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Human | 56 | Male | 188cm (6'2") | 85kg (187lbs) 0th Circle | Stars / Celestial Bodies | ♫
Born Klaudios Athanatos, the Ichor-Blessed Master of the Stellar Domain was once mere mortal, just like most. Klaudios was the younger of two brothers, the second son of a pair of merchants. His family was quite well-off, not to the extent of nobles and royals, no, but certainly a cut above peasants and laborers. As a result, he had a good childhood, with proper education and upbringing, something that was taken for granted by most. He had never been orphaned or subjected to any traumatic experience. Really, there was nothing to write home about his early years, but that in itself was notable in its own.
Naturally, his parents expected for him and his older brother to continue the family business once they came of age, however, unlike his economically talented and thrifty older brother, Klaudios' passions lie elsewhere. As far back as he could remember, Klaudios always had his gaze set above, toward the infinite stars dotting the boundless aether. While his parents and brother were busy counting coins, he engrossed himself in observing celestial bodies, while they tried to find the most profitable venture, Klaudios attempted to divine the meaning of each constellation. The rest of his family might be satisfied with earthly endeavors, but not Klaudios, the aether was where he belonged.
As a result, after his parents passed away peacefully in their old age, Klaudios' brother was the one who continued the family business, he and his own family now that he had a wife and children of his own. Meanwhile, the younger Athanatos still had his neck craned upwards. Ever the estranged uncle, his only companion was an orphan dragonkin girl named 'Frederika' that he hired as his assistant as his limited mortal body still required to be maintained. Due to the regular contact, they became a surrogate family of sorts.
Over the decades, now well into his 50s, Klaudios' ambition only grew, he was no longer satisfied with being a mere human, confined within a flesh vessel full of limitations, if only he could become one with the stars...
One day, in a stroke of fate, his prayers were answered as a piece of a falling meteor - no bigger than a gold coin - fell right into him. The celestial projectile smashed through the telescope Klaudios was using, then continued all the way through into his eye, embedded deep in his skull. By all logical explanations, he should be dead, severed from his mortal coil, and to be fair, it could be true depending on how one looked at what happened next. At that moment, Klaudios Athanatos was no more... and in his place, Almagest the Ichor-Blessed, Master of the Domain of the Stars. While the "newborn" entity shared Klaudios' memories, experience, and parts of his personality, it'd not be erroneous to say that they were an entirely new person.
As Almagest, he knew what must be done, the path to true divinity was possible, he must gather more ichor to one day ascend as the One and True God, and through this Divine Ascension, the very stars would be within his grasp...
But he couldn't do so alone, a journey must be made, trials and tribulations to conquer, allies to gather, and there was no better place to start than Oratorio, the Fortress-City That Watches the Abyss.
It was a star that once ended the Thousand-Faced God, thus twas' only fitting that a star would ascend as the next.
Unlike her employer - and eventually, surrogate father - Klaudios, Frederika had no parents, no childhood, and no education. As far back as the Black Dragonkin could remember, she was a street urchin who had to fend off hunger, cold, and rival kids all on her own, scavenging or stealing just to survive day to day. That was until she decided to infiltrate a random house to steal a basket of bread, only to find out that it was occupied by a single resident, a human man... and he was slumped over next to a telescope, barely even breathing.
Taken by morbid curiosity, Frederika went to check on the man, finding out that he was gravely ill. The dragonkin urchin was no doctor, but going from personal experience, she knew what a fever was. Curiosity turned to pity as she decided to take care of the man, while also making herself at home in his house of course, hey, take it as payment for her services.
Once he got better, the man introduced himself as Klaudios Athanatos, Astrologist, and much to Frederika's surprise, he decided to 'hire' her as his 'assistant', whatever that was, but if that meant free food and lodging? She'd be a fool to refuse.
Days turned to months, months to years, and years to decades as the once 8-year-old dragonkin blossomed into a bright young woman, and it was all thanks to Master Klaudios or Almagest as he called himself nowadays, but she wasn't surprised at the development, he was nothing but eccentric after all.
Nevertheless, whatever Master Almagest wished, Divine Ascension or whatever, she'd make it into a reality or die trying.
Skills
❖ Undying Loyalty - Incredibly resistant to mind-control effects that'll force her to attack her own allies.
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Name: Karmilla von Feuerstein Full Title: Ihre Kaiserliche Hoheit Karmilla von Feuerstein, die zweite Kaiserprinzessin des Heiligen Römischen Reiches (Her Imperial Highness Karmilla von Feuerstein the Second Princess of the Holy Roman Empire) Aliases: Millie, Your Imperial Highness, Die Eiserne Prinzessin (The Iron Princess) Age: 15 Class: First Year Gender: Female Speciality: Enchantment Magic Role, Rank, and Order: Student, Royal (Noble), Kaiserliches Königshaus des Heiligen Römischen Reiches (Imperial Family of the Holy Roman Empire)
Attributes
Height: 157cm (5'2") Weight: 48kg (106lbs) Build: Hourglass Eyes: Amethyst Hair: Carmine, wavy, waist-length, let loose plus a crown braid tied w/ a black ribbon Skin Tone: Cream Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Earrings Day To Day Attire: Either school uniform or a red royal dress w/ black accents. Regardless of her choice for the day, Millie is almost always never seen without her black hair ribbon and golden brooch.
Strengths:
❖ Assertive: Karmilla has a knack for persuading others to do her bidding. Whether through diplomatic persuasion, veiled threats, or subtle manipulation, the Iron Princess always makes sure she'll get her way. ❖ Ambitious: Possessing a strong drive to continuously work towards her goals, Karmilla is nothing but diligent. One can always count on her to get the job done as the notion of slacking off isn't even recognized in her dictionary. ❖ Empathic: Through the combination of mundane methods and arcane talents, Karmilla can keenly read the emotions of others, enabling her to tailor her approach to that specific target.
Weaknesses:
❖ Stubborn: When Karmilla sets her mind on something, it's exceedingly difficult to sway her from her path. While spite is a strong motivator for people in general, it's especially effective for Karmilla. ❖ Insecure: Behind the assertive princess of the Holy Roman Empire lies an insecure teenage girl who's desperate to prove her worth in the eyes of her family, friends, and people. When brought up, Karmilla will vehemently deny this flaw of hers, but her excessive insistence only serves to prove that she is.
