Drag

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

Getting to Rank 10 of Hanged Man gives u abilities to hide ur alcohol dependency from the rest of the family at the holiday function

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

in another edition of drag has more time than sense, i spent the day makin Magnanimous Tarot Cards. idk why. I don't claim to be an expert or even particularly spiritual and basically all of this was from my own interpretation but if ur interested and want me to elaborate on it let me know lmao

imgur.com/a/YOgyCIe

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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The combined efforts of Raymond and Justin finally managed to tear through the vines blocking their path. Justin moved immediately, with Shane preparing to do the same before a familiar, grating, voice shouted behind him.

"What the hell," were the first words Junior spoke to his immediate family, appearing at their side as they watched their 'help' run off ahead of them. "what are you gonna do now? C'mon aren't you gonna follow him!?"

Junior's sudden reappearance caused Shane to turn around briefly, he looked back to see Raymond speed off not far behind Justin and let out an annoyed grunt. Ezra, Tuyen and probably others were planning to go through the secret entrance and defend dad's artefacts from the intruders. Shane on the other hand was hoping to catch up to those dickheads and ensure they didn't even reach that far. Or, he was before his momentum was halted before it could begin.

"Go and hide dammit!" He snarled at Junior before breaking off into a sprint down the hall. Part of him felt a little bad at leaving the kid behind, even if it was Junior. But the cultists didn't seem to have any interest in the Vanburens personally and it seemed all of them were further in the manor, the entrance-way was probably the safest place for Junior right now.

Shane didn't have Justin's head-start or Raymond's... Odd floor gliding ability. But he did have a good few years of track experience, even if he found himself huffing for breath more than he normally would, the flask in his shirt pocket hugging his chest and reminding him of why. Even still, it wasn't very long before he caught up with Justin and Raymond, still fighting those fucking dogs. Shane looked beyond them and narrowed his eyes as he saw the cultist lady, Morgana, make two of her little cultist pals climb aboard one of the dogs before holding something up to its nose and instructing it to run.

He growled to himself as he continued his charge. Morgana and another cultist lady, with some head of hair, stood at the end of the hallway. So Shane sped up, he'd just got here and the remaining dogs were preoccupied with Justin and Ray and making plenty of noise while Morgana and the other girl had only just told their last hound to move. He damn well wasn't waiting anymore, if these two wanted to try and slow them down, Shane was going to run right fucking through 'em. He cleared the hallway and coated himself in his blue aura, as far as he'd seen, Morgana could dish out chains but that was something he was sure he could deflect and absorb, he wasn't as sure about the other cultist.

So, cutting out the middleman, Shane found himself a step away from the unknown Maxine, both girls were turning back to face Justin and Raymond presumably so Shane hoped to take them by surprise and take Maxine out of the equation. Rearing his fist back in his sprint to deliver a vicious running hook across the jaw of Maxine.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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"Hmph," Morgana turned her head towards Shane as she flipped him off, "We're just here to recover some stolen property! So do us a favor and fuck off!" Morgana whistled to get the Dog's attention as she pointed in a direction and shouted,

Shane almost laughed. He was hardly verbose but the way these attackers spoke and behaved it would be easy to see them more as petulant teenagers rather than dangerous cultists. Which, come to think of it, was most likely the case.

He watched as the Hellhound, the one thats brains he'd scrambled, limped away when its master recalled the dogs back. If it weren't a giant slobbering beast that seconds ago had tried to eat him, Shane might have found himself feeling a bit sorry about putting a dent in its skull. As it stood though, this day was testing him as it was, and he was fresh out of sympathy. The short yappy one with the red hair yelled another command and off the only untouched Hellhound went, dragging along the kid across the broken up flooring.

"... MORGANA WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

'Well... Learned something at least.' Shane thought, memorising the yappy one- Morgana's name. He looked on in quiet frustration as the kid got dragged into the darkness of the hallway and Morgana saw fit to erect a giant wall of fire before leaving. Shane walked up to it with his brow furrowed, he let the blue light of Guardian Angel engulf him before cautiously putting forth his left hand to the wall. Immediately recoiling back in pain and shaking his hand off.

'Doesn't work on fire. Learned something else.' He thought, grimacing as his hand already began to turn a light shade of pink on his pale skin. Between this and being thrown into a wall, he was taking quite a beating for an implacable man. He watched that "expert" kid jump right through the flames unharmed and narrowed his eyes.

