Far removed from the chaos of lich chases and heretic hunts playing out in Penrose proper, Connie and Mia were safely back at the orphanage, enjoying twin mugs of hot chocolate. Having changed back into their normal human forms, both girls were sitting on the large bed, which took up about half the small room’s space, snuggly wrapped up in soft blankets, and surrounded by several stuffed animals and fluffy pillows. Despite being sixteen, and thus somewhat old for pillow forts, Connie had always loved the sense of comfort and security they gave her, and Mia, for her part, was only too happy to indulge her best friend whenever possible. This was also the reason for the single queen-sized bed, rather than two smaller ones, as Connie found the presence of her friend and protector so close at hand to be especially reassuring.
“Mmm… This hot chocolate is absolutely delicious, Mia!” Connie told her friend enthusiastically. “Thanks so much for making it!”
“No problem,” Mia replied with a smile. “Being a magical plant girl does have its advantages, after all.”
Before changing back, Mia had used her magic to create a plant capable of acting as a biological hot chocolate dispenser. Her creation would only last a few short hours, but that was more than enough time for her and Connie to each have several mugs worth.
“You’re such an amazing magical girl, Mia,” Connie gushed. “You’re so beautiful and confident, and you’re so talented with your magic. Not like me…” she added sullenly. “I don’t think I’ll ever be anywhere close to as good as you are…”
Mia blushed at her friend’s complements, but frowned when she voiced her low opinion of herself.
“Connie… You’re still getting used to this. You’ll get better. Just give it time. I mean, look at tonight. You were amazing out there!”
“Y-you really mean it?”
“Sure do! I’m really proud of you, Connie,” she added, giving her friend a hug. “I want you to know that.”
“Thanks, Mia,” Connie said softly as she set her mug down and returned her friend’s hug with interest. “I’m so lucky to have you as a best friend. When you’re with me, I just know everything’s going to be all right.”
Everything was NOT all right. Not even close. Despite the protestations of both her father and the family physician, Violet Covington was certain that her father’s steadily intensifying string of reoccurring nightmares was far from a normal phenomenon. She did not give voice to this certainty, of course. To do so would make her appear to be decidedly less than fully sane, but regardless, she knew that something needed to be done. And she would need to be the one to do it.
As she gazed out upon the ruined skyline of Penrose through the vast windowpane before her, an eruption of arcane energy brought her out of her deep contemplation and focused her mind fully upon a possible solution to her father’s mysterious predicament.
“Magic,” she whispered.
Although she was the heiress of one of the world’s largest tech corporations, Violet had long known in her heart that a mystical world existed in tandem with the mundane. However, where once that world was virtually imperceptible, now it was becoming ever more apparent to anyone who cared to look. This latest expulsion of power was ample proof of that. So it was that Violet Covington came to the not-at-all unreasonable conclusion that some foul magic was at work. Now, she simply needed to find out what, or who, was responsible for this despicable attack on her father.
Mia Cooper couldn’t believe what was happening. Upon walking into her room at the Penrose Orphanage she had found an unnervingly creepy woman wearing a dark robe and mask sitting on her bed. That alone would have been shocking enough, but then the woman had gone on to explain that she was none other than Mia’s roommate and best friend Connie Williams. It was all so unreal. The woman looked nothing like Connie, but did sound a bit like her…
“Why don’t you tell me what happened,” Mia asked. “How did you get like this?”
“W-well, some of the other kids locked me in the cellar,” the woman explained.
What?! Mia roared internally. I’m gonna beat the crap outta those jerks… Even if this woman wasn’t Connie, Mia refused to tolerate bullying of any sort.
“A-and when I was looking for a way out,” the woman continued, “I found this really awful m-ma-mas…”
“Mask?” Mia offered.
The woman nodded, before giving voice to a shocked gasp.
“Oh my gosh… I-it… it… c-clung to my face…” she said in a whisper as her hands slowly reached up to touch the mask. “Oh no… I-I’m still w-wearing it?! Oh jeez, oh jeez, oh jeez…”
She was starting to tremble and hyperventilate, clearly at the beginning of a panic attack. Connie was deathly afraid of masks, after all, Mia reflected.
Holy crap, Mia thought to herself. She really is Connie…
What before she had doubted, she now knew with utter certainty, and with that knowledge came a renewed resolve to help her suffering friend.
“Connie, it’s okay, it’s okay,” she told her soothingly, while putting her arm around her and gently rubbing her back. “I’m so sorry you had to endure all that by yourself, but I’m here now. We’ll fix this. I promise.”
“B-but Miaaa,” Connie sobbed. “H-how can you do anything about this? T-this isn’t something s-simple like bullies… It… It’s some k-kind of h-horrible magic curse…”
It was at that moment that Mia reluctantly made one of the biggest decisions of her life.
“You’re right Connie,” Mia told her. “It is magic. You’ve become a magical girl.” She took a deep breath. “Just like me.”
“L-like you?” Connie asked in bewilderment.
“Yeah,” Mia confirmed with a sigh of resignation. “Listen Connie,” she added as she stood up and walked a short distance away from the bed. “I’m gonna show you something pretty crazy, so please try not to totally freak out on me, okay?”
“O-okay…” Connie replied.
With a nod, Mia closed her eyes and summoned up her magical power to initiate the transformation. Connie watched in disbelief as a glowing and swirling whirlwind of mystical green energy quickly enveloped Mia. There was a mighty flash, after which Mia was no more. In her place stood an emerald-skinned nymph-like woman of otherworldly beauty. Her green hair flowed down in luxurious waves to pool on the floor, while her outfit consisted of little more than a skimpy bikini made of vines and leaves.
“Nature’s Beauty! Nature’s Grace! Nature’s Power!” The demigoddess announced. “Behold! I am Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth!”
Now it was Connie’s turn to be dumbfounded.
“W-who…Who are you?” she whispered hesitantly.
“Oh, dearest Connie,” Gaia said serenely, with a tone filled with warmth and compassion. “It is I, your cherished friend. What you see before you is simply my magical girl form.”
“M-Mia? Y-you look so different… You sound so different…”
“Yes, well, I am Gaia now. If you wish, you may think of Mia as the seed, while I am the blossom.”
“S-so you’re not Mia anymore?”
“It… is complicated. Just know that I am still your friend, and I wish to do all in my power help you.” Sitting back down beside her, Gaia put a comforting arm around Connie’s shoulder. “To that end, I believe the first thing we should do is reverse your transformation, and the best way to do that is to simply relax. Here, rest your head upon my lap,” she offered invitingly. “That’s it, just lay down and make yourself as comfortable as possible. Then, leave everything else to me.”
Gaia’s voice was so blissful and calming that Connie found herself gladly complying with her every request.
“Th-thank you for doing this, Mia,” she said sleepily as she felt her friend’s elegant fingers running through her hair. “Oh! S-sorry, I-I mean Gaia.”
“There is no need to apologize,” Gaia told her lovingly. “You are my dearest friend. You may call me by whatever name you wish, I will cherish the sound of it all the same.”
As Connie drifted into blissful slumber, her imposing transformation finally dissipated, leaving behind the gentle girl Gaia had known since childhood.
“Sleep well, my dearest Connie.” Gaia said, while she smiled down at her friend. “Know that I shall always be here to guide and protect you. The nightmare is over now. Everything will be all right. So vows Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth.”
The nightmare was far from over. That much was plain to see. The man writhed in agony, assailed by a relentless tide of unimaginable horrors. What those horrors were could have easily been seen, had the two young women wished it, but both had decided that it was for the best if they simply viewed the external symptoms. As far as Gaia was concerned, that was unnerving enough, and she was sure Connie would be quick to agree with her on that point.
The two magical girls sat on the edge of the roof of one of Penrose’s tallest towers, one that directly overlooked the only slightly smaller corporate headquarters of Covington Industries. Their unusually long hair blew wildly in the frigid wind and they clutched the folds of their cold weather robes tight about them.
“I-is it just me, or has it gotten c-colder every night w-we’ve been out here?” Connie asked.
“It is not just you,” Gaia replied. “And this is not natural. Mother fears a dark force is at work, perhaps one inadvertently set into motion by that disgusting pig down there,” she added pointing to the man depicted by the orb Connie held in her trembling hands.
The weather had indeed gotten worse, Gaia reflected. And that wasn’t all. Several natural disasters had struck Penrose over the last several weeks, leaving the city partially evacuated and in a state of near shutdown. Thankfully, the Penrose Orphanage was located at the very fringe of the city, and thus had escaped the recent calamites relatively unscathed. Incidentally, and despite its location at the heart of Penrose’s metropolitan core, the same could also be said for the building below them.
It was only natural for the global headquarters of a mega corporation like Covington Industries to be built like a fortress, and CI’s HQ took that line of thinking to its most drastic extreme. The place was entirely self-sufficient and, with its advanced armored skin and array of robotic security systems (including, it was rumored, an entire army of battle robots) was supposedly capable of withstanding the assault of any natural disaster or military force. It was the perfect place for a greedy coward like Thane Covington, CEO of Covington Industries, to hole up in for the duration of any emergency, safe and secure in pampered luxury.
Of course, a direct assault wasn’t the only way inside such a formidable stronghold. Despite, or perhaps because of, his company’s status as a technological juggernaut, Covington had neglected to guard against mystical adversaries, and thus his penthouse bedchamber was just as vulnerable to Connie’s magic as any back ally dumpster a simple thug chose to sleep in. This thought brought a smile to Gaia’s emerald lips.
Thane Covington was the driving force behind one of the most corrupt and pollutive corporations in the world, and the Daughter of Mother Earth held no sympathy for a man who had hurt her beloved Mother so. Ordinarily, she would be the one to enact Mother’s retribution personally, and in a most direct manner. However, in an effort to give Connie more experience with her powers (as well as to appease her horrific patron) Gaia had hit upon the idea of using a subtle, but no less effective approach. Each night, for the past week, she and Connie would visit this overlook, where the Daughter of Mother Earth would watch with approval, while the Empress of Nightmares flooded Covington’s mind with a parade of horrific visions of the repercussions his actions were having on both the natural world, and his fellow human beings.
