price. The visions of himself as a fully fledged mage, living the life he always wanted, were alluring enough for Henri to accept the deal. ‘The pact has been forged. Call upon my name and claim your power!’ As his last breath escaped his lips, one name bore itself into his mind as he began to slip into unconsciousness. Phorcys. Henri awoke on the shore next to the wreckage of his ship. The bodies of a few drowned crew members lay scattered across the sands. Above them, spectres of their drowned souls wandered aimlessly along the shore. Another voice echoed within Henri’s mind, telling him what he must do. The voice belonged to Sycorax, a slumbering colossus who had aided in Henri and his crew returning to land. With her instruction, the young man was able to consume the drowned souls and return them to the sea. Henri wandered for a time. Sycorax wasn’t much for idle chatter, her voice only manifesting when absolutely necessary. Left to his own devices, with a newfound power he did not understand, Henri sought to aid others as any respectable mage would. Yet he found his gifts were not met with awe or gratitude as expected. There was a sinister presence that lay dormant beneath his magic, and it was not unnoticed by those around him. There was so much he didn’t know about Phorcys and the gifts He had bestowed upon the young man. As quick as he had begun to question it, so did Priscilla Duran come into his life. What seemed a chance meeting was actually the work of Priscilla’s own potent divining powers. She brought Henri back to the Daughters of Hecate and explained his situation to him. Phorcys was a Deity and in forging a contract with him Henri had unknowingly entered the world of Witchcraft. Recognised as a Dark Magic, it would seem the common folk wouldn’t take too kindly to his gifts. Priscilla offered Henri the chance to connect with her culture and learn underneath her kind as one of them. From that point on Henri became enveloped in the history of Priscilla’s people, familiarising himself with practices and knowledge held sacred for generations. Despite growing up with no magical background, the other Witches delighted in sharing their culture with him. Many years passed and Henri has flourished into a fine Witch - standing by Priscilla’s side as she brings her people forth from the Shadows to embark on a new enterprise - Wolven Pyre.[/indent][/indent][/hider]