NameClaire Lorcan
Nicknames/Aliases/TitlesAlakazam
Age23
GenderFemale
RaceDullahan
AppearanceTo be quite honest Claire is rather plain looking on the surface, though perhaps tomboyish. She stands at 5'7'' and is exceptionally lean - she's been called a beanpole before, and they weren't wrong! Her hair is a thick, rust-brown that goes down to her shoulderblades, and wide eyes of a murky blue color. Beneath the eyes are a spattering of freckles against fair skin, mimicked on her arm and shoulders. Arm is singular of course, since her left one from the shoulder down is a white and silver, highly advanced robotic arm.
There are two things truly odd with Claire however. One of them isn't so suspicious, at least at first. No one has ever seen her smile drop, since Claire is physically unable to stop grinning. Even when asleep or otherwise unconscious her lips will be upturned, and when she's particularly happy it's easy to see the whites of her teeth. The second oddity is much more striking, being that Claire's head isn't actually attached to her body. Rather than having grotesque openings on either end however, instead a thick dark-blue smoke eminates from the 'wounds'. The smoke disappates quickly in the air, and when her head is placed upon her neck the wisps seem to curl around each other and form a tentative hold.
PersonalityPerhaps it’s the never wavering grin on her face, or her tomboyish looks and excitable personality, but Claire has always been known as a goofball. At the furthest it's been called manic, but in truth this is only because she can come off as abrasive due to her detachment from others. She always feels there's a barrier between her and others, so while it never bothers Claire it does influence her feelings in another way. For one, due to being literally unable to stop smiling she finds the range of emotions others can show with their face fascinating. As a direct result she loves watching people in an almost creepy fashion, seemingly unblinking even as she talks a mile a minute.
Truthfully, Claire loves other people in that same detached way, often describing others as 'amusing'. Even when she grows close to them it's almost as though she views them as a pet - which to Claire doesn't sound so bad! Thanatos is a pet, and he's her best friend! However this view isn't helped by the fact she will refer to people exclusively by nicknames, never their real names - the only exception to this is her horse.
HistoryIt was on an Earth that Claire's story began, though not one that might be familiar. Technology had boomed in the last three hundred years before her birth, leading to an equally technology-based society. Everyone was connected online, from a person's first registration into their government's citizen registry at birth, to their car's GPS and tracking. Products were mass produced en masse, highly automated factories and gleaming sky scrapers were erected, the very streets beneath a person's feet had thick wires mere inches beneath.
So how does a fae fit into this?
Some say that there'll always be suffering for advancement. In the case of this earth, it was more than just a single someone, it was entire species. Not just wild animals that had to be carefully captured and bred or otherwise protected to avoid extinction in an increasingly metal world, it was something far worse. For in this world humans weren't the only ones at the top of the food chain. In this world, there was the supernatural.
From what Claire was told, something happened while her mother was pregnant. Something that hurt Claire, made the doctors tell her parents she likely wouldn't survive birth. So her family sought out the dwindling supply of fae, the majority of their race in seclusion. They granted her parents their wish, strengthening the child with magic with the return that she would learn not just of the human world, but theirs as well - according to the fae, they desperately needed to bridge the gap between them and humans should their race wish to survive. This was a step along the way.
When it came time for her birth a mere month later in the Irish countryside, it was as such a momentous occasion for her family. The third child of the Lorcan family, and the first daughter that they strived so hard to protect! Her mother and father were so ecstatic for those first moments. Then Claire's head fell off.
That poor midwife retired the next day.
Despite the harrowing experience Claire was impossibly still alive, and with that life came the expecation of her 'dual citizenship'. The majority of her life was spent with humans due to her family, but her 'extended family' was familiar and comforting. As much as she loved her parents and brothers after all, it was hard not to realize you're different when all their heads were attached and yours wasn't. It wasn't helped by the fact that her family lived in relative solitude, being caretakers of one of the world's nature reserves. Dullahan, after all, were a breed of dark fary and a herald of death - staying in that solitude was made for the interest of the entire family, no matter how many other supernatural creatures might roam larger cities.
With the fae it was easier to feel normal. Appreciated. They talked her through her first reaping, when she became obsessed with a herd of horses on the reserve. Explained it was natural for a Dullahan to get this obsession of their first mount, despite her parents' worry. Cheered for her when she summoned Thanatos for the first time after she had called his name the week before - her family was just unnerved when the great black shire horse kept showing up around Claire after its death.
And the fae were fascinated by how her abilities warped due to her human heritage. In a highly technological world Claire was a wonder of magic. Which is why when she caught the quiet conversations around her, pieced together everything, Claire jumped at the chance to help her fae family. To help others like her, who might feel out of place and like they never belonged.
Revolution. In a world of technology the races that clung to tradition were crushed, even humans that couldn't afford the latest pieces lagging behind without proper access to the opportunities of their peers. It was more than could be explained in one sitting, but the message was clear - something had to be done. Thus, the hacker Alakazam joined the little rebellion Alliance.
By the time Claire was ready for college she had already been helping as much as she could. With the ability to weld her head onto her neck gained from a more precise control of her powers during puberty, it was an all new sort of freedom. Her parents worried, as they often did, but this was an opportunity she couldn't ignore.