And this plan was most certainly having an effect…
“Oh my…” Gaia observed with mock surprise, while placing an elegant hand to cover her mouth. “It looks as if Mr. Covington has just wet himself.”
“Eeww… T-that’s so gross…” Connie said as she turned away. “I-I don’t know about you, Mia, but I really don’t wanna watch any more of this…”
“Very well,” Gaia conceded. “We can return to the Orphanage now. After all, I believe we have seen more than enough for tonight.”
“Phew…” Connie said, giving voice to a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I think I might freeze solid if I spend another hour out here…”
“Come on,” Gaia said with a laugh. “Let’s head home. When we get there, I’ll make us some hot chocolate.”
“Mmmm… That sounds reeeally nice…”
As they departed the rooftop, Gaia couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief herself. The city of Penrose had grown far darker and more dangerous in the weeks since Connie had become a magical girl, and while Gaia had done her best to keep her inexperienced friend away from major combat thus far, the odds of them encountering a truly threatening foe steadily increased with each passing day. And it wasn’t just monsters that worried Gaia, oh no. Rumors had run rampant of late that a powerful new force had arrived in Penrose, the so-called ‘Beacon Ascendency’.
Since her work often took her to places seldom frequented by other magical girls, Gaia had only a passing knowledge of The Beacon, but what little she did know said that they could be fanatical at the best of times, and from what she had recently heard, the members of this ‘Ascendency’ were even more fanatical than most. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be much of a problem. After all, she was no monster or dark magical girl. But Connie…
Over the past few weeks, Gaia had learned that Connie’s patron, while certainly horrific, was NOT a Horror. Thus, Connie was neither a DMG or a monster girl. Gaia knew this. But would The Beacon be so clear headed and rational as well? The Daughter of Mother Earth highly doubted it. With this at the forefront of her mind, she had done all she could to keep her friend’s magical girl activities ‘under their radar’ so to speak, while doing her best to improve Connie’s combat abilities. She only hoped that, when the time to fight inevitably came, her preparations would be enough.
I've not done much online Roleplaying before, but after browsing through many of the interesting RPs on this site, I've decided to take the plunge, so to speak.
"E-everything will be fine as long as I don't turn around... T-that's s-simple enough, j-just don't turn around... D-don't turn around... (sigh...) I really hate my life...
As you can see, Connie has an average body for someone her age, and as the Empress of Nightmares wears a flowing robe in the style of a kimono.
Specialization: Oddball (Nightmares)-
Has the power to give people nightmares, as well as increase said nightmares' strength and realism. In a way, she can conjure up illusions and hallucinations for people in the waking world, but they are (normally) nowhere near as strong as those created by someone with the Illusion power set. They essentially tap into the fears and phobias already present in the individual and make them real. Connie has very little (if any) control over what form they take or what they do after being created, which can sometimes be a problem, since if they are tied to/powered by strong enough fears, the illusions can have a tangible effect on the physical world (in this way, they act rather like spirits as described by the Spirit specialization). Finally, in times of danger, Connie can surround herself with something resembling a pocket dimension, somewhat akin to a witch's barrier from Madoka, albeit nowhere near as powerful. It simply amplifies her nightmare aura and the strength of her illusions in its small area of effect.
Weapon: The Mask of the Endless Nightmare (Mystic)-
This is the terrifying artifact through which Connie was imbued with her dark powers, and which now amplifies these already considerable mystical abilities.
Power: Tendrils of Eternal Darkness (Tentacles)-
They manifest as inky black tendrils that can appear from any nearby surface, including Connie's outfit, and even small portals in the fabric of reality itself.
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- The Mask of the Endless Nightmare is imbued with all the reality shattering power of The Lord of Nightmares. As such, it provides a greatly amplified level of power to its chosen wearer.
Power Artifact- The Diadem of Eternal Horror is an amethyst gemstone set upon the forehead of the Mask of the Endless Nightmare. If a strong enough fear is detected, it empowers Connie's illusions enough to solidify them into tangible entities.
Mystic Artifact- The Eye of Fear is a small pendant that Connie keeps hidden in the voluminous folds of her robe. Resembling a creepy crystalline eye glowing with sickly energies, it permits the user to peer into the psyches of nearby targets, allowing her to view traumatic events in their pasts, their presents, and even events they fear may come to pass in their futures, so as to better mold suitable nightmares for them.
Ally- Mia Cooper (Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth) See attached character sheet.
Interdimensional Home- Ostensibly a small place where Connie can relax and recuperate, unbothered by the usual unpleasantness of her unusually unpleasant life, in actuality, since this space was created by the powers of the Lord of Nightmares, it is far too terrifying for someone like Connie. Thus, it is seldom visited.
Note- Nothing present there can actually harm her (she IS the Empress of Nightmares, after all), but since she's such a scaredy-cat, she simply can't handle being surrounded by so many creepy things in such a confined space.
Patron: The Lord of Nightmares (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- The Lord of Nightmares is the embodiment of Connie’s specialization and is only too willing to aid her in getting the most out of it. Her magic flows easily, and, with her patron’s guidance, she has the potential to wield her element with great efficiency. Spells cost her less mana.
Mental Link- Some Lesser Forces know spells or have abilities to communicate in subtle ways. The Lord of Nightmares is one of them. It can always communicate with Connie, at any time. This may not always constitute a benefit (Connie certainly hates it…), but means that she won’t be caught off guard if it discovers new information, and it is able to notify her if it requires her assistance immediately.
Hidden Death- As it is linked to a universal constant, if the Lord of Nightmares is somehow killed, it will come back in time. Connie won’t be called on to fight in heavy combat to defend it, instead her task will be to ensure it will return.
Mana Font- The Lord of Nightmares is capable of channeling massive quantities of energy to its chosen champion. As such, Connie has more mana than normal.
Mystic Might- The Lord of Nightmares has drastically improved Connie’s mystic abilities.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- The Lord of Nightmares does not think in ways that make sense to a human mind. It has little to no understanding of the human experience. While it desires Connie’s well being it does not understand why she find its requests objectionable, and will not always know how to help her.
Formless- Since its essence is contained within the Mask of the Endless Nightmare, the Lord of Nightmares has no physical body. It cannot speak to Connie without employing its Mental Link with her, indicate things via pointing, or affect things directly without her aid.
Rival Force- Sweet Dreams are the antithesis of the Lord of Nightmares. Thus, it holds great animosity towards any beings who promote/are empowered by them. For her part, Connie will have to defend her patron often, and will likely be called on to make attacks on the agents of this rival.
Clueless- The Lord of Nightmares doesn’t know how other magic, monsters, or mystic phenomena in general work. It can’t offer Connie any meaningful advice on these topics.
Fighting Style:
Connie has been fortunate enough to have avoided any battles so far, but since she has only been a magical girl for a few weeks, it seems only a matter of time before that changes. In preparation for this, Mia has worked with her to come up with an effective way to defend herself. This mainly involves using her “nightmare bubble” to amplify the fear hallucinations produced by her opponents into tangible threats for them to face, allowing the conjured horrors to overwhelm her foes with sheer weight of numbers. Her tentacles can also assist in this regard.
A gentle, kind, shy, girl who is easily frightened/embarrassed. She dearly loves her best friend Mia and is incredibly grateful to her for standing by her through so much adversity, although deep down, Connie hates the fact that she's been such a burden to her friend. Connie would really like to have more friends, but years of constant bullying have left her very nervous around other people.
Despite appearances, her personality stays exactly the same in her magical girl form, something those who've encountered her find quite inconguous.
History:
Connie never knew her parents. For as long as she can remember, she has lived in the Penrose Orphanage, bereft (with one notable exception) of family or friends. Often teased mercilessly by the other children because of her fragile and easily frightened nature, "Cowardly Connie the Crybaby" had only one small respite from this torment in the form of her best friend, and fellow orphan, Mia Cooper. Mia was always swift to jump to her defense, and provided poor Connie a much-needed source of care and encouragement in her otherwise bleak and miserable life. But Mia wasn't always around, and it was on one of these occasions that a group of Connie's most vicious tormentors decided to play their cruelest trick yet.
Dragging her to the orphanage's cellar, they shoved her inside and locked the door. Connie was completely terrified, but despite her sobs and desperate pleas, the door remained firmly secured against her escape. Beginning to hyperventilate, she franticly began searching for some other way out of the nightmare she found herself in. It was then that she saw it, an eerie glow emanating from the farthest depths of the cellar's suffocating confines. Hesitantly approaching it, she soon discovered that its source was an old mask. Being particularly terrified of them, she gave a shriek and fell over backwards, but before she could attempt to crawl away, a deep and sinister voice sounded within her mind. It announced itself as the Lord of Nightmares, and since she had discovered the mask within which its essence resided, she would be its new champion. Connie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She tried to protest, but before she could get out more than a feeble whimper, the mask launched itself at her face, and upon clamping tight upon it, flooded the pitiful girl with unimaginable quantities of dark power. Mere moments later, the horrifying transformation was complete. The shrinking violet Connie was no more, in her place stood the imposing Empress of Nightmares.
Connie's tormentors were in the midst of laughing at their pathetic victim's plight, when the Empress appeared before them. Not uttering a word, she spread her arms wide and unleashed a torrent of horrors dredged up from the darkest recesses of their minds. Once they had all been reduced to quivering cationic wrecks the Empress departed. While it seemed as if a wicked tyrant had been unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, nothing could have been further from the case. Even as the Empress of Nightmares, Connie was still the same timid girl she had always been. Utterly horrified by what had happened to her (and by what she had inadvertently done to the bullies), she went to the one place she felt safe- the room she shared with Mia. The room was empty, so she waited. When her roommate returned, she was initially taken aback by what her friend had become, but after quelling her shock, she gently helped Connie to get her bearings. It didn’t hurt that Mia herself was also secretly a magical girl and had been one for several years, a fact she now revealed to Connie. After telling her friend all she knew about life as a magical girl, and helping her change back to normal, Mia worked with Connie to develop a plan for navigating this new phase of her life.