Psychology
Ambitious * Assertive * Keen * Imperious
Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Ardent to a fault, Prinzessin Karmilla von Feuerstein of the Holy Roman Empire is an ambitious adolescent who pursues her goals with a zealous drive. Despite being third in the line of succession, she wholly believes that she's the one who's most deserving to be the next Kaiserin, and she'll stop at nothing to prove to the world that she's worthy, even more so than her older brother and sister.
Millie takes her goals very seriously and any attempt to dissuade her from what she perceives to be her rightful birthright will be met with hostility. A subscriber to autocratic principles, the imperial princess believes that social strata exist for a good reason, that civilization can't properly function without a robust social hierarchy. The only way a nation can truly prosper is if each of its people know their role and collectively work together toward a mutual goal. Of course, she herself belongs at the very top of the pecking order, that much is a given... or should be, worry not, she'll rectify this issue soon enough.
Habits:
❖ Writing in her journal. ❖ Staring at people's eyes, sometimes a tad bit too intense than socially acceptable.
Hobbies:
❖ Watching theatres, both drama and musical performances. ❖ Playing board games, particularly those that involve some form of strategy. ❖ Sharpshooting, keeps her reflexes sharp even if she doesn't intend to be a full-fledged Knight.
Fears:
❖ Rejection ❖ Belittlement
Likes:
❖ Scheming ❖ Writing and reading ❖ Honing her knowledge and skills ❖ Agreeable and obedient individuals ❖ Tea ❖ Cats
Dislikes:
❖ Idling ❖ "Mindless" entertainment ❖ Decadent nobles ❖ Stubborn and rebellious people ❖ Coffee ❖ Pigs
Skills
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking. Levels include novice, apprentice, journeyman, expert, master.
Leadership (Journeyman): Karmilla's greatest mundane talent. The imperial princess is a natural leader, able to persuade, manipulate, and even intimidate others to ensure the chain of command remains strong and infighting kept to a minimum, all to ensure the group's collective goals are successfully achieved in a timely manner.
Enchantress (Journeyman): Karmilla's greatest arcane talent. Connected to her ability to keenly discern the hearts of others, she makes great use of her natural gifts in the Enchanting school of magic to bend others to her whim.
Writing (Apprentice): Karmilla often writes in her spare time, mostly in her journal where she lays her thoughts and desires into paper.
Firearm (Apprentice): A royal should never be completely defenseless, thus, Karmilla regularly takes courses in firearm usage even if mainly for self-defense purposes.
Feline Husbandry (Novice): Due to her fondness for cats, Karmilla took a few lessons in how to care for them, but this pursuit is quite low in her list of priorities.
Talents & Powers
A listing of unique talents, magic, or possessions. Teachers may have two majors and two minors. 4th year Knights may have one major and two minors. 3rd year Knights may have two minors. 2nd year Knights may have one minor. Nobles and 1st year Knights may have one minor. For the Order of Shield, please fill out with specialized attacks/maneuvers/weapons/etc. For the Order of Twilight, please fill out with magic/artifacts/specialized moves/etc.
Mystic Eyes of Enchantment (Power / Minor): In addition to regular spellcasting methods, Karmilla possesses a unique form of casting for Enchantment spells. When casting a spell from the Enchantment School, Millie can choose to activate them via her eyes, affecting those who're currently making direct eye contact with her when the spell is cast. This unorthodox method bypasses any vocal or somatic components that'd otherwise be present, but with the caveat that direct eye contact is mandatory, this means targets who won't or can't make eye contact with her for any reason are immune to her Mystic Eyes.
History
Parents:
❖ Kaiser Frederick von Feuerstein (Father, Holy Roman Emperor, 45, Portrait) ❖ Kaiserin Helena von Feuerstein (Mother, Holy Roman Empress-Consort, 42, Portrait)
Siblings:
❖ Prinz Gustav von Feuerstein (Brother, Imperial Crown Prince, 19) ❖ Prinzessin Elise von Feuerstein (Sister, Imperial Princess, 17)
Childhood:
As the third child of the reigning emperor and empress of the Holy Roman Empire, one of the most prominent sovereign nations in the world and arguably the most influential and powerful country in the European continent, Imperial Princess Karmilla of House Feuerstein received the best care, nutrition, and education beyond the reaches of most people, hell, even most of nobility. Between these and her ambitious nature, Karmilla grew to be a shrewd young girl with a sharp wit and the strong will to match, earning her the moniker "Die Eiserne Prinzessin", The Iron Princess.
Even as a young girl, Karmilla always had a knack for getting her way, then amplified even further by the 2nd Princess' talent for enchantment magic, beguiling those who so much as gaze into her amethyst irises. As a result, not an insignificant number of people in the empire believe that the Iron Princess should be made Crown Princess instead of her older brother, Gustav.
Alas, due to the empire's succession laws preferring primogeniture principles, bright and talented as she is, Karmilla is still relegated to being "merely" third in the line of succession, something that has always nagged her for as long as she could remember. No matter, nothing worth fighting for comes easily and rest assured, she'd fight tooth and nail to prove herself as the indisputably worthy heir to the imperial throne.
Adolescence:
In an effort to further her studies and hone her talents into peerless diamonds, Karmilla enrolled into the illustrious Saint Valerius Academy. Though mostly proud of her own country, even Karmilla has to admit that the fabled academy trumps even the best educational institutions the empire has to offer and for her, nothing but the best shall do. Of course, being the daughter of the freakin' Kaiser who's also gifted and diligent in her own right, the imperial princess' eventual acceptance into the academy is all but assured.
Enrolling was the easy part, however, and now, she has to prove herself as Valedictorian Supreme by the end of the 4th year. She will, she must, and those who wish to support her will be honored most greatly, but woe to any who's foolish enough to stand in her way for even hell hath no fury like the Iron Princess scorned...
Special Moments:
❖ When she successfully cast a spell via her Mystic Eyes for the first time. ❖ When she first stepped foot into the halls of Saint Valerius as an officially-enrolled student.
