[hider=Maelis McGuinness] [color=lightgray][CENTER][img][https://i.imgur.com/2i5wYFE.png[/img][/CENTER] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/tzd5hy9.png[/img] [color=black][sup]__________________________________________________________[/sup][/color] [sub][h3][color=#89023E]Basic Information[/color][/h3][/sub] [color=black][sup]__________________________________________________________[/sup][/color] [sub] • [color=#EA638C][b]Name[/b][/color] | [i]Maelis McGuinness[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Nickname(s)[/b][/color] | [i]Mae, Lissy, Echo (stage name)[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Age[/b][/color] | [i]210, but appears mid 20s[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Gender[/b][/color] | [i]Female[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Birthday[/b][/color] | [i]October 31st, 1815[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Race[/b][/color] | [i]Fae[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Rank/Status[/b][/color] | [i]Bound Asset under Contract to Magnus Corvane[/i] [/sub] [h3][color=#89023E]Appearance[/color][/h3] [color=black][sup]__________________________________________________________[/sup][/color] [hider=View Appearance] [sub] • [color=#EA638C][b]Height[/b][/color] | [i]5'5[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Build[/b][/color] | [i]Slim and delicate at first glance, with quiet athleticism beneath; flexible, wiry strength rather than overt muscle[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Eye Color[/b][/color] | [i]Soft luminous pink, unnatural and faintly reflective in low light[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Hair Color & Style[/b][/color] | [i]Long, voluminous ivory-blonde curls, often worn loose that fall to her butt; on stage, styled wilder and darker with temporary dyes, leather wraps, or braided chains. Sometimes she'll add in some colors when she's feeling bold.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Skin Tone[/b][/color] | [i]Pale porcelain with warm undertones and a faint natural flush to her cheeks[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Notable Marks[/b][/color] | [i]Pink eyes that subtly glow in dim light, faint scars on her wrist from being bound by iron, a brand mark between her shoulder blades.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Typical Clothing Style[/b][/color] | [i]Off Stage: Maelis favors comfort and quiet whimsy when she is not performing. Oversized knit sweaters, soft cardigans, loose long-sleeve tops, thigh-high socks, tights, and worn-in boots make up most of her off-stage wardrobe. Her clothes are practical, layered, and intentionally modest—chosen to feel safe, warm, and unobtrusive. Nothing restrictive. Nothing that draws attention unless she allows it. On Stage: On stage, her style shifts sharply into dark alt-rock aesthetics. Black dominates: fishnets, fitted tops, layered belts or harness details, distressed fabrics, and heavy combat boots. Her clothing becomes deliberate and severe, designed to command presence without softness. It contrasts starkly with her off-stage appearance, as if she steps into a different skin entirely when she performs.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Aura/First Impression[/b][/color] | [i]Maelis reminds people of still water: calm, thoughtful, and gentle in a way that can be misleading. Her presence is always restrained, as if she is holding something dangerous at bay. It’s a skill honed over two decades of servitude under a cruel Vampire master. She never demands attention; instead, people find themselves drawn to her in a quiet, uneasy way. Others act unusually careful around her, though they can’t explain why. There’s a gravity to her stillness, an unsettling edge beneath the tranquility, as if she is measuring everything and everyone. Her gaze lingers a little too long, sharp and calculating, as if she is memorizing the person in front of her for reasons unknown. Under her gentle appearance, there is a quiet tension, like someone who has survived by making herself invisible, yet is never truly powerless. Those who meet her eyes sense something fierce watching from behind them. She seems safe, but never completely harmless.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Voice[/b][/color] | [i]Low, smooth, and controlled — a soft mezzo-soprano with a faint Irish lilt, just enough to be noticed, especially when her emotions rise. Her accent lends a subtle musicality to her words, weaving warmth and mystery into every syllable. She speaks sparingly, but when she does, people listen. On stage, her voice transforms: haunting, intimate, threaded with emotion that crawls under the skin. It sounds like a confession whispered in the dark.