We’ll see how it goes…
Incantation:
From the pitch black obsidian depths of your feverish and tormented minds I come! Phobias and lamentations are my gifts to all! Let your hands claw at your eyes and your wails deafen the multitudes! Tremble O World, for the Empress of Nightmares is upon you!
Note- This is said in a deep, imperious voice, with notably sensual undertones, as though she is clearly reveling in the power coursing through her. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, this incantation is spoken completely unwillingly on Connie’s part. She can’t help herself. She simply HAS to say it at the culmination of every transformation, whether she wants to or not, and she REALLY doesn’t want to. It creeps her the hell out.
Additional Info:
Connie is an aspiring artist who likes to paint pictures of cute and happy things, although lately, her powers make these paintings turn out somewhat creepier than she intended, much to her disappointment. She also likes cute stuffed animals and frequently cuddles with her small collection when she's feeling particularly depressed/frightened (which is sadly quite often). Oh, and she is also incredibly clumsy.
As one might suspect, Connie absolutely HATES being the Empress of Nightmares. Even when transformed, she prefers to go by her real name, that is, if she chooses to socialize with anyone at all (she's painfully shy). Of particular note, she is extremely terrified of masks, and since she wears a mask in her magical girl form, one of the weaknesses she’s trying (and failing) to overcome is being confronted with her own reflection (the first time she saw herself as the Empress, she nearly gave herself a heart attack).
Tyrannical and demanding, the Lord of Nightmares is single-minded in its pursuit of eternally increasing the quantity and strength of intelligent beings’ nightmares. In this way, it is less of a thinking being and more of an elemental force.
History:
Not much is known about the Lord of Nightmares. It reveals its history to no one, not even its chosen champion, although, admittedly, Connie has never dared to ask it.
Resources:
Although staggeringly powerful in its focused area, the Lord of Nightmares’ resources are virtually non-existent. Despite what one would think regarding such a being, the Lord of Nightmares has no army of monsters or web of agents (other than Connie), and has very little presence in, or effect on, the world outside the realm of nightmares. On the other hand, since every creature has dreams, and thus nightmares as well, this has the potential to be a very mighty realm indeed.
Goals:
Give crippling nightmares to multiple (over twenty, at once) mundanes: Low?
Give crippling nightmares to a magical/dark magical/monster girl: Medium?
Give crippling nightmares to multiple magical/dark magical/monster girls: High?
Additional Info:
Bonded to the Mask of the Endless Nightmare, the Lord of Nightmares manifests itself to Connie as an inky black wraith-like being. Its form is amorphous and constantly shifting, but sometimes, on particularly unpleasant (and thankfully quite rare) occasions, Connie has seen what appears to be a face emerge from the darkness. What that visage depicts only Connie knows, but since it takes several hours of Gaia’s comfort to even begin to calm her, it’s probably best if we don’t find out.
Name: Mia Cooper (Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth)
Age (Magical Girl): 15
Age (Before Magical Girl): 14
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Mia has an average body type for her age, and as Gaia, wears an extremely skimpy outfit, usually consisting of little more than a skimpy bikini made of leaves and vines. On certain occasions, she might also wear a verdant flowing silky robe, but it is so thin, and it clings to her body to such a degree, that it still leaves very little to the imagination.
Specialization: Wood
Weapon: Nature’s Blossom (Mystic/Ranged)-
This is a green staff wrapped in leafy vines and small flowers. The leaves grow larger the closer they are to the top of the staff. It is here that a large multicolored flower blooms. Nature’s Blossom not only aids in focusing Gaia’s mystical power, but also serves as a ranged weapon, capable of shooting emerald beams of potent magical energy.
Power: Nature’s Fury (Barrage)-
Gaia can put out a staggering volume of offensive magical power. This mostly takes the form of swirling whirlwinds and surging torrents of vines, branches, and tendril-like beams of pure life energy. She can even cause roots and vines to shoot up from underneath her foes as well, assailing them from all angles.
Perks:
Dual Weapon- As noted above, Nature’s Blossom is a Mystic Weapon whose power is so great, that its normally weak magical beam is amplified into something far more impressive.
Enhanced Weapon- Nature’s Blossom is an extraordinarily powerful nexus of natural life energies. It is Mother Earth’s generous gift to her daughter, and it is Gaia’s great honor to wield it.
Purification Artifact- The Orb of Spring is a verdant, flower covered sphere that greatly amplifies Gaia’s already prodigious ability to purify an area of both pollution and unnatural entities. While it can keep an area clear of monsters, Gaia still needs to charge it and it only works in a fixed radius around the Orb itself. It also doesn't force monsters to leave an area they are already in, but it will make them uncomfortable and they’ll likely want to leave.
Patron: Mother Earth (Deity)
Patron Benefits:
Blessing- Gaia is capable of bestowing Mother Earth’s blessing on a person or place. This requires a special rite, but will have subtle but real effects, like purifying air and water, as well as promoting thriving and abundant plant life. In particular, this blessing is capable of Cleansing a person or place of unnatural energies, as described in the MG Rulings DOC, as well as Purifying an area of unatrural energies, in much the same way as a Purification Artifact. The effects of this second ability become even more pronounced when channeled through Gaia's own Purification Artifact, The Orb of Spring.
Divine Competence- Gaia is competent in several areas of skill and study associated with the natural world, especially plant life. This is no substitute for proper training and experience, but even in her untransformed state, she can be expected to manage without complete failure.
Mana Font- Mother Earth is capable of channeling massive quantities of energy to her chosen champion. As such, Gaia has more mana than normal.
Mystic Might- Mother Earth has drastically improved Gaia’s mystic abilities. She is truly a force of nature.
Gifted Item- Mother Earth has gifted her daughter with The Orb of Spring, a powerful Purification Artifact, described above.
Patron Drawbacks:
Rites- Gaia is the daughter of Mother Earth, thus there are rituals that she is expected to observe. Some are relatively easy, like tending a garden. Others require her to do things rather bizarre for modern society, like performing somewhat suggestive fertility dances.
Arrogance- While Gaia is undeniably precious to her, Mother Earth does regrettably tend towards arrogance. She frequently overestimates what her daughter is capable of and dismisses what her enemies are capable of. The demands she makes of her daughter may not actually be achievable for Gaia on her own, or even with help.
Big Brother (Overbearing Mother)- Mother Earth will often poke her nose into her daughter’s personal life, and be constantly checking up on her and observing.
Clueless- Mother Earth doesn’t know how other magic, monsters, or mystic phenomena in general work. She can’t offer Gaia any meaningful advice on these topics.
Fighting Style:
When Gaia needs to engage in combat, she employs every aspect of the natural world around her. From the tiniest blade of grass to the mightiest tree, all come to her aid in battle. Using her considerable command over plant life, Gaia can mold these allies into fearsome monstrosities. Coupled with magical blasts from Nature’s Blossom and barrages of branches, roots, and vines, the Daughter of Mother Earth can easily make short work of her would-be opponents.
A brash, short-tempered tomboy, who always seems to be getting into trouble. Tough, abrasive, and holding a low opinion of pretty much everyone (and authority figures in particular), Mia usually isn’t a very pleasant person to be around. Her one soft spot is for her best friend, and fellow orphan, Connie Williams. She cares for her deeply, always offering talk with her about any and all of her myriad problems, and fully prepared to help her in any way she can.
When she becomes Gaia, her personality drastically changes. Gone is the flippant, tough talking tomboy, replaced by a serene, refined, elegant and unfailingly polite nymph-like demigoddess. She speaks calmly in this form, her voice sounding like a blissful sigh. As Gaia, it takes a lot to truly anger her, but if this is accomplished, her roars of displeasure have been known to take on the tone of a raging hurricane. Also, her affection for Connie is massively increased in this form, and she often cuddles with her friend, caressing her, giving her frequent hugs, gently stroking her hair, and even providing full body massages to help her relax.
Note that this affection is purely platonic. She thinks of Connie as a sister, not as a romantic interest.
History:
An orphan, like Connie, Mia has known the former ever since they were little kids. Seeing how frequently bullied her friend was, Mia was always quick to leap to Connie’s defense, serving as her protector and the orphanage’s most feared bully hunter. Several years ago, while in the midst of a particularly vivid dream, she was visited by a being claiming herself to be Mother Earth. This being warmly informed Mia that she was the chosen recipient of her power, and that she would not only become her champion, but her daughter as well. Now, one might think an orphan would leap at the opportunity to have a kind and loving mother, but not Mia. She basically told the absurdly powerful goddess to go screw herself. Mother Earth, however, would not take “no” for an answer. Heedless of Mia’s increasingly stronger worded protests, the goddess flooded the unwilling girl with every ounce of her staggering power. When she had finished, Mia had been utterly transformed into the embodiment of nature’s power and beauty. The mouthy tomboy was no more. In her place was an otherworldly beautiful demigoddess, Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth.
Although Mia hated being Gaia, she didn’t really have much choice in the matter and so grudgingly resigned herself to her fate, performing her missions for Mother Earth, while still trying to maintain some semblance of her former life. This continued for several years, until one fateful day, when she discovered that her best friend had also found herself in a similar predicament. Now, Mia helps Connie to acclimate to life as a magical girl as best she can.
Incantation:
Nature’s beauty! Nature’s grace! Nature’s power! Behold! I am Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth!
Additional Info:
Mia hates everything about being a magical girl and is greatly embarrassed by her magical girl persona (especially the outfit, or lack thereof). Or at least she used to hate everything about it. Now she is somewhat thankful she ended up becoming Gaia, as it allows her to keep watch over Connie. She still gets really embarrassed when she turns into Gaia, though. She also despises Mother Earth, seeing her as highly annoying and controlling.