Things happened around Shane for a moment as he stood, seething silently to himself at letting those shitheads get away again. Yet another sibling entered the fray, Aileen, Ezra pointedly explained to Raymond that tearing up the house was not particularly in anyone's best interests. Raymond, for his part, didn't seem terribly bothered as he put his stones back and darted through the flames to give chase. Alexander and Ezra discussed if what Morgana said was true, Ezra didn't seem to place much stock in it but Shane wasn't so sure. He damn sure wasn't going to let them run roughshod on the Estate any longer but it wasn't too difficult for Shane to see his father gallivanting... Well, everywhere magic seems to permit, in pursuit of "knowledge" or some such justification. Shane hadn't poured through them like Oscar but Father's journals were awfully detailed if he only got to look at half the things he wrote about.

Speaking of Oscar, he'd finally caught up with the rest of his family and put the flames out, turning Shane's clothing from dripping wet to slightly damp in the process. Shane took off his suit jacket and dropped it on the floor for freer movement, not like it costed much anyway. Tuyen and Ezra spoke to one another, making plans to head to the Gallery. Good enough place to lockdown, but they failed to also take into account that Morgana and her followers were kind of idiots. Since they seemed to be winging it by this point, god only knows where the hell they all were in the Manor, might as well hunt him off while they tried to find their way.

Preparing to, ostensibly go Rambo on some punk kids, Shane wordlessly exited the dining room to see Justin fighting off the dogs and two girls. He charged forward to put the fleabags down for good but they'd already sprinted off to follow their master, one of the girls was kind enough to leave behind another obstacle though. While they sure hadn't planned any of this they damn well knew how to be annoying little pissants.

Shane watched as Justin threw his flames at the vine, burning them through and creating an opening. Even still he could hear the group cackling as they fled deeper into the Manor much to Shane's continued chagrin. He looked on expressionlessly as Justin continued to throw his flames against the wall, taking note of what they were capable of and how much he was going to enjoy making them wish they had dental insurance. But, not much his abstraction could do to get through a bunch of weeds... As far as Shane was aware currently anyway.

"Happen to see which direction they ran in?" Shane asked Justin, still staring ahead through the growing hole Justin was carving. Normally he wouldn't even bother asking at all, preferring to quietly find out for himself. But, the preceding events had eroded through Shane's patience and his typically withdrawn manner. He was still as pissed as ever though.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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Shane had to brace as his body collided against the wall from the Hellhound's sudden arrival. Its proximity to Shane and the surprise of it crashing through the wall didn't give Shane enough time to activate his abstraction, throwing him back violently with the dust and debris. As he sat, coughing, he felt mild surprise at not having broken his neck.

"Getting real fucking tired of these guys." He muttered as he struggled back to his feet. The dust obscured most of the room but he did finally get a good look at the Hellhound, being all that its name would imply. He also got a good look at the... Thing, Tuyen was using to battle the Hound as well as Raymond ruining the dining room further by manipulating the earth itself to send at the kid and the dog.

'Whoever was left the Estate in the will is gonna be pissed. Shane dryly noted to himself, picking up his somehow even less impressive chair leg. Whilst none of Shane's bones were broken, hopefully, the chair leg certainly was. Split at the middle which was mitigated only by the semi-usable splinter filled point on one half.

Shane limped slightly forward, he couldn't make out some of his siblings but he could hear their voices. Georgie asking if everyone was alright, as though she gave a shit. Sabrina yelling desperately for Junior. Fuck, Junior. Kid may have had an abstraction and Shane may about as pleasant as a root canal but he still didn't want something to happen to the boy. He barely made out Georgie joining in the search for the youngest Vanburen, which set Shane's mind slightly more at ease.

Regardless he was not in the best shape to go looking for any of his siblings. Besides, the punks that did this had been only so kind as to play their hand first. Picking up some speed, Shane moved through the dust, making out the hulking figure of yet another Hellhound stood next to two more human shaped figures, standing in the hole created by the first beast. While the Hellhound that bored the hole in the wall was preoccupied with Tuyen and Raymond, Shane instead turned his attention to the shadows slowly walking into the room in the commotion.