And with it, all new opportunities to help advance the cause of the Alliance. No longer confined to only helping behind a computer screen, Claire eagerly dived into her new tasks. One of her older fae 'cousins' took her under her wing, teaching her the ropes and protecting her when things became ugly. Missions became espionage, became fighting - more than one government was on to them, but they remained one step ahead. Being able to access their files no matter the encryption certainly helped. Learning how to truly defend herself and use both her abilities and Thanatos to their potential helped just as much. Even if she nearly took her own eye out with her whip at first.
Over the next few years, everytime Claire got to see another supernatural person proudly strut the street rather than slink about, she felt a bloom of pride in her chest. She would never begrudge humans - she was mostly one, after all - but she truly felt like she was making a difference. Helping those who had always made her feel welcome and never panicked in her presence. Those who feared being pushed out of their homes, their very lives. Her cousin would happily tell her all about how what they were doing was making life better for everyone. That one day when everything was revealed they'd be heroes to their people.
Which is what made the betrayal all the worse.
Things had been leading up for months. Whispers whenever Claire went out with the Alliance - there was a plan in place. The deal maker, the thing that would finally take the tipping of the scales and knock it right over. For her unique ability, Claire was chosen with a small strike force to infiltrate a government bunker in North America. They needed her code unlocking abilities, it was the key to the entire mission.
It was only deep inside, alarms quietly shut off after Claire easily slipped into their systems to take over and the people disabled by her fellow comrades did it click. Only staring at the maps displayed on the overhead, targets painted in major metropolitan areas and important political buildings did she stop.
"What is this?" She had questioned, brows furrowed but the grin never leaving her face. The comforting presence of her cousin joined her, rubbed her back reassuringly. Filled her ears with sweet words and honey - this was what was needed, these were only human strongpoints, her family was still safe, it would cripple them enough for the rest of the Alliance to take over where it was truly needed. This would change everything.
And Claire? She'd reap all of those souls, and she'd be a hero to their resistance. This is what she was made for, after all; Dullahans were always heralds of death.
Except...
... Except no matter how humans may have acted around Claire, how she felt about many of them in turn, how they recoiled when they found out what she was, and despite broken friendships and her own family sometimes looking at her as if she was an alien, not to mention the absolutely dark, curling part of her salivating at the thought of being the herald for so many, Claire had a very important fact on her side.
It was wrong. Everything she had done, if it lead to this, was wrong. Good intentions were nothing when you were little more than a weapon. And maybe that's all she was, ever since the idea was planted in the fae's heads years ago when presented with the opportunity to have someone to finally bridge that gap.
And it hurt. It hurt so much, made Claire hesitate and mourn. Yet with her cousin watching her, with her comrades behind her, and knowing there was no going back without a fight, Claire connected her synthetic arm's wires to the machine. Entered the coordinates, and input the nuclear launch codes to unlock their use.
Her people had laughed. Had celebrated. Had slapped Claire on the back as they walked outside. It was there, Thanatos' summoned from the shadows and Claire upon his back that she took her head off once more. They cheered as she lifted her head high into the air, chanting for the reaping of so many.
"Claire."
Her cousin's name barely got halfway through her lips before the bunker was obliterated in nuclear fire, the Alliance's best weapon taken from them and plot in ruins.
Claire's last thought was a small hope that she had proved herself worthy of her next adventure.
Magical Powers SectionNo actual spells, some magical abilities listed under Talents.
Special TalentsDullahan Physiology - Claire's head isn't connected to her body physically, though the thick dark-blue smoke that covers both proves it is connected magically. She can even eat without her head attached, presumably due to this. However, despite that connection she can't speak normally without her head, and the only time she has was to call a soul. Further, she's also badly burned by contact with gold of any kind.
Locksmith - No lock can hold Claire, at least that she's found so far. Traditional locks such as padlocks or doors will open within ten feet of her, and that same magic provides her with an automatic answer for most passwords and digital 'locks'. However, passwords are more subconscious magic than actual knowledge, and so she cannot tell another what the code would be and must input it herself.
Enhanced Sight - Like the legend of Dullahans, Claire has very good vision. With her head attached it's sharp as can be for a human, but with it unattached Claire can see for up to a mile and in the darkest night.
Whip Precision - Using her human spine whip, or any in general, Claire has amazing accuracy! She could probably get a fly out of the air, and can perform a few tricks with it as well.
Thanatos - Her trusty steed, Thanatos was the first soul Claire ever heralded. He's now bound to her as the headless horseman's mount, and can be summoned wherever shadows gather. In daylight he appears mostly normal except for his black eyes, but at night smoke wisps off him similar to Claire's neck. He also has an unnaturally smooth gait!
WeaponsHuman Spine - Claire possesses a whip that appears to be a human spine, however it must've either belonged to an exceptionally tall person or made up of multiples since it's ten feet long. It is surprisingly durable despite being made of bone and sinew.
Synth-X Brand Prosthetic Arm V.3183 - Synthetic limb replacement was a popular body modification in Claire's world, and she had her arm replaced in her late teens. It's strong enough to dent some metal, but no more than twice a normal human's strength. The wires in the palm and wrist can connect with most modern technology, providing an interface to work with on the inner arm. She can also access the internet in worlds that have wi-fi!
Armor/ClothingAside from using her synthetic arm as a shield at times, Claire has no actual armor. Her clothes usually consist of jeans or cargo pants with t-shirts and tank tops. Her neck is covered by either a scarf or bandana depending on the season. She consistently wears a pair of dark brown riding boots, and an oversized green zip-up jacket with thick biege fur along the collar and hood.
Midna-Phobia