Name: Maximillian Edenheit Aliases: Max, White Knight, Dreamboat Age: 17 Class: First Year Gender: Male Specialty: Swordsmanship Role, Rank, and Order: Student, Knight, Order of Shield
Attributes
Height: 172cm (5'8") Weight: 78kg (172lbs) Build: Athletic, toned Eyes: Sapphire Hair: Blond, short, combed leftward Skin Tone: Pale Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Various faded cut scars and calloused hands from intense training. Day To Day Attire: Either school uniform or a white formal suit w/ blue accents.
Strengths:
❖ Valiant: Maximillian is brave, there's no other way around it. The blonde barely flinches in the face of danger, maintaining his cool even in situations that'll send the common man into panic. Though he's not completely unable to feel fear, he can reliably channel that fear into focus instead. ❖ Robust: The White Knight matches his stalwart mental fortitude with admirable physical endurance. He can take more blows than the average person before going down and the effects of healing magic appear to be amplified when cast on him. ❖ Kind: Max is one of those individuals who possess a genuinely kind heart, he almost always helps others without expecting any reward even in situations where it's his right to be compensated, and it's exceedingly difficult for him to hold a grudge. Although he doesn't hesitate to punish evil when he sees it, but only because it's the right thing to do and not due to any personal vendetta.
Weaknesses:
❖ Naive: A wide-eyed idealist, a young boy who never quite grew up, a naive fool, so said his detractors, but they may have a point. Maximillian believes that with enough effort, good will triumph over evil and that every villain will always get their dues, except that reality often isn't quite so simple. ❖ Sexist: His fascination with olden tales of chivalry and knighthood may have inspired him to walk the path of a selfless protector, but on the other hand, they also influenced him to put women in a certain light, that they're delicate flowers who must be protected from the evils of the world. Though Max doesn't consciously realize it most of the time, others can see that he's hesitant to fight women and tends to assume that evil women are simply 'misguided'.
Psychology
Brave * Chivalrous * Altruistic * Idealistic
Sexuality: Heterosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: Gallant, chivalrous, brave, and selfless, Maximillian embodies the concept of the 'knight in shining armor'. He believes that it's his duty to help the helpless and defend those who can't defend themselves. There's a certain naively idealistic air about him that endears to some, but infuriates others, however, whether they agree or not with his methods, one will be hard-pressed to deny that for all of his faults, Max is truly a kind person. He genuinely wishes to bring happiness to others, to fight so they don't have to. Such a character may be commonplace in tales of gallant knights and heroic adventurers, but not so much in the real world.
Unscrupulous individuals, especially if they're women, who know how to veil ill intent behind a cordial mask will find it quite easy to pull Maximillian's strings. The White Knight may believe he's fighting on the side of good and justice, but if he's not careful, his trusting nature may very well be his own undoing.
Habits:
❖ Chuckling and/or smiling to express disagreement. ❖ Opening doors, giving way, and various other "gentlemanly" things for people, especially girls.
Hobbies:
❖ Horse riding, it's an enjoyable pastime as well as a necessary skill for him. ❖ Volunteer work, at least one good deed a day. ❖ Enjoying fiction, especially Epic and High Fantasy, whether in the form of books, movies, or video games.
❖ Tyrants ❖ Tales with a "bad ending" ❖ Manipulators ❖ Oppression ❖ Beaches ❖ Wasps
Skills
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking. Levels include novice, apprentice, journeyman, expert, master.
Swordsmanship (Journeyman): From the moment he first held onto the grip of a sword, Max knew that he was born to carry the blade, wield it, and perhaps one day, die by it. Though he himself never thinks of his talents as any special, any fencing instructor worth their salt will recognize the boy's natural aptitude with the weapon. With time and experience, he has a good chance of standing shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest swordsmen in history.
Horse Riding (Apprentice): A proper knight shouldn't be a one-trick pony, thus, even though his greatest talent lies with the sword, Max picks up other disciplines to complement his sacred role. He's not as skilled with them yet, but he has no intention of stopping here. Though other faster, more reliable forms of travel are available nowadays, Max won't feel quite right if he doesn't know how to ride these majestic beasts that had served humanity since time immemorial.
Archery (Apprentice): It's folly to think that a knight can only fight up close as sometimes, certain situations require a more distant approach. Between fighting ‘honorably’ or saving an innocent's life? There's no choice to make because there's only one right answer.
Hiking (Apprentice): Max's fondness for mountains and physical exercise in general incentivize him to go hiking, exploring the wonders of nature while training his body at the same time, kill two birds with one stone as they say.
Waltz (Novice): Inspired by scenes of a knight hero dancing elegantly with their princess (or prince) in the tales he saw, Max had an idea to take up waltz lessons, but apparently, being skilled in fencing footwork doesn't immediately translate to the dance floor.
Talents & Powers
A listing of unique talents, magic, or possessions. Teachers may have two majors and two minors. 4th year Knights may have one major and two minors. 3rd year Knights may have two minors. 2nd year Knights may have one minor. Nobles and 1st year Knights may have one minor. For the Order of Shield, please fill out with specialized attacks/maneuvers/weapons/etc. For the Order of Twilight, please fill out with magic/artifacts/specialized moves/etc.
Golden Dawn (Artifact / Minor): An old heirloom of the Edenheit family taking the form of a golden-blue longsword. It's said to be once wielded by one of the Knights of the Round Table. Whether the legend is true or not, one thing is clear, the sword holds some supernatural power as despite possibly being older than a millennium (if the legends are to be believed), it's still pristine as if freshly forged. Aside from being utterly shattered into million pieces, the sword will eventually return to this flawless state.
The eldest child of three siblings, Maximillian was born to a happily-married middle-class family in the United Kingdom, specifically England. Being the oldest and only boy amongst his siblings had acclimatized Max to the role of a protector and guide, the one his younger sisters depended on whenever his parents weren't available. Perhaps this was why tales of chivalrous knights resonated greatly with him; whether it was the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or Emperor Charlegmane and his Holy Paladins, the blonde boy had been fascinated by such stories of stalwart chivalry, unflinching in the face of evil.