[/i] [/sub] [/hider] [h3][color=#89023E]Relationships[/color][/h3] [color=black][sup]__________________________________________________________[/sup][/color] [hider=View Relationships] [sub] • [color=#EA638C][b]Openness to Friendship (1-5)[/b][/color] | [i]2[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Openness to Romance (1-5)[/b][/color] | [i]2[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Romantic Preferences[/b][/color] | [i]Drawn to serious, slow-burning relationships rooted in trust, emotional depth, and mutual respect. Casual intimacy holds little appeal, and she is deeply cautious of vulnerability. Attraction, once earned, is intense and unwavering.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Current Romantic Interests[/b][/color] | [i]None currently[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]View on Forbidden Relationships[/b][/color] | [i]Resigned pragmatism; feelings are luxuries, not rights[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Biggest Turn-ons[/b][/color] | [i]Genuine Protectiveness ✦ Consistency ✦ Patience ✦ Trust ✦ Meeting her gaze and holding it ✦ Choosing her, not claiming her[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Biggest Turn-offs[/b][/color] | [i]Entitlement ✦ Cruelty ✦ Manipulation ✦ Inconsistency ✦ People who expect obedience always ✦ Pity ✦ Talking down to her[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Known Friends[/b][/color] | [i]N/A[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Known Enemies[/b][/color] | [i]Magnus Corvane[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Known Family[/b][/color] | [i]House of McGuinness[/i] [/sub] [/hider] [/center] [/cell] [cell] [b][color=#89023E]Psychology[/color][/b] [sub][sup][color=black]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/sub] [indent] • [color=#EA638C][b]Hobbies/Interests[/b][/color] | Songwriting ✦ Sketching memories she fears she might forget ✦ Reading ✦ Stargazing ✦ Dancing (most don’t know about this one) ✦ Guitar ✦ Fiddle ✦ Piano ✦ Hand-to-hand combat (not many know this either) • [color=#EA638C][b]Likes[/b][/color] | Rain at night ✦ Music ✦ Quiet spaces ✦ Soft textures ✦ Low lighting ✦ Cold nights and warm blankets ✦ Losing herself in rhythm and movement ✦ Dry dark humor • [color=#EA638C][b]Dislikes[/b][/color] | Being commanded ✦ Raised voices ✦ Being watched ✦ Excessive noise ✦ Smell of iron or dried blood ✦ Being told to “let it go” ✦ Questions she didn’t invite ✦ Needing help ✦ Feeling indebted • [color=#EA638C][b]Fears[/b][/color] | Losing autonomy ✦ Becoming numb ✦ Forgetting who she is ✦ The contract being permanent ✦ Being broken into obedience ✦ That freedom will fill empty once she finally has it • [color=#EA638C][b]Habits[/b][/color] | Observes silently before speaking ✦ Sleeps lightly ✦ Counts exits ✦ Singing softly to herself when doing other things ✦ Dissociates some when in stressful situations ✦ Accepts pain quietly, but resents pity deeply ✦ Refuses comfort she didn’t ask for • [color=#EA638C][b]Vices[/b][/color] | Alcohol ✦ Flirting with danger ✦ Self harm ✦ Neglecting her own needs ✦ Pushing people away that she wants near ✦ Smoking weed [/indent] [b][color=#89023E]Core Motivation[/color][/b] [indent] Survival and the quiet preservation of self. Maelis lives by one rule: “No one is coming to save you. Get up.” Everything she does is aimed at staying alive, staying useful, and staying unnoticed until the day she can finally be free. [/indent] [b][color=#89023E]Personality Overview[/color][/b] [indent] Maelis McGuiness is quiet, controlled, and always watching. She rarely speaks, but she is always present. Her stillness is intentional, a discipline she learned from experience: reacting brings punishment, but calm is hers to keep. When she does speak, her words are careful and measured, often hitting harder than people expect. She used to be vibrant—curious, outspoken, and bold enough to challenge authority without fear. That spark is not gone, just hidden. Sometimes, through music, movement, or dry humor, glimpses of her old self appear. These moments are brief and careful, as if she is testing whether the world is safe enough for her true self. Maelis is naturally blunt. As a fae who must tell the truth, she does not soften her honesty; instead, she sharpens it. She only answers what is asked, avoids what could be risky, and lets others reveal themselves. This restraint makes her hard to read and easy to underestimate, and she lets people think that. She has a quiet, unsettling intensity. When she senses guilt, dishonesty, or tension, she holds eye contact just long enough to make others uneasy. She does not accuse or question. She just watches. Most of the time, people end up confessing without knowing why. She lives by a survivor’s morality. Rules matter less to her than results. She