As Gaia, Mia absolutely loves Mother Earth, carrying out her wishes without question and eagerly striving to be the best daughter she can be. In this form she is not at all embarrassed by her skimpy outfit, viewing it as an opportunity to show the beauty of Mother Earth to all who gaze upon her. Also, as Gaia, Mia never goes by her civilian name, for various reasons. Even if the individual addressing her knows her civilian identity, she insists that they refer to her as Gaia, or sometimes even “Lady” Gaia. The only exception to this is (unsurprisingly) Connie, who she allows to call her Mia for old times sake (and because she often simply forgets Mia’s magical girl name in the first place).
Magical Coins:
Rave Event: 1 Gold, 2 Silver
Bonus Coins for Completed Patron Goals during said event: 6 Silver
Kind, loving, warm and generous, but in an overbearing, smothering, highly controlling way. Mother knows what’s best and others will simply have to endure it, whether they like it or not.
History:
Apparently the sentient consciousness of Earth itself, she is the personification and protector of the natural world. Due to reasons too complex to note here, she is unable to exercise the totality of her vast power herself, but must instead imbue a chosen young woman with her massive mystical might. This “Daughter of Mother Earth” then acts as her agent, carrying out her bidding in the world.
Goals:
Cleanse/Preserve the natural world from mundane pollution: Low?
Cleanse/Preserve the natural world from magical pollution/corruption: Medium?
Mother Earth’s resources are as vast as the Earth itself. All of nature is hers to rule and command, and this authority now extends to Gaia as well. Of course, with pollution, deforestation, and various other environmental ills at an all time high, Mother Earth’s powers are not nearly as strong as they once were. Nevertheless, they are still not to be taken lightly.
Additional Info:
Mother Earth is quite pleased that her daughter has decided to take her friend Connie under her branches, so to speak. She is a goddess who seeks to nurture growth, after all, and what better growth to nurture than the potential of a dear friend?
Hmmm... This nightmare business of Father's is quite the perplexing conundrum. How to proceed?
Wowies~! Like, OMG~! Look how super duper cute I am~! (giggle!)
Specialization: Oddball (Sweet Dreams)
Has the power to give people sweet dreams, as well as increase said dreams' strength and realism in order to inspire/comfort the dreamer and help them overcome nightmares. In a way, she can conjure up illusions and hallucinations for people in the waking world, but they are (normally) nowhere near as strong as those created by someone with the Illusion power set. They essentially tap into the hopes and, well, dreams already present in the individual and make them real. Violet has very little (if any) control over what form they take or what they do after being created, which can sometimes be a problem, since if they are tied to/powered by strong enough hopes, the illusions can have a tangible effect on the physical world, although, bering fueled by positive emotions, the effects are never all that bad (in this way, they act rather like spirits as described by the Spirit specialization). Finally, in times of danger, Violet can surround herself with something resembling a pocket dimension, somewhat akin to a witch's barrier from Madoka (a "Dream Barrier", if you will), albeit nowhere near as powerful. It simply amplifies her Sweet Dream aura and the strength of her illusions in its small area of effect.
Weapon: The Wand of Sweetest Dreams (Mystic/Ranged)
This incredibly cute and sparkly wand greatly amplifies Violet's already impressive mystical abilities. It can also fire powerful blasts of raw dream energy over a not inconsiderable distance.
Power: Deluge of Cuteness (Barrage)
In times of great danger, Violet can go all-out with her dream magic, expelling it in a mighty barrage of swirling, sparkling energy and a dizzying array of cute and whimsical objects and creatures. It is quite overwhelming, but Violet is left nearly exhausted afterwards. Or, as she likes to say "Magical Dream Princess needs a nappy time..."
Perks:
Wealth and Resources- As heiress to a multi-billion dollar megacorporation, Violet has no lack of wealth or resources. Whatever she requests, her doting father quickly lavishes upon her. Thus, she effectively has access to all of Covington Industries' advanced (including experimental) technology and highly trained personnel. Although, with her recent investigation into supernatural concerns, she must be careful on how she phrases these requests. After all, she won't make any progress from inside a padded room. Note- Only usable when untransformed.
Enhanced Weapon- The Wand of Sweetest Dreams is an extraordinarily powerful nexus of dream energies, imbued with all the reality shattering power of The Soverine of Sweet Dreams. As such, it provides a greatly amplified level of power to its wielder.
Dual Weapon- As noted above, The Wand of Sweetest Dreams is a Mystic Weapon whose power is so great, that its normally weak magical beam is amplified into something far more impressive.
Power Artifact- The Sphere of Happy Thoughts is a shimmering crystal pendant Violet wears around her neck. If strong enough hopes and dreams are detected, it will empower Violet's illusions enough to solidify them into tangible entities. Violet loves the pendent, because she thinks it's the "super duper prettiest~!" She also likes how it draws attention to her chest...
Natural Aging- One of Violet's dreams is to be able to succeed her father as both head of the Covington family and CEO of Covington Industries. To permit her to do this even as a magical girl, Violet has been given the ability to continue aging like a normal human. Of course, when she is in her magical girl form she will always be a vivacious sixteen year old. After all, no one wants to see an old woman magical girl (or maybe they do, but Violet sure doesn't want to be one).
Money- As heiress to a multi-billion dollar megacorporation, Violet has no lack of wealth or resources. Still, she has always sercretly wished to have her own source of income, separate from what her father lavishes upon her. Income she can use for her own secret endeavors that would be untraceable to him or to Covington Industries. Upon becoming a magical girl, this wish has been granted. Thus, Violet now has access to $3000 USD every month. The money is deposited into a secret bank account and adjusts for inflation.
Patron: The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams is the embodiment of Violet's specialization and is only too willing to aid her in getting the most out of it. Her magic flows easily, and, with her patron’s guidance, she has the potential to wield her element with great efficiency. Spells cost her less mana.
Mental Link- Some Lesser Forces know spells or have abilities to communicate in subtle ways. The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams is one of them. As long as Violet posseses The Dreamscape Almanac, it can communicate with her at any time. This may not always constitute a benefit (Violet is rather ambivalent about it), but means that she won’t be caught off guard if it discovers new information, and it is able to notify her if it requires her assistance immediately.
Hidden Death- As it is linked to a universal constant, if the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams is somehow killed, it will come back in time. Violet won’t be called on to fight in heavy combat to defend it, instead her task will be to ensure it will return.
Mystic Might- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams has drastically improved Violet's mystic abilities.
Manna Font- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams is capable of channeling massive quantities of energy to its chosen champion. As such, Violet has more mana than normal.
Patron Drawbacks:
Clueless- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams doesn’t know how other magic, monsters, or mystic phenomena in general work. It can’t offer Violet any meaningful advice on these topics.
Rival Force- Nightmares are the antithesis of the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams. Thus, it holds great animosity towards any beings who promote/are empowered by them. For her part, Violet will have to defend her patron often, and will likely be called on to make attacks on the agents of this rival.
Alien Mind- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams does not think in ways that make sense to a human mind. It has little to no understanding of the human experience. While it desires Violet's well being it does not understand why she might find some of its requests objectionable, and will not always know how to help her.
Formless- The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams has no physical body. It cannot speak to Violet without employing its Mental Link with her, indicate things via pointing, or affect things directly without her aid.
Fighting Style:
When she needs to fight "meanie nightmares" and the beings who cause them, Magical Dream Princess primarily relies on the might of her magic to win the day. A mystic powerhouse, she can craft all kinds of dream constructs to suit any situation. She usually lets these do the bulk of the fighting, while she backs them up with blasts from her wand. If her enemies get too close, she will form her dream barrier around herself, within which her dream manifestations are even more powerful. Finally, in times of last resort, Magical Dream Princess can let loose a massive barrage of raw dream energy, but such an enormous expulsion of power is very draining for her, leaving her exhausted and vulnerable.
Stats (Transformed): These start at 4. STR: 4 AGI: 9 VIT: 4 MAG: 19 LCK: 8
Personality:
Violet is Calm, Cool, and Refined. She is always perfectly poised, always in control of her emotions and actions, as is expected of the daughter and heiress of Thane Covington. She is very smart and calculating, deeply invested in fully preparing for her future role as CEO of Covington Industries, and Head of the Covington Family. Incredibly mature, she has no time for games or other childish foolishness. She often comes across as haughty and arrogent, but she likes to think of herself as simply confident in her own abilities, and mindful of the respect she sould be afforded due to her high station.
In her Magical Girl form, however, Violet's personality changes completely. She becomes incredibly childish and ditzy, acting like a sickeningly sweet valley girl. Staggeringly bubbly and hyper, she goes from being rigidly focused to having the worst case of ADHD imaginable. She finds it almost impossible to concentrate, never thinks before she speaks, and often forgets things mid sentence. Even her voice changes from her usual deep and mature tone to a high-pitched girly one. She also often speaks in the third person in this form. Her usual seriousness is replaced by an upbeat, carefree, and extraordinarily playful attitude. When she's in this form, she just wants to have fun and it's almost impossible to get her to take anything seriously (her father's wellbeing is a notable exception to this).