Throwing caution to the wind and in not too great a state to charge over there, Shane gripped the broken chair leg and tossed it point first at the head, or his best guess, at the shadowed figure of the second Hellhound. Immediately he got acknowledgement that his target had been met as the beast roared in annoyance rather than pain, and charged towards Shane with its teeth bared. Shane, only by mere seconds, activated his abstraction right as the beast's head slammed into him and it attempted to clamp its jaws down on his body, only to realise that Shane stood defiantly on the floor and that its teeth could not pierce the blue sheen around him and pierce into his flesh.

The Hellhound looked up to see Shane's free hand raise above his head and come crashing down in a fist onto the Hellhound. The initial blow was barely felt at all by the beast, but the immediately following kinetic blast of its own force crashing down instantaneously onto the Hellhound's skull was felt very vividly. The Hellhound, barely off the ground as it was, slammed down onto the previously proud and polished hardwood flooring with a reverberating thud and a yelp. The Hellhound lay dazed, its jaw still hanging open from both the force and its attempted feasting on the Vanburen.

Shane shook his hand in slight pain, Guardian Angel or no he still slammed it against the skull of a big lumbering beast, and looked up at the shadows that could only be the Cultists.

"What do you little pricks even want?!" He yelled, surrounded by the flames and the ruins of the dining hall, they were nothing if not persistent Shane had to concede to them.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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Guardian Angel activated once more as the chair smashed harmlessly against his blue aura. Well, harmless for Shane, not so much for the chair which shattered pretty much on impact. He frowned as his aura dissipated and the girl leapt through the portal unscathed, though her friend didn't join thanks to Alexander's chains. He glanced at Alexander who mumbled something, no doubt a threat, to the boy. Though he knew next to nothing about his apparent Russian sibling, that he was able to threaten some kid fairly easily was probably not the best of signs. Shane instead knelt down at the wreckage of the once proud Vanburen chair and picked up the leg that was most intact.

He dropped the leg against his open palm a few times as Trisha and Oscar spoke amongst themselves over the captured impostor.

'Heavy enough...'

A blood curdling roar rocked throughout the estate at that moment, making Shane momentarily pause.

'...Probably gonna shatter on impact against whatever the hell that was.' Shane thought to himself, shutting his eyes for a second in frustration. Perhaps if fortune favoured him he could stick them with the jagged end.

He opened his eyes once more as Georgie reappeared from her pocket world or some such fantastical power Shane only really bothered to remember the basics of. She said the intruders were already in the main hall with some dog like beasts and suggested regrouping in her pocket world. An idea that didn't make any sense to Shane, they weren't entirely sure who their attackers were now and considering the impostor boy didn't look particularly worried about his predicament, it was unlikely they'd learn anything about their intruders from him in Georgie's garden. Besides, they knew where the intruders were right now, better to confront them immediately rather than let them run amok unseen in the house.

The girl, Tuyen, the real one. Seemed poised to go out there and fight them head on. Shane did not bear much confidence in either expert, especially after the encounter with their doppelgangers but at least she was willing to take action. Ezra apparently agreed with this sentiment as he let her pass without reservation and prepared to follow alongside her.

"Let's get to it then." Shane stated plainly, inviting himself along and walking alongside Tuyen and Ezra.

He was going out there regardless, most of his family had a tendency to overestimate themselves but he was the only Vanburen with any real combat experience. While he wasn't carrying a firearm anymore and sure as hell never came across any shapeshifters or magic dogs in his time, he damn sure was not going to sit and hide while a bunch of amateurs tore apart his house.

Besides, he hadn't gotten much chances to test it, it was time to see just how much the Guardian Angel could withstand.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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Where before there was a heavy silence that had Shane on edge, now he felt himself longing for it. The surrounding faces of his siblings, Oscar and Sabrina's naive but hopeful optimism meeting Georgie's insufferably smug but probably not unfounded skepticism. Trisha and her usual annoyance clashing against Junior and his peculiar talent for being an irritating presence.

'Least Ezra stepped out.' Shane thought to himself, counting the absence of his eldest brother's constant nonchalant and indifferent gaze as a blessing considering Shane's slowly eroding patience.