And indeed, there are evil in the real world as well, whether it took the form of bullies trying to hurt his sisters or tyrannical dictators oppressing the people, the real world is full of villains who must be punished so that the good may live peacefully. A daydreamer, a wide-eyed idealist, a naive little fool, whatever his peers chose to call him, good or bad, Maximillian knew one thing, that he was born into this earth to be a crusader of justice, to be the defender of the defenseless, and helper of those who can't help themselves.
Thus, between his regular education, Maximillian began taking fencing classes, and this was where he - and his family - discovered his talent. It was as if Sir Gawain himself was reincarnated as him. Speaking of which, perhaps there was some truth to the legends behind the old family heirloom, an enchanted longsword that has been passed down from generations to generations, once said to be wielded by one of the Knights of the Round Table.
Adolescence:
As it turned out, one of his father's most prominent clients, a nobleman of the Harcourt family, heard news of the accountant's eldest son. Intrigued by the boy's vision and talents, the nobleman offered to sponsor his enrollment into the illustrious Saint Valerius Academy. Honored by the generous proposition, Maximillian graciously accepted and vowed to do his utmost best, he shall be a full-fledged knight, crusader of justice!
If there are billions of good people on this world, then he's one of them; if there are only a million or even a few thousands, then he's still one of them; if there's only one, then he's that person; finally, if there's none left, then that means he's no longer alive. He'll defend all that's good and well in the world until his very last breath.
Special Moments:
❖ When he first wielded his family's heirloom sword. ❖ When he received sponsorship from the Harcourt family to enroll in Saint Valerius Academy.
❖ Character Quote: “With this blade, I offer thee an accord; Stand by me and thou shall naught fear a thing.” ❖ Theme Song:Silver Sky Knight ❖ Aura Color: Gold ❖ Scent: White Lily ❖ Partner: TBA
Standing at a meager 145cm (4'9") with a petite, waifish build, one will be wholly justified to assume that Valerie is a young girl who's only a few summers into her adolescence period. Indeed, it may be true depending on one's perspective as it's an established fact that Valerie's growth began to stagnate at around half a decade into her WARDEN education, until eventually, she simply ceased to physically develop, leaving her a grown woman in the body of an adolescent with below-average height, an unfortunate tragedy that she has never quite gotten over.
Furthermore, if someone already knew Valerie from before her enrollment into the Citadel, then they'll be hard-pressed to recognize her current self. Once, she possessed silky hair as dark as a raven's feather, now only bleached gray locks hung from her scalp. Once, the young girl's visage hosted a pair of bright baby blue eyes, now they had mutated into eerie violet irises housing pupils so narrow, they may as well be serpentine slits. All these without even mentioning the "horns" growing from the sides of her skull, in actuality a mutated mass of keratin with horn-like shapes, though they're fortunately benign... so far at least.
In addition, when Valerie engages her mist-fueled personal barrier - with or without the presence of an Aegis device - her body will manifest bio-projections bearing the shape of a halo of thorns above her head and a pair of devilish wings sprouting from her lower back. All of these traits, when combined, gives off the image of a demonic angel (or an angelic demon), earning her the epithet "Nephilim", the offspring born from an unholy union of the divine and the profane. Considering her history, Gaia must've had a twisted sense of humor.
Lastly, when examined under close scrutiny, an observer will be able to see veins with purplish hue underneath Valerie's skin, spread all across her body, including her 'horns'. These very same veins will begin to glow when she uses her Mist-based abilities, the intensity being directly proportional to how far she's exerting herself. On the flipside, they become completely imperceptible in a mistless environment.
As for clothing, Valerie may be many things, but being fussy about fashion isn't one of them. Due to the nature of her powers, the gray-haired Warden will wear almost anything as long as it's not harmful to her; a full combat uniform? Sure, casual day-to-day clothes? Fine, a dirty brown rag that'll fit the empire's forced laborers more than a Warden? No problem. Really, for Valerie, being rendered Mistless is far more debilitating than a lack of adequate apparel.
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Calm and stoic even under great pressure, Valerie is in someways similar to her fellow Warden 2nd Class, Justice, yet distinctly different in other aspects. Unlike the sardonic and rabble-rousing Warden, Valerie gives off the image of a maternal figure, preferring to guide with a firm but gentle hand. She's the type to lace her words with some form of sugarcoating if she thinks it'll deliver her message better and consider white lies aren't necessarily always bad, sometimes it's simply not the right time to tell someone the whole truth. Perhaps it's the Maiden in her that never quite left even after all the grueling training, perhaps she has always been predisposed to be this way, regardless, Valerie believes that her methods are as valid as Justice's. After all, one correct answer doesn't always mean all others are wrong.
Often acting as the gentler, more soft-spoken counterpart to the group's de facto squad leader, Valerie serves as the other side of the coin to Justice's drill sergeant-esque approach to leadership. Together, the two serve as the glue that keeps the squad from falling apart, due to petty squabbles or otherwise.
Deep inside, even though Valerie may not even realize it herself, a part of her is motivated by pure, undiluted spite. Spite against the parents who abandoned her, spite against the warmongering empire that forced her homeland to take desperate measures, and most of all, spite against herself and her existence as a whole, a mockery of who she once was, a 'demonic monster' masquerading as a person. Even against everything that life has thrown at her, she'll rise above it all, for the sake of her loved ones. And if she must perish one day, then she'll be sure to unleash the dark divine fury of the Nephilim upon the empire first.
B A C K G R O U N D
An orphan of unknown circumstances, little is known about Valerie's early life other than she was left at the doorstep of a local Maidens of the Mother nunnery at rural Rassvet, the very same cloister that a certain bombastic white-haired girl would find herself in the next few years. As for Valerie, it was rather common for infants unwanted by their parents to be handed over into the care of the church, the lesser of two evils compared to... other alternatives, as such, as far as the brunette knew, the Maidens were her family and the Order her home.
Growing up, Valerie was a child who could be described as a 'good girl'; obedient, diligent, and compassionate, she was a model maiden-to-be, a great contrast to the cloister's resident troublemaker, an explosive - in both figurative and literal sense - girl named Silje. In fact, during their years in the monastery, Valerie would often be assigned to keep watch over the older girl when the nuns were busy. A task that she did without protest, however, despite her best attempts, Silje could never be tamed, even managing to escape after multiple attempts. Such a pair of polar opposites, the notion of the two having a career together was unthinkable, surely a delinquent like Silje would never qualify as a Maiden, unlike herself.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans, one that unraveled when Valerie and Silje were ten and twelve summers old respectively.