does not want to be cruel, but she knows what is necessary. If she must choose between herself and someone else, she will pick herself and carry that burden quietly. She has compassion, but she protects it and only shows it when it is safe. Pride remains beneath her restraint. Maelis does not beg, plead, or lower herself, even when she is afraid. She endures, adapts, and remembers. When she submits, it is a choice, not true surrender. She survives by staying in control, not by obeying. Even though she is reserved, Maelis is not cold. She feels things deeply, sometimes too deeply, so she keeps her emotions under control. Attachment and desire are both dangerous, but she cannot get rid of them completely. When she lets herself care, it happens slowly, reluctantly, and with great depth. She does not believe anyone will come to save her. That belief has made her sharp and self-reliant. Still, in quiet moments, when music fills her or she moves with remembered rhythm, it is clear she has not given up hope. She has just learned to hide it where no one else can find it. [/indent] [/cell][/row][/table] [table][row][/row][row][cell] [b][color=#89023E]Background[/color][/b] [sub][sup][color=black]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/sub] [indent] • [color=#EA638C][b]Current Occupation[/b][/color] | [i]Guitarist & Backing Vocalist for AS ABOVE, SO BELOW[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Level of Schooling[/b][/color] | [i]Privately educated among the Fae Courts[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Past Occupations[/b][/color] | [i]House of Memory Archivist ✦ Musician/Performer ✦ Emotional Stabilization Asset[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Socioeconomic Status[/b][/color] | [i]Currently property of Magnus Corvane[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]History Summary[/b][/color] | [i]Maelis McGuinness was born on October 31, 1815, into the House of Memory, a fae house focused not on keeping facts, but on the emotions that remain in memories. Joy faded by time. Grief that never quite goes away. Love that turns into longing instead of comfort. The House believed memory was shaped more by what the heart holds onto than by truth. Her family was just below the top ranks of the House, important enough to be noticed but never so powerful that they could not be challenged. Her mother, Aelith McGuinness, was a skilled empath and dreamweaver, known for her ability to sense lingering emotions. She focused on memories shaped by devotion, loss, and longing, and truly valued the importance of feeling. Aelith loved her daughter openly and sincerely, but fear often guided her more than her beliefs. When she faced hard choices, she stayed silent instead of resisting. Her father, Cormac McGuinness, was a different kind of fae. He was calculating and focused on politics. He saw emotion not as something sacred, but as a tool that could be shaped, redirected, or traded for safety. His influence in the House came from his readiness to make tough choices that others avoided. He believed survival was worth any price. Maelis grew up surrounded by other people’s memories. From a young age, she learned to sense the emotions left behind: grief that filled rooms, devotion that stayed with objects, and guilt hidden in words. Unlike many in her House, she did not get lost in these feelings. She learned early to hold back, to anchor emotions instead of taking them in, and to steady what might otherwise get out of control. When she was young, she was lively and bold. She was curious, direct, and quick to challenge authority, but even quicker to laugh. She questioned traditions, spoke her mind, and did not treat power with much respect. She discovered music during these years, first with the piano, then with the fiddle, and later with the guitar. Music was not a duty for her, but a way to find comfort. While memory magic needed control, music let her express herself. She played at small gatherings, salons, and rituals, often with dreamweavers or dancers. Her presence helped calm emotions and made things easier for others. People noticed her talent. As tensions grew between the fae courts and vampires, the House of Memory became vulnerable. Vampires wanted what the House could offer: emotional influence without open control, and compliance without using force. Secret deals were discussed behind closed doors. When Magnus Corvane made an offer to the House, Cormac McGuinness was the one who listened. They described the arrangement as protection. Magnus did not care about Maelis as a person, but saw her as a variable. He wanted to see how fae dreamweaving, especially emotional control and amplification, would work with vampire power. Could hunger be lessened? Could fear turn into calm? Could obedience