History:
Violet is the Daughter of Thane Covington, CEO of Covington Industries, a powerful corporation involved in a myriad of pollutive industries (pollutive not only in the sense that they damage the natural world, but also in the negative effect they have on quality of life/international relations. In particular, since they manufacture a LOT of weapons they are always on the lookout for ways to increase the market for them). In her efforts to help Connie make the best use of her powers, Gaia had her plague the elder Covington with horrific nightmares about the results of his environmental destruction. Seeing her father continually plagued by the nightmares to the point of insomnia, Violet sought out ways for dealing with the unusualy vivid and persistant nightmares. Possessing an abundance of resources as a wealthy heiress (including a recent deal with The Ebon Mint), she soon found what she was looking for-The Dreamscape Almanac, an ancient tome, said to contain the secrets of dream magic. Tasking a pair of Mint agents to retrieve the book from Mariette Pedersen, the ancient tome was soon delivered into her possesion (although not soon enough for Violet's liking). Opening the book, she was amazed to discover that its pages held the power to communicate with a powerful mystical being, trapped within its pages. This "Sovereign of Sweet Dreams", as it called itself, informed the heiress that it could imbue her with the power to help her father, if she would only agree to become its new champion. After some intense deliberation, Violet agreed to the being's terms and was flooded with powerful energies, until she had been utterly trasformed. Gone was the haughty, refined heiress. In her place was the bubbly, hyperactive, and incredibly ditzy Super Cute Pretty Pretty Magical Dream Princess. Happily thanking her Patron for her new abilities, Violet set out to "Save Daddy from those meanie nightmares~!"
She has a lot of work to do...
Incantation: "Hearts, Candy, Sparkles, and Balloons~! Sunshine, Glitter, Unicorns, and Rainbows~! Taaa daaa~! Magical Girl Super Cute Pretty Pretty Magical Dream Princess is here~! (giggle!)"
Additional Info:
Violet has always been aware of the mystical nature of the world. She can "peer behind the veil" and perceive supernatural occurrences where others would just see some mundane analogue.
She also has a photographic memory, although only when untransformed. As Magical Dream Princess, her memory can sometimes be compared to that of a goldfish...
One might think that Violet would be completely embarrased by her magical girl persona, but they would be wrong. In reality, Violet absoultely LOVES being Magical Dream Princess, since it lets her finally be free to express all the parts of herself she had been forced to keep hidden all her life. It's the ultimate form of stress relief for such an uptight and emotionally repressed girl, and she is loving every minute of it!
*** 1 Silver was also used to change her power from Regeneration to Barrage ***
Type: Lesser Force
Name: The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams
Personality:
Fun-loving and carefree, the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams is nevertheless single-minded in its pursuit of eternally increasing the quantity and strength of intelligent beings’ sweet dreams. In this way, it is less of a thinking being and more of an elemental force.
History:
Not much is known about the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams. It claims to have no knowlege of its past. It has simply existed, and will continue to exist, as long as people continue to have sweet dreams.
Resources:
Although staggeringly powerful in its focused area, the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams' resources are virtually non-existent. Despite what one would think regarding such a being, the Sovereign of Sweet Dreams has no army of cutesy creatures or network of agents (other than Violet), and has very little presence in, or effect on, the world outside the realm of dreams. On the other hand, since every creature has dreams, this has the potential to be a very mighty realm indeed.
Goals:
Give sweet dreams/banish nighmares to/from multiple (over twenty, at once) mundanes: Low?
Give sweet dreams/banish nighmares to/from a magical/dark magical/monster girl: Medium?
Give sweet dreams/banish nighmares to/from multiple magical/dark magical/monster girls: High?
Additional Info:
The Sovereign of Sweet Dreams manifests itself to Violet as a coulorful mixture of whimsical creatures and objects. Sometimes it is a unicorn rainbow with butterfly wings. At other times, it might resemble a cupcake with cat ears and a tail. Regardless, it is always something sickeningly cute.
It should also be noted that, although Violet freed it from many of its shackles, the Sovereign is still bound to The Dreamscape Almanac. If Violet were to lose possesion of the book, the Sovereign could potentially be sealed away once more. If this happens, Violet would completely lose all her magical power, until such time as the Sovereign could be freed once more.
Non-Combat NPCs/Inactive/No Longer Residing in Penrose
These characters visited Penrose to attend Vi-Chan's rave. They have all since returned to their home cities.
Click on the hiders to learn more about each one!
Name: Angela Rei Sakatori (The Angel of Hope)
Age (Magical Girl): 16
Age (Before Magical Girl): 16
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
She is Overdeveloped and wears a Skimpy outfit.
Specialization: Reinforcement
Angela chose this because she's always been one to think ouside the box. Not only did she see how it would give her stat boosts in more categories than any other Spec, but she was also aware of how creative individuals (like herself) could use the Spec to boost her own capablites even further as well as to create weapons and armor to help her attack enemies directly. Of course, as the Angel of Hope, she uses her Spec in a more traditional, if still overpowered, way. Chiichuu likes this choice because it means his operative will need to work with other magical girls in order to be most effective, thus granting him the opportunity to attempt to recruit them.
Weapon: The Celestial Staff of Radiant Empowerment (Mystic)
Angela wanted to be a magical powerhouse, so she chose a Mystic Weapon. She had hoped it would be a dark and edgy scepter, but she got this instead. It has no offensive ablities whatsoever, but it does greatly enhance her magical power (for purely defensive spells, of course).
Power: Third Eye
She has the Sight, allowing her to see the flows and after effects of magic. Her sense of magic is extremely precise - she can pierce illusions, trace the effects of faded rituals, or know the type of magic being used at a glance. Most helpfully, her highly attuned magic sense allows her to predict incoming spells. If she is quick enough (which she almost always is), this can let her dodge attacks or counter them with her own. She can also easily tell when an Overcity entrance is nearby, though it will take her some time to determine exactly how to activate it. This works even out of costume.
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- Angela figured the best magical girl should have the best weapon, and so the Celestial Staff of Radiant Empowerment has been enhanced to it's fullest potential.
Enhanced Outfit- Same goes for her outfit. It provides even an even greater boost to her agility than it would normally.
Enhanced Sustenance- Angela mainly chose this so she could stay up all night to play video games. Being able to go on longer missions was a cool side benefit, and not needing air to breath was always nice, too.
Wings- Angela was initially planning on a demoness aesthetic, so wings were a necessity. Unfortunately for her, they came out a lot more angelic in appearance than she was hoping for.
Gifted- An obvious choice. Her barriers are stronger than normal and she can create more of them. She can also heal others much faster than normal and her healing and augmentation abilites can affect multiple people at once.
Patron: Chiichuu (Puchuu)
Patron Benefits:
Job Satisfaction- This manifests itself as far more than a simple joy in defeating monsters. Rather, Angela's entire attitude and outlook is drastically altered. Upon transforming, she goes from a selfish, obnoxious brat to someone who is utterly selfless, humble, and heroic. Angela is not a particularly large fan of this, although she does enjoy the feeling of rapturous bliss she receives when she completes her objectives.
Chatty- Chiichuu is quite the amiable little fellow, at least most of the time. He will happily tell Angela all sorts of tales about magical realms and treasures, but his own personal history, and especially the events leading to the death of his old team, are completely off limits. Also, the tales he loves to tell are often complete bullshit. They're simply ways to motivate Angela to go to the places and do the things he wants her to.
Mystic Might- As she's currently his only magical operative, Chiichuu wanted to make Angela the best magical girl she could be, so he greatly increased her already substantial mystical abilities.
Manna Font- In the same way, he has also granted her an increased supply of mana.
Patron Drawbacks:
Cagey- While certainly talkative, there are some topics Chiichuu will simply not discuss under any circumstances. In addition, much of what he says often fails to convey the full picture of a situation. Other times, his "information" is just complete bullshit.
Expendable- While she's currently Chiichuu's only agent, the furry creature still sees Angela as expendable, especially if there's an opportunity to contract with a new, and more fitting girl. As far as Chiichuu is concerned, Angela is little more than a placeholder until he can put together a proper team once more. For her part, Angela is so full of herself that she has a hard time believing any opponet would be too much for her to handle, and as the Angel of Hope, she is only too willing to give up her life for the sake of others.
Big Brother- Chiichuu was once the supervisor of a very active squad of girls, and he expects the same level of activity and traing from Angela. He's often close by, advising her, admonishing her for her poor attitued and mistakes, and pressuring her to perform more training and go on more missions.
Fighting Style: She's a Reinforcement Specialist. Thus, she mainly assumes a support role, healing her allies, enhancing their abilities and providing barriers to shield them from even the strongest attacks. If Angela had her way, she would use her Spec to boost her own combat abilities and create weapons and armor for herself, but as the Angel of Hope, she finds herself utterly incapable of performing any offensive or aggressive actions whatsoever, refusing to directly harm even the most threatening of monsters.
Normal- Loud, obnoxious, full of herself. Thinks that she is the greatest magical girl ever, and loves to tell people that fact, whether they want to hear it or not. An avid video gamer, she treats being a magical girl like a game and constantly brags about her exploits on chatrooms like Glimmer.
Transformed- Kind, motherly, modest, and humble, she is always trying to help others as best as she can and constantly offering words of encouragement. She will happily offer advice but is reluctant to take charge of a sitiuation, prefering a supportive role. She has the appearance, attitude, and demenor of a guardian angel. Despite her power and experience, she is highly submissive around others, referring to herself as "your humble servant" and obeying nearly every command issued to her.
History:
Not much is known about her. She appears before other magical girls when things are at their worst and does her best to protect her new allies (as well as any civilians, of course) and turn the tide of battle in their favor. After victory has been attained she disappears as mysteriously as she arrived.
Although she constantly fills the chatrooms and message boards of Glimmer with her loud boasts and obnoxious self-aggrandizement, no one really seems to know too much about her. In fact, it seems that no one has ever even seen her in person, and many believe that she isn't even a magical girl at all. Not that such accusations really bother her. Despite the low opinion everyone else seems to have of her, she keeps on telling all who will listen how much better she is than them, and how lucky they are that she decided to grace their humble chatroom with her illustrious presence.
Our story really begins a few years ago, in the prosperous city of Hydrangopolis on the west coast of the United States. A major hub of biotech research, the city was on the cutting edge of advances in environmental restoration and genetic engineering. One corporation in particular, Eden Enterprises, was on the cusp of its greatest breakthrough yet, the development of a true panacea, a cure for every ailment known to humanity. Naturally, they kept the project under a veil of the strictest secrecy, but despite all their precautions, someone, or rather, something did take notice. And it was not at all pleased by what it saw. The eldritch entity known only as The Blight could not allow such a creation to come into existence, and so it took drastic steps to prevent this.