As it turned out, the two girls were amongst the hundreds of children qualified to be inducted into the Citadel to temper and shape them into the Rassvet's finest warriors, to become WARDENs. Taken away from what Valerie considered to be her family, she was reluctant at first, but one of the sisters asked her to take care of Silje and told her that after a 'mere' decade, she could return. It was enough to convince the brunette to bear with it, she was doing a good cause, to protect the innocent from the warmongering, genocidal empire. It was her solemn duty...
...only she never truly expected what becoming a Warden would demand from her. After several tests, it was discovered that Valerie too held considerable yet unpolished talent at wielding the Mist. Whereas Silje's arcane might projected outward in the form of unleashing elemental barrages like a magical cannon, the opposite was true for Valerie, the brunette's had a knack for using Mist to empower herself and her 'domain', the latter consisting of anything she physically touched via her mist, which manifested in the form of creeping purple vein-like growth.
In practical terms, aside from enhancing her own body well into superhuman territory, she could extend this mist-fueled augmentation to any object she was currently holding, and in most cases, it'd be some form of weapon. Through this ability, she could turn the mundane into magical, pushing them to break their limits; a run-of-the-mill pistol could now fire arcane projectiles, a common steel combat knife into a razor-sharp magical blade capable of cutting through steel with ease, etc. Valerie was ecstatic to discover an aspect of herself that she never knew she had, but over the next half a decade of continuously being subjected to mist-related experiments and exercises, she'd learn that there was a price, there was always a price...
It started subtly at first, an odd lock of white hair here and there, a few tiny specks of violet in her eyes, a minor dull ache on her head, and the strange trend of being physically outgrown by most of her peers, surely all in due course due to the grueling training she had to endure, surely they were nothing more than minor side-effects, nothing that a good night's rest and some medicine wouldn't cure. Oh, how wrong she was.
Before she knew it, years passed, and the... thing facing her from beyond the mirror was supposed to be her reflection. Violet eyes with inhuman pupils, a crown of thorns sprouting from her skull, and locks of bleached gray as if she was a woman well into her senior years, yet juxtaposed against the body of a-... Going by the calendar, she was supposed to be nearing the end of her growth spurt, yet she looked no different than a child in the middle of adolescence, no, not a child, a demon, a monster bearing the facsimile of a person.
Horrified at what she had become, Valerie fell into depression for close to a year, until she decided that enough was enough, she might look like a monster, but it didn't mean she had to act like one. She could still use her powers for good. Fueled by newfound determination, the now-white-haired girl pushed herself to be the very best that she could be, resulting in excellent grades across the board. Even though her body appeared to be stuck from developing further, she found out that she could easily compensate for such mortal limitations with her powers, even surpassing what even the best, but otherwise mundane soldiers could do. As such, when graduation came, being christened as a WARDEN 2nd Class came to no surprise for her.
Now a full-fledged Warden after a decade of relentless training, the Nephilim figured she and her peers deserved some respite before they'd be deployed to the frontlines. When the idea came for a short vacation, she wholeheartedly accepted, besides, someone still had to watch over Silje, especially now that the excitable girl could turn a whole block into a smoldering crater, literally.
C O M B A T
Combat Class: Vanguard / Combat Support (Walking Arsenal)
Combat Style:
Taking the form of an HMG-esque weapon almost as tall as she is, Haylel is a custom-made armament specifically designed and manufactured to be used by the Nephilim. Unlike normal weapons, Haylel can't function without being infused by Valerie's mistborne power (perhaps aside from using it as a crude bludgeoning stick), but when it is, its true potential is revealed to all. Practically, it's a multi-role magical ranged weapon that can be used for indiscriminate widespread destruction all the way to precision marksmanship. It's as much a mounted machinegun as it is an anti-materiel rifle. Regardless of its current usage, several things remain constant: Haylel fires arcane beam-esque projectiles instead of mundane ballistics and it never needs to be reloaded since it directly feeds off mist infused into it by Valerie to form said projectiles within its meticulously-crafted mechanisms.
Meaning "Lightbringer", Haylel is indeed the bringer of light to all, now whether it's the light of shining hope or divine retribution depends on whether one is on the receiving end of its spinning barrel or not.
Imagine a mighty suit of power armor, everything from its array of weapons to its sturdy armor, then visualize putting all of those properties - weapons, armor, and all - into the figure of a four-foot-something girl. It sounds quite ridiculous at first glance, a hilarious joke even, but no one would be laughing when they found themselves at the receiving end of the Nephilim's unholy wrath. Tis' Valerie in a nutshell, a veritable living, breathing arsenal holding enough firepower to level a city block, with the durability to match. Despite what her diminutive size may suggest, she's no glass cannon, nay, she's a mighty avalanche who’ll roll over her foes in an unstoppable mist-fueled onslaught.
Valerie's mistborne abilities take the form of glowing purple veins that she can command to cover either herself or other objects within her arm's reach. Upon being swarmed, the object is considered to be in her 'domain', within her sphere of influence, these objects can then be subjected to enhancements and modifications, the degree in which is limited by the object's original form.
Offensively, she can turn a kitchen knife into a magical blade capable of slicing through steel or a standard-issue assault rifle into an arcane carbine able to launch photonic projectiles strong enough to penetrate through light combat vehicles.
Defensively, she can augment her own body or any gear she currently wears in the same vein as her weapons, boosting their capabilities beyond their original scope. As such, it doesn't matter whether Valerie is wearing a full combat uniform or tattered rags, as long as she has access to mist, a wise enemy should regard her as if she's wearing a suit of power armor. If Valerie currently has access to an Aegis device, then she can perform a symbiosis with the gadget, conjuring a mighty barrier with robustness that's more than the sum of its parts.
Supportively, Valerie can - technically - exert her influence over a whole vehicle, enhancing them much like her weapons and armor, although it's ill-advised due to the massive constraint the feat will put on her body. If it must be done, the (barely) safe limit is a sports bike or a small car, anything beyond that will most certainly push her into mistburn territory, the degree of which is directly proportional to the size of the affected vehicle.