Truthfully, Shane had not even been fully aware of the Vanburen's "curse" until he received the letter from Sabrina. He already lived in Araminta after all and wasn't exactly one for travelling anymore. Were he not confused yet fascinated by the strange power that he and his siblings had obtained, there's a good chance he wouldn't have shown up at all. Aside, of course, out of love for his "wonderful" family who currently argued among themselves.

In spite of his interest, he struggled to really comprehend much of what the boy Oscar brought was telling him. As far as he could glean before they were interrupted, there was many different types of magic. Not information that sounded particularly integral for fixing their current situation but it's more than he knew a few minutes ago at least. Shane tried to internally memorise the names of these different magic... Schools, or whatever. When his train of thought was halted by another pair of the same two teenagers entering the house.

'...Wonderful.' Shane thought to himself. The two teenagers who arrived seemed unfazed by encountering, well, themselves. With the both of them going as far as to mock the impostors' choice of clothing. Rather than attempt to dispute this, the two impostors conceded their disguise and transformed before Shane's eyes into two completely different looking people. So, shape-shifting was another thing magic users were capable of doing, another thing to jot down in the memory for later.

The male impostor sent forth a wave of water at the Vanburens, Shane felt himself become enveloped with the blue aura of the Guardian Angel a second after the water hit the table. He was pushed back slightly but managed to hold his ground and be the rock in the water standing against the current. Albeit one with an incredibly wet suit that basically meant Shane was out of formal wear after this.

The water dispersed and Shane took quick stock of his siblings, wet as he was and mostly thrown against the walls but seeming not much worse for wear. He narrowed his eyes back at the two impostors, the female tearing a purple hole from thin air. Ezra returned from his call and clutching a kitchen knife that he'd expanded to the length of a sword, while the Russian, Alexander, had green chains wrap around his wrists.

Arabelle entered from Shane's right, yelling to the real (?) Justin and Tuyen that more of these pricks were apparently coming through the bathroom. Shane would object with entrusting so much to teenagers they had just met, let alone ones that had just been imitated and could be more imitators themselves for all they knew but he found himself too focused on the imitators that had shown their true forms. He flicked his wet hair back and out of his eyes as he frowned at the two of them trying to leave through the portal.

"Get out of my house." Ezra said with his standard intimidating stare.

"Fuck that." Shane snarled as he quickly grabbed the, now fairly damp, chair he'd been sat on and threw it with all the considerable force at his disposal towards the head of the boy who had previously pretended to be Justin.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

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He wasn't really sure what to expect when he'd first been contacted by Sabrina and Oscar. The funeral was easy, despite the situation. Everyone was wrapped up in their individual thoughts or grief, as was he, that he was able to exist and function without any real difficulty. But now that was not the case and a lot had happened between now and the funeral. Most of his family had the time to perhaps start coming to terms with father's death, this "curse" had started turning all of them to stone unless they remained in Araminta, Shane had awakened... Through circumstances that he wouldn't fully disclose to anyone, his family least of all.

He stood in the entrance hall for a few moments. Trying to discern exactly what his feelings were being back on the estate after promising himself that he wouldn't come back. Anger, calm, sorrow, happiness, peace, anxiety. Every conflicting feeling looped back in on itself and Shane found himself standing in his home feeling nothing at all. Save for noticing that the wood on the floor was beginning to show its signs of age.

Still, he lingered before entering the dining room. If nothing else it gave him a brief respite before having to share a room with his siblings. When Shane did finally enter he saw Ezra tending the flames of the fireplace, Oscar sorting through his notes but looking up to give Shane a brief smile and the majority of his sisters already sat at the dining table. He walked up and pulled out the chair that sat in the centre on the right side of the table. It's not one he particularly liked considering it placed him smack dab in the cross-hairs of just about everyone in the room, but it was the seat he always sat in growing up and the last thing he really wished to do was upset the harmony of the awkward silence hanging in the air.

Shane sat fairly stiff compared to his siblings. Folding his arms and maintaining his ever present neutral frown, with his eyes slanted downwards towards the table. He did look up briefly when Sabrina entered with LeBeau, to which the glorified housecat responded by baring its fangs at him, proving itself to be a Vanburen if nothing else.