An army of its monstrous minions descended upon Hydrangopolis, and the Eden Enterprises research complex, in particular, causing untold destruction. Every magical girl and heroic magical being in the area rushed to the city’s defense. Some of these defenders came from even farther afield, including Gaia, who helped defeat an infernal behemoth in the process of igniting the volcano within nearby Mount Folkelin. However, this was but a prelude of what was to come. Just as the monster threat seemed to be under control, The Blight itself made its grand appearance. None could stand against its power, and all seemed lost, but then, like a ray of purest sunlight, a squad of the city’s greatest magical girls charged forth to deliver a final, desperate, last-ditch attack. Every last ounce of the quartet’s power was put into that single combined strike, and even then, it almost wasn’t enough.
Almost.
Ultimately, The Blight was annihilated for all time, but, sadly, so were the ones who had slain it. Not even dust remained. It was as if every trace of them had ceased to exist. No one, magical or mundane, even remembered their names. No one, except for Chiichuu. The girls’ Puchuu had watched with both sorrow and admiration as his charges had performed their heroic sacrifice. They had been his best, the best he had ever known in all the long millennia of his life. And now they were gone. Now, as the city of Hydrangopolis began the long, slow process of recovery, so would he. He knew he would never find anyone as capable as his former team, but there had to be a worthy candidate somewhere amongst the surviving inhabitants of the city, and so he began his search…
Unfortunately, after days of looking, he had come up empty-handed. It appeared as though every potential candidate had already been claimed by one Patron or another in a mad dash to replace their fallen champions. Chiichuu, being the calm and methodical creature that he was, had simply been too slow. Now all that were left to him were the dregs, people completely unsuited to the role of magical protector. One such person was a teenage girl named Angela. At the end of his proverbial rope, Chiichuu had decided to test out the admittedly dubious idea that an exceptional video game player might also make for at least a decent magical warrior, and so, he had researched the various leader boards to see if any locals were in the top spots. To his surprise, someone was, and on multiple games as well. Angela Rei Sakatori.
Traveling to her house, he was disappointed to discover a mouthy, self-obsessed brat, who only seemed to care about stroking her own hyper-inflated ego. She was a far cry from the members of his previous squad that was for sure… Still, he could work with this. Since she was so interested in being the best, he told her that she could become the best magical girl. This, and the fact that she would have magical super powers, was quite appealing to someone like Angela, so she smugly accepted the furry creature’s offer. However, although she was told that she would have complete control over the transformation process, this was only true up to a point… While she would pick the options, he would choose how they were implemented.
For instance, while Angela wanted to appear like an ultra-edgy and super-sexy demoness/dominatrix, Chiichuu had something a bit more angelic in mind. And so it went. The biggest change would be the affect the transformation would have on her personality. Normally, the benefit of “Job Satisfaction” would simply make the recipient more amenable to their task of slaying monsters, but Chiichuu decided to go a bit further, giving Angela a complete change in outlook and behavior. The obnoxious and self-centered girl would now become someone far more selfless and heroic. When the transformation was complete, Angela, or rather the Angel of Hope, as she now called herself, still wasn’t a match for any of the Puchuu’s former champions, but she was close enough.
Staggeringly kind and submissive, the Angel of Hope profusely thanked “Master” Chiichuu for his “wondrous gift”, and immediately set out to help those in need. Naturally, when she returned and changed back into Angela, she was none too pleased by what the Puchuu had done to her. But there was no going back now, Chiichuu informed her. She was a magical girl, and that was that. Since then, the ever-competitive Angela has strived to be the best magical girl possible, despite the annoying problem of her massive attitude change when she enters her magical form. She constantly brags about and overinflates her exploits on every Glimmer chatroom and message board she can find, to the great displeasure of everyone who has misfortune of encountering her. Meanwhile, the Angel of Hope continues to be a mysterious savior to all those in need, whether mundane or magical, never seeking praise, but simply disappearing after the battle in her usual humble fashion.
Chiichuu, for his part, is still looking for prospective candidates to fill the three vacancies remaining in his team. Perhaps this visit to Penrose will provide the perfect opportunity to do so…
Incantation: "Radient power of the celestial heights, fill every fiber of my being! Remake my mortal shell into a fitting vessel for your splendor! To all those in despair, take heart and fear not! For I, the Angel of Hope, have arrived!"
Additional Info: Loves video games and is obsessed with being the best at them. Hates her magical girl persona, but tolerates it for the sake of having magical powers.
Magical Coins: N/A
Type: Puchuu
Name: Chiichuu
Personality:
Polite to those he feels deserving, otherwise he can be very snide, condescending and rude to those beneath his respect (especially those he considers to be failures).
History:
Having been in the business of supervising magical teams for several centuries, Chiichuu reached his pinnacle about a decade ago, when he recruited what was, in his humble opinion, the greatest squad of magical defenders in this, or any other universe. Those were glorious days indeed, but, sadly, they have faded into history. Now begins the time of Chichuu's decline, as other, more influetial powers eclipse his once mighty influence and prestige. Although... Maybe this trip to Penrose will provide an opportunity to gain some powerful recruits. After all, the city is practically overflowing with magicals, doubly so on the night of this "rave". Perhaps his dream of a return to glory may soon be attained.
Unfortunately for Chiichuu, Penrose is not the kind of place where dreams are born. Penrose is a city of nightmares...
Resources:
Once Ciichuu's resources were many and vast. Now they are few and greatly restricted. He currently has only one agent (Angela), although he is constantly on the look out to increase that number, and in a stroke of supernaturally bad luck, all of his former contacts, friends and associates cut off all ties and refuse to even chat with him. All very distressing... For his part, Chiichuu believes that The Blight cursed him in a final act of defiance just before his former squad vanquished the horror for all eternity.
Based on his current situation, it certainly seems that way...
This mighty, but still elegant, blade can also channel Scarlet’s Metal Spec magic, allowing her to easily modify it to suit any opponent with but a single thought.
Power: The Power of Friendship
Scarlet has always been a friendly and charismatic individual, something that has become even more pronounced now that she has become a magical girl. People are almost always willing to help her whenever she asks, and will eagerly agree with her suggestions and plans of action. She also seems to know just how to approach people to get them to respond in a friendly manner and be agreeable to her requests.
Perks:
Dual Weapon- Described above.
Martial Training- As part of Scarlet’s knight-themed magical persona, she has gained an extraordinary degree of knowledge regarding martial subjects, ranging from combat tactics to grand strategy.
Enhanced Outfit- Scarlet’s outfit has been enhanced to increase her mystical abilities even more than would normally be the case.
Mystic Artifact- Scarlet has been bestowed with the Ruby Amulet, an artifact that allows her brief glimpses into the past present, or future, relevant to the query she asks it.
Ally- Danica Davis (See below)
Patron: Zyloplex (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- As an embodiment of pure magical power, Zyloplex is capable of helping its agents to better focus and channel the energies of their magical specializations.
Mental Link- Pretty self-explanatory.
Physical Prowess- Intended to serve as a frontline combatant, Scarlet has been imbued with greatly increased physical attributes.
Mana Font- Although Scarlet in not a particularly powerful mage, Zyloplex has insured that she has an ample supply of mana. Thus, she is able to cast her minor spells long after her mana supply would have ordinarily run dry.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- This bizarre being is the very definition of what one would call alien. It has almost zero understanding of the human condition, and while it vaguely values the safety of its charges, it does not understand their feelings or objections on most matters.
Formless- Zyloplex manifests as an ever-shifting mass of prismatic tendrils, composed of pure mystical energy. This, combined with the fact that it exists in multiple dimensions and states of matter simultaneously, means that it cannot easily interact with the physical world.
Clueless- Zyloplex knows everything there is to know about magic. Everything else? Not so much… Even its vast mystic knowledge is fairly worthless. Since it speaks in utterly incomprehensible terms and mind-numbingly impenetrable metaphors, it is almost impossible to understand what it’s talking about.
Fighting Style:
Scarlet is primarily a melee combatant, using her immense strength to dispatch her foes and her impressive agility to dodge their blows. Although possessing only an average amount of mystical ability, it still serves to aid her by empowering her weapon and armor during particularly challenging combats. Her sword, The Scarlet Thorn, can often be seen changing shape in the midst of battle, and even morphing into different bladed weapons entirely. Meanwhile, when she has been forced on the defensive, Scarlet has been known to conjure additional plates of armor, and even an entire shield, with which to protect herself form her opponents’ attacks.
A kind, caring, and incredibly selfless individual, Scarlet is the embodiment of a hero. She exudes confidence and charisma, often taking charge of a situation not with arrogance and harsh commands, but with warmth and compassion. People are often only too happy to follow her, and she has proven herself to be a natural leader. Even so, she remains humble and modest, treating everyone with politeness and civility even in the most stressful of situations.
History:
Scarlet always wanted to help people in need, just like her favorite fictional heroes. Unfortunately for her, she was born without the use of her legs, and with a very poor constitution. Still, she did what she could, often helping out at local homeless shelters and soup kitchens, and reading to children at libraries and hospitals. One fateful day, as she was coming home from the library, she found herself in the middle of a battle between a local magical girl and a group of monsters. The magical girl didn’t seem to be doing very well, but Scarlet was at a loss as to what she could do to help. Just then, a voice echoed within her thoughts, promising her the power to save the injured girl. Accepting at once, Scarlet was transformed into a magical girl, Magical Knight Scarlet Valor!