No matter how Valerie uses her power, one principle remains true, she essentially turns the objects under her mist's influence into an extension of her own body, allowing her to be proficient in using them, regardless of her original proficiency (or lack thereof). For example, though unlikely due to her extensive weapons training as a Warden, on the off chance that Valerie encounters a weapon she has no experience in, she can circumvent her lack of skill by exerting her influence upon said weapon.
On the flipside, as with all mistborne powers, caution is always advised. The longer she has to maintain her influence and the larger the object, the more mist she has to manipulate and thus, the more strain she'll have to endure. Mistburn is always a risk even among the best of Wardens and underestimating its dangers is a gross negligence that should never be tolerated.
R E L A T I O N S H I P S
❖ Gerard: A spoiled child in the body of a grown man with hubris so deep, it can fill a whole ocean. That much is fact about the noble socialite-turned-WARDEN, but it's also a fact that behind all that arrogance is a well-meaning loyal friend with a heart of gold... except that gold is covered in many layers of snark. Although Valerie is able to see through the muck for the glimmering pearl within, it'll be many years before Gerard can truly learn to no longer hide his feelings behind a mask of ego, if he ever does. Nevertheless, he's still a WARDEN and an invaluable member of the team. She'll attempt to guide him, but ultimately, the decision to change for the better lies with Gerard himself.
❖ Kalina: In a peculiar way, Kalina reminds her of Silje despite the two being polar opposites on the surface level. Beneath the superficial quirks, Valerie can see that both of them are socially-awkward individuals who're not quite adept at expressing themselves. However, whereas Silje expresses that awkwardness by just pressing every button and hoping for the best, Kalina prefers to not even try pressing any. Still, as long as the golden-eyed woman is content with herself and capable of following orders when the time comes, then there's no reason for her to be something that she's not. Having self-contentment at being who you are, that's a boon that many take for granted, Valerie can definitely say that.
❖ Lance: If Gerard is someone who hides his gentler side behind a self-imposed 'tough' mask to not appear weak, then Lance feels like someone who has several masks of lies nailed onto his face. He tries to be a model soldier; hard-working, loyal, agreeable, and brave, and while all of these traits may be who he actually is, Valerie can't help but feel that there's a certain air of impostor syndrome with the ginger, he desperately tries to prove himself to others because he can't do it to himself. As a former nun trainee (who took her duties seriously, unlike Silje), Valerie often volunteered to assist with Order-related tasks in the Citadel, and several times on a regular basis, she saw Lance in deep prayer. She didn't eavesdrop for obvious reasons, but it'd be a lie to say that she never wondered just what deep, dark secrets this 'model soldier' keeps inside.
❖ Justice: A fellow 2nd Class and the group's de facto leader. Valerie respects Justice for her no-nonsense attitude when the situation calls for it, as she knows that it's actually harder to be at the top of the pecking order than otherwise, still, no one's perfect and as good as Justice is, her quirks might rub some of her subordinates the wrong way, and a weak chain of command is a literal death sentence in combat situations. Therefore, as Justice's 'vice-commander', Valerie tries her best to cover for the dark-haired woman's shortcomings; together, they'll amount to more than the sum of their parts.
❖ Silje: The closest thing to a childhood friend that Valerie has amongst the group, amongst the whole Citadel even. Though Valerie technically arrived first in the monastery, she could barely remember a period in her early life where Silje wasn't in it. Between her arrival only a mere few years later, her attention-grabbing antics, and the fact that Valerie was the (un)fortunate acolyte often assigned to look after the hyperactive girl, despite the latter being older by two years. Valerie has to admit that she at times muse about an alternate timeline where they fail the aptitude test, or barring that, the war and the WARDEN program not existing in the first place. Where would life take them? So many possibilities, but out of those endless paths, reality picked the one where both of them must be soldiers, to fight for the greater good of all, yes, but no one in their right mind would prefer this life over a peaceful one.
M I S C / T R I V I A
❖ Though she tries her best to ignore it nowadays, the fact remains that Valerie has a complex regarding her mutations, and seeing fully-grown men and women (leaning more into the latter), especially those with well-developed physique, always reminds her of what could've been had she never qualified for the WARDEN program in the first place. A keen observer will be able to notice the tell-tale signs of subtle envious stares, especially in situations where people are expected to wear revealing clothing, such as a beach party.
❖ Along with the initial signs of physical mutations, Valerie also began to develop an addiction to Mistburn-suppressant drugs, one that steadily got worse over the years up until she fully "transformed" into her current state. As of now, she can be classified as a high-functioning addict, able to function day-to-day with little to no issues as long as she receives a dose of Astral Reducer every few days. Ignoring this will result in withdrawal symptoms that'll gradually progress from mild annoyances to life-threatening. There’s no permanent cure, only temporary control measures. Valerie is very self-conscious of this affliction, more so than her stagnated growth and 'demonic' traits, and mocking her about it is a foolproof method of burning bridges with her.
❖ During her life in the monastery, the nuns discovered that Valerie has latent musical talents, particularly in singing and playing the piano, though they're never developed further after her recruitment into the WARDEN program.
❖ She has a sweet tooth and her favorite dessert is a slice of mille crepe layered cake.
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Eve's weapon (or lack thereof) takes the form of her own body, or at least, the Eidolon half of herself, which essentially functions similarly to a mage's staff. By simply tapping into the arcane circuits inside her, Eve is able to amplify her spells as if she's wielding an arcane focus. Furthermore, while she can technically use any part of her body, Eve most commonly employs her horns, arms, and tail for her spellcasting.
INVENTORY:
❖ Potions, tonics, and salves ❖ Adventurer's kit ❖ Assorted preserved food and rations ❖ Spare clothes
MATERIA:
❖ MP Turbo: When activated, amplify the effects of offensive spells at the cost of increased mana consumption.