Oscar began his presentation shortly thereafter. He'd found some supernatural experts to help deal with the Vanburen's "curse", causing Shane to inwardly cringe. He loved his brother and was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt considering he seemed to have a handle on this better than Shane did, but he also had a habit of getting too enamoured by things. Sure, Shane had the ability to probably withstand being hit by a car now, but the term 'supernatural experts' did not fill him with a great degree of confidence.

Shane felt his sentiments echoed when Oscar announced his "experts" were already here and the typically unflappable Ezra gave a "Hold up. what?". It was a subtle tell but Shane didn't need investigative training to tell his eldest brother had his own doubts about Oscar's people, he damn sure didn't mishear him considering Ezra's typical meticulousness and the lack of any other noteworthy sound in the room.

And in walked Oscar's experts. Two kids who looked about the same age as Georgie. One of whom immediately having to remove herself from the proceedings to use the bathroom. Shane was thankful Ezra took centre stage when Justin asked the Vanburens to tell him what they knew as Shane was still finding himself considering the slight possibility that Oscar had somehow crafted the most intricate practical joke Araminta had ever seen.

"I believe my other siblings would feel more at ease if you can show us that you are what you say you are before we continue.” Ezra stated at the boy, leading Shane to realise he'd been half focused while his brother bore a hole into the kid with that stare he'd get when trying to figure out if you were lying. God knows Shane had seen it more than once.

Briefly, Shane considered asking a question of his own, he certainly had a few he'd like to know, but found no immediate words to say. Better to let his brothers and sisters steer the conversation for now he thought as he reached for the silver flask in his coat pocket to warm up the cold from outside and in.

"Better to let them do all the talking, really." He concluded, quietly placing his flask back into his jacket.

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

Updated some relationships i have no mouth and i must scream

Recollections: Magnanimous (Cancelled)

Shane B. Vanburen

"Why are you talking to me?"

_______________________________________________ Shane Benjamin Vanburen He/Him | 27 | Irish-American | 6’1ft | 229lb _______________________________________________ Isolation _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Fucking waste." ___________________________________ [+] Firearms ⫻ As a former police officer, Shane is trained in the use of firearms. His experience ranges only as far as a beat cop however so his familiarity is more focused towards pistols and revolvers, he has used rifles before on firing ranges but is significantly less familiar with them. Boxing ⫻ Shane was always something of a fighter growing up but when he began his police training he decided to also refine his fighting further just in case. Shane is hardly any kind of prizefighter but he’s capable of holding his own in a fight. Track ⫻ Shane's proclivity towards getting into fights, particularly where his family was concerned, was an instance where James had to step in as a father beyond giving money to his child. In an effort to mellow him out and use his energy in a more constructive manner, James signed Shane up to do track and field, an activity Shane enjoyed enough to take through the rest of his school life. Although it's not something he's kept up on, even with years of drinking Shane still has relatively good running speed and stamina.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Not much to look at." An immediate first glance can tell anyone that Shane is prickly and unwelcoming to just about anyone that merely exists near him for too long. Typically, Shane has a dour or annoyed expression on his face, only slightly placated when he's currently drinking. By regular standards and especially compared to his siblings, Shane is quite pale. Also compared to his siblings he has a more unkempt bordering on 'wild' look, with long dishevelled dark red hair and a tangled beard making him look far more savage than the name Vanburen would imply. His eyes often bloodshot and with dark rings underneath along with some faint scarring along the left side of his mouth only adds to his general thug like appearance. Shane's clothing reflects his attitude, which is to say it is often very plain, cheap and functional. He tends to wear the same all purpose black boots for every outfit along with a pair of dark blue jeans and an un-tucked shirt, usually flannel, over a plain white or black T-shirt. Being a Vanburen however necessitates the odd high society function much to his chagrin, in which case he wears a fitted black suit and tie over a crisp white shirt. The only formal clothing of any kind Shane owns.

_{Psychology
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"I've got nothing to say."

MAIN GOAL ⫻ In a narrow and immediate sense of the word ‘goals’ all Shane seemingly wishes to do is drink and forget. Shane’s long term goals have shrunk little by little since he moved back into Araminta and truthfully he has given zero thought to any future plans.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Although never fully being much for religion and never considering himself a particularly spiritually intelligent person, Shane held himself to the lessons imparted by his father, in his own way: Help and protect others, family especially. Nowadays he seems to regard this previous line of thinking with contempt for his naivete.