happen without violence? Maelis’ magic made her the perfect subject for these tests. In return for binding Maelis, the House of Memory gained security, privacy, and favor. Cormac made sure his family was safe and improved his own position. Aelith said nothing against it. Maelis was bound by contract before she realized the true cost. The terms were clear, polished, and harsh, hiding ownership as duty and enforcing compliance through consequences instead of chains. Hidden in the contract was a small clause about intentional misuse of her glamour, meant to protect the House, not her. It was easy to miss. One day, it might become important. Her first years with Magnus were marked by quiet cruelty. There were no cells or chains. Instead, she was placed in private venues, controlled gatherings, and test environments where emotions were pushed to the edge. She was expected to keep rooms steady, filled with hunger, fear, desire, and desperation, and to hold everything together while staying untouched herself. She adapted fast. She learned that reacting brought punishment, that staying calm meant survival, and that endurance was safer than fighting back. Slowly, the lively girl she once was turned inward, not gone, but hidden. Her sharpness faded into stillness. She laughed less, and her silence became a choice. By the time she was sent to As Above, So Below, Maelis had already spent 20 years living under control without giving in. She knew what Magnus expected. She knew what failure would cost. She knew she was still his to command, still bound, and still watched. On stage, Maelis transforms into Echo. The quiet restraint she wears offstage falls away, revealing a magnetic, mesmerising presence that draws every eye. She becomes alluring and untouchable, her movements fluid and expressive, her music threaded with the wild, unguarded spirit she keeps hidden from her captors. When she plays, she is fearless—her glamour woven into each note, inviting longing, joy, and heartbreak in equal measure. The audience is spellbound, sensing the true power beneath her calm exterior. For a brief time, she is utterly herself: fierce, radiant, and impossible to ignore. Off stage, she is quiet, watchful, and careful. She trusts few people, especially vampires. She knows she is still owned, only borrowed, not free. But she does not forget. And in the House of Memory, remembrance has always been dangerous.[/i] [/indent] [/cell] [cell] [b][color=#89023E]Race-Specific Questions[/color][/b] [sub][sup][color=black]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/sub] [indent] [hider=Race info][b][color=#89023E]▸ Fae[/color][/b] [sub][sup][color=black]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/sub] [indent] • [color=#EA638C][b]Element Affinity[/b][/color] | [i]Ash[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Glamour Specialty[/b][/color] | [i]Dreamweaving & Emotional Manipulation/Stabilization[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Views on Mortals[/b][/color] | [i]Cautious respect. She understands their emotional depth and vulnerability and is more inclined to protect them than exploit them, though she keeps her distance.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Views on Vampires[/b][/color] | [i]She does not trust them. Too many confuse control with entitlement, and she has learned the cost of that mistake.[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Views on Lycan[/b][/color] | [i]Wary but pragmatic. Their emotions run hot and honest, making them dangerous, but predictable in ways others are not.[/i] [/indent][/hider] [/indent] [b][color=#89023E]Miscellaneous[/color][/b] [sub][sup][color=black]▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔[/color][/sup][/sub] [indent] • [color=#EA638C][b]Theme Song[/b][/color] | [i][url=https://youtu.be/WL-YcJZENrc?si=CD0cQkpXHdhiAFli]Born Without a Heart || Faouzia[/url][/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Favorite Food[/b][/color] | [i]Apple Pie[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Favorite Animal(s)[/b][/color] | [i]Ravens & Crows[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Favorite Music Genre[/b][/color] | [i]Alt rock/Emo revival[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Favorite Haunt[/b][/color] | [i]The Glintwood[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Signature Weapon[/b][/color] | [i]Music…and a concealed blade[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Preferred Vices[/b][/color] | [i]Alcohol and self-harm[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Pet Peeve[/b][/color] | [i]Being spoken over and entitlement disguised as concern[/i] • [color=#EA638C][b]Guilty Pleasure[/b][/color] | [i]Drinking alone with music and romance novels[/i] [/indent] [/cell][/row][/table] [/color][/hider]