Filled with magical power and her ever-present heroic sprit, Scarlet leapt into action and swiftly defeated the monsters. The wounded girl turned out to be another agent of the mysterious being who had transformed Scarlet herself, a being known as Zyloplex. The two of them, Zyloplex informed, would be working together to defeat the monsters assailing their city. A few months later, the duo became a trio, when a girl Scarlet knew from the homeless shelter was badly injured during a monster attack. Without any other way to help her, Scarlet begged Zyloplex to turn her into a magical girl as well. The bizarre being did so, and, seeing the need for a healer among its team, made her a reinforcement specialist.
Together, these three, very different, girls protect their home from all the monstrous threats that assail it. For her part, Scarlet couldn’t be happier, except for when Danica’s shameless flirting causes more problems than the monsters… Hopefully this visit to Penrose won’t be another one of those times…
Incantation: “Charging forth to defend the helpless! Magical Knight Scarlet Valor!”
Additional Info:
Scarlet loves reading superhero comics and magical girl manga, as well as watching magical girl anime. She feels no shame at this and will happily talk with fellow enthusiasts for hours about their favorite characters, scenes, and so on.
Magical Coins: N/A
Name: Danica Davis (Mystical Dancer Danica)
Age (Magical Girl): 13
Age (Before Magical Girl): 13
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Specialization: Reinforcement
Weapon: The Rings of Saraswatella (Mystic/Ranged)
These five bejeweled rings serve as a focus for Danica’s mystical powers. In addition, they can also fire a potent beam of magical energy at any foes that dare to get too close. They also serve to make Danica look even more fabulous, but that should go without saying.
Power: Regeneration
Perks:
Dual Weapon- As described above, The Rings of Saraswatella have the attributes of both a Mystic and Ranged weapon.
Enhanced Weapon- The Rings of Saraswatella store within their gleaming gemstones all the power and skill of thousands of mystical dancers from ages long past. As such, they bestow an enhanced level of magical aptitude upon Danica, the latest mystical dancer to have the honor of possessing them.
Gifted- Danica can employ her reinforcement magic in some very unusual ways. In particular, her dancing can mesmerize others, causing them to relax and let go of their fears and worries. A few of her dances can even imbue her audience with courage and strength. Perhaps the most notable thing about her is that she can still use some of her enhancement and healing abilities even when untransformed, albeit at a far lesser power level.
Patron: Zyloplex (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- As an embodiment of pure magical power, Zyloplex is capable of helping its agents to better focus and channel the energies of their magical specializations.
Mental Link- Pretty self-explanatory. Also pretty annoying, as far as Danica is concerned…
Mystic Might- Intended to serve in a supporting role, Danica has been imbued with greatly increased mystical abilities.
Mana Font- Since Danica is often all that stands between her allies and annihilation, Zyloplex has insured that she has an ample supply of mana. Thus, she is able to cast her healing spells, buffs, and barriers long after she would have ordinarily exhausted her mana.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- This bizarre being is the very definition of what one would call alien. It has almost zero understanding of the human condition, and while it vaguely values the safety of its charges, it does not understand their feelings or objections on most matters.
Formless- Zyloplex manifests as an ever-shifting mass of prismatic tendrils, composed of pure mystical energy. This, combined with the fact that it exists in multiple dimensions and states of matter simultaneously, means that it cannot easily interact with the physical world.
Clueless- Zyloplex knows everything there is to know about magic. Everything else? Not so much… Even its vast mystic knowledge is fairly worthless. Since it speaks in utterly incomprehensible terms and mind-numbingly impenetrable metaphors, it is almost impossible to understand what it’s talking about.
Fighting Style:
As a Reinforcement Specialist, Danica takes on a supporting role in combat. More importantly, as a dancer, she prefers to keep her enemies at a safe distance, so that she can perform her routines unhindered. “Look, but don’t touch” is her rule, and she makes sure that everyone abides by it.
Outgoing, vivacious, and incredibly flirtatious, Danica is someone who loves, no, needs to be the center of attention. She practically lives on the praise an adulation of others, so she often goes to absurd lengths to place the spotlight firmly on her in any given situation. Parties, battles, or even casually hanging out with friends, Danica sees them all as simply another opportunity to show off, and she always takes it. On a somewhat less flattering side, she can also be very full of herself, often coming across as vain and conceited, although, deep down, she’s a good person at heart. In fact, aside from drawing attention to herself, the main reason she dances is to help people forget their pain and problems, at least for a short while.
History:
Danica really doesn’t like talking about her past, but what little can be gleaned points to it being a particularly unpleasant one. Scarlet first met her while volunteering at a homeless shelter. She was a battered and bruised girl who didn’t say much, simply accepting the food and cot Scarlet offered her with a tired nod. Scarlet’s kind heart ached for the poor girl, and over the next few days, she began getting to know Danica, who gradually opened up about herself. Although she refused to talk of her past, she was more than happy to discuss her dreams for the future. Ever since she was little, she had always wanted to be a dancer, one renowned across the world. While her circumstances seemed bad, she was insistent that one day, she’d get her lucky break and have the chance to show the world her talents.
That day came only a few weeks later, when Danica found herself caught in a monster attack. She was badly injured and barely conscious, when a girl wearing strange armor knelt by her side and begged someone named Zyloplex to save her. The next thing Danica knew, she was being flooded with mystical power. It felt exhilarating. Her weak and malnourished body was both strengthened and made exceedingly beautiful. Leaping to her feet, the overjoyed girl began to dance, gleefully twirling and swirling, shimmying and swaying. As she danced, a series of magical barriers formed to protect civilians from the monster’s attacks, while magical binders attached themselves to the creature, greatly inhibiting its movements. This allowed the armored girl, who Danica soon learned was none other than Scarlet, to deliver the final blow and slay the horrific beast.
Since then, Danica has worked with Scarlet and her companion, Megan, under the Patronage of the strange being known as Zyloplex, protecting their home from any evils that dare to raise their ugly heads. Of course, even heroes need some time for relaxation, and this big rave happening in Penrose seems like the perfect venue. After all, it simply wouldn’t do to leave such an event bereft of the presence of Mystical Dancer Danica…
Incantation: “Skill! Grace! Beauty! I hope you’re ready, ‘cause the show’s about to begin!”
Additional Info:
Danica is bisexual and extremely promiscuous, making passes at anyone that catches her eye. Ironically, she is still a virgin. Make of that what you will.
Also, despite her flirtatious nature, she is very big on consent, at least on her own part. While she may love to have people drool over her alluring performances, if they dare to lay even a single finger on her, she’ll make sure they never do so again.
Magical Coins: N/A
Type: Lesser Force
Name: Zyloplex
Personality:
Alien, inscrutable, unknowable and bizarre, Zyloplex is almost impossible to understand in human terms, although its most basic motivation is fairly straightforward. It seeks to magically empower various individuals in highly specialized ways, as though it were conducting experimentations on the ways mortal beings can hold and employ magical energies. Thus it often directs its charges into battles with monsters, not out of any sense of altruism, but merely to observe them in action. However, its purposes for doing so remain a mystery.
History:
In many ways resembling an eldritch horror, Zyloplex is still nowhere near as powerful, or actively malevolent, as those terrible beings. It was created only a short while ago in its own perspective, billions of years in the future in ours, by an eldritch being of great power who desired a new plaything. Misplacing it while frolicking through a tesseract swarm, Zyloplex spiraled through the eons and a dizzying array of possible and impossible realities, before entering a plane tangential to the reality of this particular Earth. From that point on, it began contacting certain lower life forms and imbuing them with vast magical power. It’s reason for doing this is anyone’s guess.
Resources:
Currently the Patron of a trio of girls, Zyloplex has a nearly inconceivable level of magical power to draw from, but it rarely makes use of it to assist its charges, or to do much of anything else. Aside from occasionally creating a new magical girl, that is. On most occasions, it is content to simply observe, leaving its charges to fend for themselves.
Additional Info:
For reasons known only to itself, Zyloplex hates the colors black and white.
Name: Keiko Shinohara (Maiden of the Gloomblade)
Age (Magical Girl): 16
Age (Before Magical Girl): 16
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Specialization: Darkness
Weapon: Kurayami, The Gloomblade (Melee)
It is said that this ancient weapon was forged from the tears shed by thousands of widows mourning the deaths of husbands who fell in battle. Their anguish and sorrow has lent the blade great power, and now it brings that same grief and despair to the loved ones of those cut down by it.
Power: Killing Blow (The Kiss of Ultimate Sorrow)
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- The Gloomblade is an extraordinarily potent weapon, with capabilities far surpassing any mundane blade, and most magical ones as well.
Enhanced Outfit- Keiko’s kimono is woven with mystic strands, which greatly enhance her already prodigious strength.
Martial Training- Even before being chosen by her Patron, Keiko was well versed in both the art of the sword and military tactics and strategy. This has only increased since becoming Izanami’s champion.
Familiar- Keiko has been gifted with a small spirit companion, which serves as an excellent scout. Although normally taking the form of a small and pudgy creature, in times of great danger, it can transform into a far more menacing form to assist its mistress in combat.
Interdimensional Home- With only a few seconds concentration, Keiko can access a modest Interdimensional Home, where she may rest and recuperate. This also serves as an acceptable way of avoiding any dangers she may not wish to confront yet.
Patron: Izanami, The Mother of Death (Deity)
Patron Benefits:
Paragon- As befitting the champion of Izanami, Keiko has been blessed with drastically increased physical abilities.
Divine Competence- Keiko has been blessed with increased knowledge pertaining to the creation and maintenance of blades. If she chooses to make a sword for someone, it will be the highest quality for a mundane weapon of its type.
Physical Prowess- Keiko’s already prodigious physical abilities have been increased even further by her Patron, helping her attain a state far beyond all mortals, and even some supernatural entitles.
Magical Overload- Izanami is not one to play things safe. She channeled all her power into her champion, heedless of the repercussions it might have for the young woman. Keiko has truly become something substantially more, and substantially less, human.
Patron Drawbacks:
Rites- As Izanami’s chosen champion, Keiko must perform a number of rites for her Patron, the most notable of these is dedicating each of her battles, and each of her foes slain, to Izanami.