SEXUALITY ⫻ Shane's heterosexual (as far as he's aware). But hasn't made any romantic effort in quite some time. Initially when he first moved to New York he had some plans to find a girl and maybe even start a family of his own but seems to have given up that possibility since his return.

FEARS ⫻ Shane doesn’t really have any traditional fears, aside from being slightly uncomfortable in enclosed spaces. He does carry a degree of inward anxiety and shame around his family however, instead of his boorish and angry personality he usually tends to be more quiet and cold around them when forced to share the same space, inwardly regarding the situation and himself as pathetic.

REPUTATION ⫻ It is an open secret and subject of ridicule or sadness for the majority of people living in Araminta that Shane Vanburen has become a washed alcoholic since his return to the town. Although he keeps largely to himself, Shane’s past as a friendly and outgoing child growing up and prior to his leaving has left his supporters disappointed and his friends alienated at his current state. Although harbouring no animosity towards his brothers and sisters it is an unspoken fact among them that Shane is difficult to get a hold of and extremely short if they do.

THOUGHTS ABOUT FATHER ⫻ Although still holding his father in some high esteem and thinking of him fondly as both a man and his sole caregiver, Shane’s experiences in life have shaken him to the point where he has quietly begun to wonder if he ever really knew James.

FLAWS ⫻ Naturally Shane's alcoholism is the primary one, keeping him from getting steady work and using it as a damaging form of self medicating. Shane's incredible caginess and inability to relate to his friends or family anymore does not help in this regard, even possibly becoming aggressive if pushed repeatedly into discussing uncomfortable subjects. Ironically his pre-New York flaws have more or less reversed, where once he was overly defensive of his family and somewhat overbearing he is now apathetic and isolated, closed off and depressed.

_{Backstory
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"Fuck off."

James Vanburen was a magnetic man, even disregarding his wealth and countless acts of charity, people couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Naturally this extended to the help on his estate, so loyal to James where they that at times they would place his happiness above their own far beyond any professional obligation. A maid by the name of Cait Ryan was one such help. She had immigrated to America seeking a fresh start to her life and had found James Vanburen, who took her in readily and helped her when she struggled, and believed in her when her own family did not, and said such wonderful things to her. Then she discovered she was pregnant.

They would go back and forth often, James Vanburen offering everything in his power to keep a maid in his life. Cait refused to allow the situation to tarnish James Vanburen’s name despite his protests and even offers of marriage to keep her in his life, but she also could not seem to bring herself to be rid of her son. Eventually, Shane was born and soon after Cait Ryan left in the night, a note left behind apologising to her beloved James and reaffirming her faith in the man that their son would have a better life with him. Cait felt that by leaving she would spare any scrutiny and subsequent hurt on the man she cared so deeply for, but James would have much rather kept her regardless of what it may have done to his name. He had made a few attempts to track her down in the months after Shane was named and made a Vanburen, to no avail. To curb the possibility of Shane being affected emotionally from a lack of maternal figure compared to his siblings, James told his son that his mother passed in childbirth. A fact Shane still believes to this day.

Shane grew up as hoped, happy and curious of the world around him. Looked after by his siblings and his father in spite of none of them knowing who had birthed him besides James. There were the odd murmurs from high society of James Vanburen’s “Bastard” but it did not ever seem to weigh on Shane any. If anything, Shane was significantly more defensive of his family than of himself, usually getting into fights on behalf of his siblings at even the slightest remark from students at the preparatory schools the Vanburens attended. Eventually James had to sit his son down and explain to him that while his loyalty and desire to protect his family was admirable it was something he had to temper with patience and dignity.

Although never quite being able to shed his over-protectiveness in regards to the other Vanburens, Shane did take his father’s words to heart and would start applying himself in outlets that would keep him out of trouble. It was then his interest in track and field grew which would later lead to him seeing his desire to help and protect others as a viable career path, becoming a police officer.

James supported the goal even if he would sometimes gently nudge his son to slow down on his ambition or seek out a career path he could still do good in while being safer, but Shane wouldn’t be deterred. His training regime was seemingly constant and he applied for the police academy more or less the second he finished high school. But, Shane had no desire to coast off his family name and decided to move out to New York state. Tearful goodbyes and a going away party later and Officer Shane Vanburen, was ready to finally make something of himself, help people and apply the lessons his father taught him in a way that would make him proud.