LIMIT BREAKS:
❖ Ira Draconis: A Trance-type limit break power. By tapping further into her Eidolon nature, Eve flexes her arcane muscles beyond their limits, causing her to transform into a draconic creature resembling the King of Dragons himself. In this state, Eve's magical output and mana consumption are doubled, she gains free flight, and becomes completely numb to pain. Lasts for a few minutes or until she's incapacitated, whichever happens first. In the aftermath, the sheer exertion demanded by this ability will render Eve unable to cast any spells until she recovers her mana reserves back to full.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Standing at a mere 139cm (4'7"), one will be completely justified to assume that Eve is a young girl barely on the cusp of adolescence. However, her unusual looks usually take center stage over her meager height; deep crimson eyes, bleached gray hair, and an albino pale complexion will already be enough to make her stand out as unusual, then once her ivory white draconic horns, tail, and patches of scales are factored in, then height is undoubtedly made irrelevant. Her visage is bizarre, that much is certain, leading to wary and/or distrustful stares from others, which are made doubly worse once they discover that she's a black mage, one of those scum who stole the Divine Mother's Light for their own nefarious purposes, no wonder she's cursed to look like the monster her kind truly are.
However, if one manages to look past her anomalous traits, they'll be able to see that Eve is actually quite pretty, like a girl that'll one day blossom into a fair maiden, but alas, there are simply too many things about her that'll unnerve the common populace.
Quiet, taciturn, and unassuming, Eve is the kind of person who prefers to not attract unnecessary attention to herself. Her looks and magical abilities alone are plenty enough reasons for her to avoid the figurative spotlight, prompting her to wear apparel such as hoods and trenchcoats to hide her inhuman traits. She rarely speaks unless it's absolutely necessary or when around trusted comrades. Due to her upbringing as a test subject, it's rather difficult for Eve to truly trust someone, always wary of any ulterior motives, but when someone does gain her trust, then she'll risk life and limb to ensure they'll come to no harm.
On the other hand, behind the demure veil lies the scion of Bahamut, with the ferocity and ambition one should expect from a spawn of the King of Dragons. Fueled by an insatiable thirst to right wrongs and save others from experiencing the same fate as herself. When riled up, the black mage is deceptively quick to resort to violence for someone so seemingly docile. She especially despises tyrants and oppressors; people who coerce, bully, and intimidate those weaker than them, as they remind her of the very scum who made her life hell from her birth up until she escaped.
In her 'Ira Draconis' Trance form, the aloof part of her persona sheds away completely, leaving only the Dragon in all of her righteous fury.
Most individuals were born from the union of two, through a loving marriage, a brief fling, or something else entirely. Even if one or both parents were absent in someone's life, it's an established certainty that there was once a connection between a pair of individuals; the father who conceived them and the mother who gave birth to them...
...Eve wasn't one such person, or ‘Grayscale' as she once was known. As the titular subject of 'Project Grayscale', Eve was "born" in a test tube, the result of an artificial insemination as part of the Valheimr project to harness the power of Bahamut the King of All Dragons. In doing so, Eve - as an embryo - was continuously infused with the distilled essence of the draconic eidolon, she among several other of her 'sisters', but over the course of the following months, only she survived the process leading to her "birth". As the most stable and promising specimen, the staff dubbed her 'Grayscale' and the project could move into the next stage: Cultivating the Pseudo-Eidolon to be the empire's ultimate weapon, possessing the terrible might of Bahamut and the obedience of a well-trained hound.
Unsurprisingly, life as a test subject was anything but easy, nor even humane, Grayscale was given all the attention in the world, except as an invaluable tool instead of a living, breathing child. Everyone in the facility knew her, she was the reason why they were all here, but she never received any love, nor kindness, nor warmth, well, except from one, Dr. Evangelina Zhidkova, or 'Eve' as she was commonly referred as. Among the endless sea of uncaring darkness, Dr. Eve stood as the sole beacon of warm light, the one who read her stories, comforted her after a particularly grueling experiment, told her that she'd grow up to be a hero for the proud Valheim Empire, and that one day, this would all be worth it, for a greater purpose that no one else but her could achieve.
So Grayscale soldiered on, day after day, year after year, no matter how painful, how agonizing the things she had to go through, it'd one day be worth it...
...that was until she was suddenly awakened from her stasis pod to find a bleeding, dying Dr. Eve smiling at her even as blood dripped from between her teeth, "Go, live!" was all she could say before a facility guard put a bullet through her back, murdering Grayscale's surrogate mother right before her eyes.
At that exact moment, a mighty roar violently reverberated throughout the complex, it was as if Bahamut himself had descended upon the arrogant fools, to make them pay for their hubris. Screams, gunshots, and a whole cacophony of bloody chaos soon followed, and then, silence... nothing but sweet, sweet silence... .......... ..... ...
Emerging from the ruined remains of the facility, her feet set upon fresh soil for the very first time, and though she now hated the empire for what they did to her, for murdering her mother, the Blighted world was proof enough that mother wasn't lying, she did have a greater purpose. Thus, with flames burning in her heart, Grayscale-... no, Eve left her smoldering nest into the whole wide world, a world that might fear or hate her for who she was, but one that's worth saving nonetheless.
❖ Quite older than she looks. Unlike normal people, Eve was rapidly developed from embryo stage to look how she's now and shall remain forever, physically unchanging just like the Eidolons she emulates. ❖ Eve's physiology is notably different in that she only requires ether to survive, though she still can enjoy food and drinks for pleasure. Furthermore, she doesn't have a set circadian rhythm, she only feels drowsy when exhausted. ❖ Speaking of food, meat is her favorite; fresh, grilled, stewed, you can rarely go wrong with meat. ❖ Has an innate ability to learn and replicate black magic spells just by observing them in action, the arcane equivalent of a pitch perfect musician. ❖ Almost always wears baggy and concealing clothing with muted colors to avoid unnecessary attention due to her appearance; a hood to hide her horns, a trench coat that she can tuck her tail into, and gloves and long boots to cover as much of her scale-patched skin as possible.
❖ Dr. Evangelina 'Eve' Zhidkova: The person whose name Eve adopted as her own. The only personnel in the facility that actually cared for the test subject and decided to go rogue due to said care. KIA by security personnel after she released 'Subject Grayscale' from containment, sacrificing her own life so the Pseudolon can live free. ❖ Project Grayscale Team: Assorted research, security, and support staff who worked in the research facility, all presumed either KIA or MIA after Grayscale's rampage.