Then, four years later he was back in Araminta. Shane was a stranger in near every sense of the word, distant, quiet, melancholy and a much heavier drinker. Though he lived in the same city as his father he refused to move back into the family home despite his father’s requests. He avoided seeing his family wherever possible and only saw James once when returning from New York, which was when he first arrived back in his hometown. Shane had changed and despite the attempts of family and friends, he refused to divulge anything that happened to him out of state beyond deciding to quit the force.

From there it became a monotonous routine. Wake up in a dingy apartment, do any available odd jobs to earn some money, drink from late afternoon to the dead of night. It went on for the remainder of the year until Christmas Eve, where Shane found himself woken up from his drunken stupor early Christmas morning with the news that his father was dead. It felt like a blur, the news, hugging his family for the first time in years, the funeral. Like some sort of sped up dream that he would wake up from before seeing the conclusion. But there was no conclusion, James Vanburen was dead.

Time passed after the fact, his siblings returned to their homes and Shane was alone once again, drinking, alone and empty. He found himself one night using his key to get into the empty Vanburen Estate. Walking around the halls with the night sky flooding in through the windows and illuminating the white sheets over every bit of furniture that had once been so regal yet welcoming. Shane stumbled to the highest part of the tower, bottle in hand, and when he could climb no more he went up to the nearest window. Opening it as wide as it’d go and letting the cool night breeze wash across his face. He climbed up onto the window sill and closed his eyes. His left leg twitched to move forward before his entire body had some unknown force propel him back into the house.

With some (painful) discovery, Shane would come to learn he had awakened. He had never been the most intelligent of his siblings but the tattoo that appeared on the side of his neck compelled him to comb through his father’s books and records, it was something certain people were capable of doing in extreme emotional situations, it would grant them abilities. In Shane’s case he wasn’t clear, but it gave him the jolt of reality to leave the house before he did something else stupid.

Following that night, Shane found the events rattling in his head more than his usual thoughts while drinking. Noting that no one seemed to care about his new tattoo, normally he’d chalk it up to apathy but the fact that he didn’t even overhear any snide comment of Vanburen’s son becoming even more of a thug was strange. Even still he would have resigned himself to burying it down without a word, before he begun turning to stone like his siblings. After receiving a call from his sister, things became unfortunately clear.

It was time to come home.

_{Abstraction
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"Still not sure what happened to me."

TYPE ⫻ Awakened

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Guardian Angel, a light blue sheen that can envelope Shane or appear as a wall in front of him, able to withstand physical pressure and explode it back at attackers. The Awakened tattoo appears as a circle resembling a shield on Shane’s neck.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Shane’s abstraction enables him to surround himself in a light blue aura which can soak up damage from attackers and throw it back in a kinetic blast when it accrues enough physical trauma, this technique is called a Guardian Release. The shield can be altered to take the form of a translucent blue wall which can be held up by Shane and enables others to hide behind it if need be.

The more damaging/greater amount of trauma Shane or the wall receive while active will determine how powerful the Guardian Release becomes. At its lowest being essentially a knockback to being powerful enough to throw enemies through solid objects with ease.

AURA SENSING ⫻ Shane can feel the aura of those about to be struck by physical damage, supernatural or otherwise, a few moments before it happens. The range of this sensing is short however, around ten feet before this sensing begins to fall off.

LIMITS ⫻ The barrier can only manifest on Shane and thus cannot be used to protect someone. The kinetic blast can travel around twenty or so feet ahead of him. The barrier can only absorb physical damage and so attacks from energy such as fire, electricity, are not absorbed - but are still blocked. The barrier can expand to around thirty feet. However, there's only so much that the barrier can take and if it absorbs too much energy then the barrier will explode - injuring Shane in the process. Shane's barrier also can't do much to save him from being grabbed and other low kinetic energy attacks.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ Shane's barrier takes extra damage from any non-physical/energy-based damage. A constant barrage of damage will pin Shane in place and force him to stand still... which may expose him to even more damage. Now, taking too much energy into his barrier can be dangerous as he can overload and cause all that kinetic energy to explode out. Injuring himself and anybody around him.

^{Other
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"Can’t wrap my mind around half of this shit."

Shane's Relationships

"Surprised she's held up this well, considering." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

Despite his irritable shift in attitude, Shane still feels some measure of his old affectionate protective instincts towards Sabrina. At least more so than his other siblings. Growing up, he often found himself beating the hell out of other schoolkids that mocked his sister and while he is happy to have seen her grow into a happy and confident woman, he can never shake off the perception of her being more emotionally fragile than the rest of the Vanburens. Though, with everything that's happened since their father passed, Shane has begun to rethink that assessment.

"Things'd be a lot more complicated if Oscar weren't around." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

When they were growing up, Shane and Oscar often looked out for one another, perhaps more than any of the other Vanburens. Oscar usually lending a hand academically whenever Shane needed it and Shane taking it upon himself to "deal" with anyone who hassled his brother at school. Not that Oscar would've minded either way but Shane had always tried to stress to his brother to take things more seriously. As with his other siblings, Shane has grown apart with Oscar in the intervening years but his laid back attitude does at least make him the easiest sibling for Shane to talk to.

"Quiet Trisha, still getting dragged into the family's mess." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

Despite, or perhaps because of, her abrasiveness, Shane has often held some quiet sympathy for his little sister. While he (at the time) disagreed with her thoughts on James, he has always recognised the unfairness of her situation and how she was caught between some bizarre pissing match between two parents. He has, over time, come to privately agree with some of her distaste for Father but it's not like they have voiced it to one another. If anything, Shane and Trisha seem to have an unspoken agreement as the two "difficult" Vanburen children to stay out of each others way, an arrangement that suits Shane just fine.

"Little Georgie. All grown up." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

The thoughts of a young Georgie growing up, annoying her siblings and doing all manner of things for attention are one of the few memories in Shane's ruminations that bring a small smile to his face. One that disappears just as quickly considering their relationship now. While he has always considered himself the least intelligent Vanburen, Shane's struggle to ever really "get" Georgie is one that still frustrates him. He is happy enough that she's making something of herself but her adopted attitude is slightly confusing to him. Whilst he can feel her contempt it's one of the few changes that doesn't really bother him. But as far as he is concerned, with her quiet sophistication and guarded expressions, his sister may have always been an island to him.

"Gonna take some real work to make this mess go away, Golden Boy." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

Shane has complicated and often conflicting thoughts on his oldest brother. The way both of them were treated by James is something Shane has only recently thought about. How Ezra was denied getting into sports by James on the grounds of it being a "waste" while Shane was outright encouraged to do so, one of the many things that makes Shane wonder about his father. He begrudgingly respects Ezra's commitment to protecting the family out of principle but quite easily recognises his weariness at doing so. In Shane's mind, he would rather Ezra simply let go of the reins all together if he's so put upon by the responsibility and finds Ezra to be an effort to talk to even back when Shane was more hospitable. Frankly, they are more alike than Shane would probably like to admit.

"Stuck around like a ghost from the past." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

Shane had made a few attempts growing up to get to know and befriend Arabelle, all of which were summarily rebuffed. It had confused him then but he understands it more so now, more than likely being the one who took up the most of her mothers time. Shane was ostensibly the only Vanburen without any knowledge on his mother beyond her formerly having the same position Arabelle's mother did and that she apparently died giving birth to Shane. All the times Arabelle's mother fussed over his bruises when he'd get into a fight, it's little wonder to him now where her daughter's dislike comes from.

"Sure be nice to be able to toss out claims like hers. Thanks dad." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Shane has very little opinion on his new "sister". On one hand his investigative instincts are pretty sure she's full of shit but on the other he's too apathetic to hold her under any degree of scrutiny. He's pretty indifferent about crap like inheritance and truthfully James did get "around" a hell of a lot.

"Probably my favourite parasite. Wait, no, ringworm. Oh wait, rats with the plague. My third favourite parasite." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................

Unsurprisingly, Shane has little patience for his youngest brother. Even when he was more sociable he would not likely have much enjoyment for Junior's presence let alone now where he makes his dislike more than open. Before his leave to New York, Shane really only knew Junior as a baby. By the time he returned, Junior was already a mouthy and obnoxious brat to anyone that wasn't James. A particularly memorable interaction was once when Junior arrogantly pried too closely into Shane's time as a police officer, to which Shane very bluntly told Junior to fuck off.