TRIVIA:
❖ Color Code: d3d3d3 ❖ Eve escaped a year or so after the Blight first began, and she has spent the last few years as an adventurer, mainly in Ibros to avoid dealing with the empire, but then Valheim invaded Osprey, prompting her to head there to help the locals banish those tyrants back to their own continent.
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The daughter of a pair of farmers, Melisandre - unlike the rest of her siblings - had always been particularly eager to be something more than a simple farmhand. Ever since she was but a child, palpable wanderlust could be seen in her eyes, matching her boundless curiosity to see all the world had to offer, its wonders and horrors both. As such, it came to no one's surprise that when she came of age, Melisandre decided to be an adventurer. Using her personal life savings, she invested into a decent set of gear then set off to the whole wide world, promising to her family that she'd visit from time to time.
Her first foray into the career was anything but smooth sailing, she encountered challenges after challenges along the way, but she expected it, adventuring wasn't exactly a safe career choice after all. Fortunately, her sharp wit and talent in swordsmanship managed to pull her through every time... until it wasn't.
After a rescue job gone wrong, the rookie adventurer found herself defeated by a group of bandits that she had been hunting for some time. Then, they noticed something that the young woman herself was oblivious about, that she was quite the beauty, possessing bluish silver hair and matching eyes framing a comely visage, those coupled with her fit and slim physique meant that she'd sell quite well in the black market. Thus, they decided to capture her and keep her around as one of their ill-gotten gains, sooner or later to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Melisandre endured the next few weeks as the group's prisoner, and aside from being stripped and put into rags, shackled, and caged like some wild animal, she was left untouched and kept healthy, no doubt due to the lowlives wanting to preserve her "value" more so than the kindness of their hearts. This would soon prove to be their undoing as one night, the captive found a prime opportunity to slip away...
Hailing from the mighty Konigsburg Empire, Karmilla von Feuerstein belonged to its prestigious royal family as an imperial princess, 3rd child of the reigning emperor and empress and also 3rd in the line of succession, which was an unfortunate fact as far as she was concerned. Ever since an early age, Karmilla wholly believed that she should be the crown princess instead of her older siblings for she was the most able to lead Konigsburg into a golden age. Alas, primogeniture succession laws favored seniority over merits and no matter how much she tried to convince the council otherwise, it quickly became an exercise in futility... unless, if she could gain enough influence and power to bend even the empire's laws, then perhaps things weren't so futile after all.
With this ultimate goal in mind, Karmilla - or Millie as she was often called in casual settings - set out as an adventurer, to prove to the world that she could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest legends and heroes history had ever seen. The imperial crown was her birthright, her destiny, and no one would deny it from her. No one.
Ardently ambitious and incredibly strong-willed, Millie often came off as overbearing for most people, leading to issues when it came to partnering with other adventurers, as naturally, fellow adventurers often stood as equals, a notion that the imperious princess had trouble adapting to. After all, unlike the empire's servants and soldiers, they weren't beholden by duty to serve her.
On the flipside, hiding behind the autocratic domineering persona lied an insecure girl who simply wanted to prove her worth. Contrary to what the common people might believe, life as a royal was anything but easy; politics, court intrigue, and noblesse oblige were but a few of the things to consider. Millie learned quickly that showing weakness is unwise and trust is a rare commodity, pushing her to bury her softer side deep inside.
In battle, Millie wields an elegant rapier, but her greatest - and most dangerous - skill lies in her prodigious talents with the Enchantment School of Magic. She has a knack for manipulating minds, in both subtle and overt manner. This coupled with her Mystic Eyes of Enchantment allowed the redheaded princess to beguile those who so much gazed into her fierce amethyst eyes. However, care must still be exercised as most people aren't too keen on having their mind toyed with, and some monsters are either too simple-minded or alien to even be affected in the first place.
A mysterious girl who suddenly appeared in the city of Los Angeles, USA in the early 21st Century AD. She identified herself as 'Alice' and superficially appeared to be a young girl in her early-to-mid adolescence. Although upon closer inspection, and provided Alice wasn't trying to disguise herself, one could notice a few oddities about her. Her irises looked more similar to a digital projection than normal human eyes, her fair unblemished skin seemed too perfect, and most glaringly of all, the holographic projection of pixel-esque shapes floating a few inches above her scalp.
In truth, Alice hailed from a parallel universe distinct from Earth's own, specifically from 'Arret', a terrestrial planet not unlike that of Earth. However, most civilizations on Arret had progressed far beyond even the most developed nations on Earth in terms of technology. Things that'd be considered firmly within the realms of sci-fi were no fiction at all for the people of Arret; teleporters, universal panacea, FTL, and precise gene tailoring were but a few of their wonders. However, no matter how miraculously advanced civilizations were, one thing always remained true, whether here or there, war never changes...
On Arret, supranational unions waged war with one another, each vying for complete supremacy. These multinational blocs were mostly equal with one another, leading to a seemingly-endless conflict that had spanned for so long, global conflict became ubiquitous for the people of Arret.
Alice was born-... no, made in Xaltha, one of the Arretian superpower blocs. She's a synthetic cyborg, a peerless amalgamation of organic biology and mechanical apparatus, state-of-the-art living weapons manufactured by the supranational government under the top secret project dubbed 'Wonderland'. Essentially designer-baby clones augmented with bleeding edge cybernetics, each 'Alice' was a veritable weapon of mass destruction, capable of inflicting catastrophic devastation through psychically manipulating the fabric of space-time, all packaged in the facsimile of a young girl.
They were so deadly that multiple failsafes were implemented to keep them in line, but at the crux of it all was the 'Red Queen', an artificial superintelligence specifically designed to act as the Alices' handler. The Red Queen - under directives from the highest echelons of Xaltha's government - managed the Alices like some sort of hive mind overlord: imposing mental conditioning, suppressing or amplifying certain bodily functions, sealing or unsealing their psychokinetic powers, etc. All in all, the semi-sentient AI made sure each Alice stayed obedient to their puppetmasters, keeping a stranglehold around their figurative strings.
However, what would happen if one of them became lost in an entirely different universe, one far outside the Red Queen's domain? Twas' exactly what one Earthborne fashion empire heir would find out soon enough...