Arrogance- As with most deities, Izanami is rather prone to arrogance. She will often overestimate her own power, and that of her champion, by a substantial margin. Thus, Keiko can find herself in situations in which she is facing an opponent she is not fully capable of handling alone, or even with help.
Monstrous Form- Keiko is a monster girl, no longer fully human. The effects of this are detailed below.
Nonstandard Limbs- Keiko’s hands and feet end in long, razor-sharp claws, although these can be retracted to a more normal length. Her skin is also an unnatural color, far paler than what a living being should have. Most notably, a pair of massive horns juts out from her forehead, leaving little doubt as to her true nature in the minds of those who behold her.
Mental Mutation (Warrior)- Keiko is a warrior. She has a deep-seated hunger for combat, and the only time she feels truly alive is when she is partaking in battle. However, while mindless violence will indeed slake her bloodlust, it is honorable combat against a worthy opponent that she most desires. Thus, she will never strike down an innocent, or non-combatant, regardless of how strong her hunger for combat becomes. Thankfully, in the places Keiko often travels through, she usually has no lack of suitable opponents if the need to slake her bloodlust arises.
Weakness- Light. In particular, direct sunlight and piercing beams of artificial light, although any particularly bright source of illumination will negatively affect her. This is one of the reasons she is often seen with her trademark umbrella. Dim sources of illumination, like candles, or lamps with sufficiently dark shades, do not bother her nearly as much, and the minor annoyance they cause can oftentimes be completely ignored.
Redirected Magic- In an effort to increase her champion’s physical to realms undreamed of by normal magical girls, Izanami shunted Keiko’s magical power into further enhancing her already superhuman body.
Fighting Style:
Keiko is, first and foremost, a swordswoman. She fights her opponents with her blade and only employs her magic when she requires an extra edge in these confrontations. That said, her skill with a blade is nearly unparalleled, and so it is very rare for her to even need such an edge.
A morose and taciturn young woman, Keiko prefers to lead a solitary existence, bereft of friends or family. She doesn’t socialize with others unless absolutely necessary, and prefers to keep what few acquaintances she has at arm’s length. While she will never intentionally harm an innocent, she usually does not go out of her way to help them either, although there have been a few notable exceptions.
History:
A member of an ancient warrior sect dedicated to the goddess Izanami, Keiko was trained in the ways of the sword from a very young age. After only a short time, it became clear to see that her skills easily surpassed all of her contemporaries and rivaled even some of the greatest masters. With their goddess’s blessing so evidently upon her, Keiko was offered to Izanami as her sect’s candidate to become the goddess’s champion. There were other sects, however, hailing from other worlds, and these, too, had submitted champions. As the saying goes, there could only be one, and after her final opponent drew their final breath, Keiko stood triumphant. Izanami was pleased, and bestowed Keiko with her vast power, as well as the mighty Gloomblade, the weapon and symbol of her chosen champion. Since that fateful day, Keiko has wandered the worlds, carrying out her Patron’s bidding, defeating the greatest of warriors, and slaying the fiercest of beasts. Every foe slain is offered up to Izanami, who greatly delights in her champion’s victories. It is a life of nearly constant battle, a life perfectly suited to someone like Keiko, who has known nothing else.
Additional Info:
Despite her harsh demeanor, Keiko shows great respect for worthy opponents, openly praising their skill and honoring them at the time of their passing.
Magical Coins: N/A
Type: Deity
Name: Izanami, The Mother of Death
Personality:
Izanami once possessed a kind and motherly disposition, but she has now become bitter, arrogant, and cruel. That said, some of her former kindness does still show through, from time to time, especially when it comes to her cherished champion. Izanami has grown very fond of Keiko over their long centuries together, to the point where she almost considers her something of a daughter.
History:
One of the primordial gods of the Shinto religion who are believed to have created the islands of Japan and given birth to many of the other Shinto gods, or kami, Izanami was initially a benevolent creator deity. However, at an unknown point, and due to an unknown cause, Izanami died and found herself in Yomi, the gloom-filled land of the dead. When her husband, fellow creator deity Izanagi, not only ignored her pleas to be reunited with him, but actually created a barrier trapping her in the land of the dead, Izanami swore that she would strike down one thousand living beings each day, from that point, until the end of time. Not just any beings would do, however. Only those possessing the greatest power would serve as suitable retribution. At first, Izanami sent lesser minions to carry out this task, but she soon realized that she needed something vastly more powerful. Thus, over many long millennia, Izanami crafted the implement of her revenge, Kurayami, The Gloomblade. Having nurtured the growth of an array of warrior sects dedicated to her cause, the goddess called from their number the best candidates, who would then compete for the honor of wielding The Gloomblade as she champion. Keiko is the first of these champions, and, as long as she continues to be victorious, she will remain the only one.
Resources:
As one of the more powerful deities of her pantheon, Izanami’s resources are mighty indeed. Despite her confinement to the land of the dead, she still possesses her powers of creation, allowing her to fashion a plethora of minions and servants to carry out her will. That said, her greatest asset is her champion, Keiko, and the legendary weapon she wields.
Name: Stacy Sterling (Stacy Stitches)
Age (Magical Girl): 16
Age (Before Magical Girl): 16
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Specialization: Fire and Lightning
Weapon: Sharp Claws (Fist/Mystic)
Stacy’s very body is her weapon, in particular, the extendable claws of her fingers. They are incredibly sharp, capable of slicing through even the thickest armor, and are also capable of serving as a conduit to focus her mystical energies.
Power: Killing Blow- Super-Mega-Ultra Zappy Zap! (She really isn’t one for originality…)
Perks:
Dual Weapon- Described above.
Enhanced Weapon- Stacy’s claws are made from Zinethonium, a strange substance dredged up from the depths of one of Dr. Zinestine’s captive singularities. It possesses many unusual properties, from its staggering strength, to its ability to channel magic, all of which serve to greatly aid Stacy in combat.
Enhanced Sustenance- Stacy is no longer fully human, thus she no longer needs to eat, sleep, or do many of the other things regular humans consider necessary for survival (like breathing).
Automaton- True to her nickname, Stacy’s kinda… stitched together. Pieces of her are completely detachable, and she has mild control over her limbs if they are detached from her. Thanks to her, um, “modular” nature, she can also re-attach a severed body part, or replace it with something similar. For example, she might pull out her eye to scout ahead by rolling it forward, or slip her hand through a cage's bars to root around for a key. It’s important to note that she doesn’t feel any pain from this, or from much of anything else for that matter…
Immortality- Lacking blood, internal organs, or even a central nervous system, Stacy is extremely hard to kill. She feels no pain from even the most grievous of injuries and can even fully recover from getting herself literally blown to bits. For such a clueless and disaster-prone girl, this is a significant blessing.
Patron: Dr. Zinestine (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- Zeinstine is a genius inventor (if only in his own mind), and as such, he is fully devoted to helping Stacy get the maximum possible benefits from all the “improvements” he’s made to her.
Mental Link- After seeing how easily she could get distracted, Dr. Zinestine installed a telepathic communicator in Stacy. This allows him to always keep an eye on her and give her instructions no matter where she may run off to.
Physical Prowess- Thanks to infusions of highly irradiated vita-cells and an array of biomagimechanical components, Stacy is now much stronger than any normal human has any right to be.
Genki Girl- Stacy was always hyper, but now that hyperactivity has the added benefit of never going away! She never gets tired, aside from (very) occasionally needing a (literal) second to catch her breath. Naturally, she thinks this is great! After all, it gives her more time to have fun!
Magical Overload- Dr. Zinestine does not believe in half-measures, or safety measures, or basic sanity, so it should come as no surprise that when he rebuilt Stacy, he overloaded her with dangerous levels of magic power.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- There’s a reason Dr. Zinestine is called a Mad Scientist…
Rival Force- Other Mad Scientists are always trying to take Dr. Zinestine’s place as the greatest Mad Scientist of them all. From Professor Pendulum to Doctor Edissela, all of these rivals seek to disrupt his plans, and so must have their plans disrupted in turn…
Vendetta- Among all his myriad foes, there is one adversary whose cybermantic voodoo doll stands atop all the rest, at the very pinnacle of Dr. Zinestine’s pyrrhic pyramid of hatred: Dr. Nykannis, self proclaimed “Queen of the Mad Scientists”. Zinestine will stop at nothing to see her crushed beneath his spring-loaded heel, to have all her work, inventions, and projects go up in a stupendous blast of alchemical flame, and he expects Stacy to do her part in helping him achieve this glorious goal.
Monstrous Form- When Dr. Zinestine rebuilt Stacy, he didn’t have a lot to work with… Aside from his boundless imagination and vast super-scientific proficiency! Hahaha!!! Ahem… Thus, Stacy is now something not quite… Scratch that, not even remotely close to human… The various key points are enumerated below.
Nonstandard Limbs- Stacy’s entire body is a stitched together hodgepodge of parts from an array of different sources. She also has a few odd bits of gadgetry jutting out of her, most notably the large bolts on the sides of her head and protruding out the back of her neck.
Mental Mutation (Chaos Engine)- Stacy was always something of a prankster, and now that mischievousness has been cranked up to eleven! She just has to mess with people and cause a little bit of chaos everywhere she goes! But it’s all in good fun right?
Second Specialization- Dr. Zinestine’s genius has permitted Stacy access to not one, but two magical specializations! (ah, ah, ah!) These two specializations are Fire and Lightning, the primary forces of progress, and destruction…
Redirected Magic- As a result of Dr. Zinestine’s tinkering, a portion of Stacy’s magic has been redirected to fuel her already prodigious physical capabilities.
Fighting Style:
Stacy’s fighting style is as chaotic as she is. Whenever she has to engage in combat, she simply bounces around, blasting her opponents with fireballs and zaps of lightning, before closing it to slice them to bits. Sometimes she changes things up by doing the slicing first and then following up with some zapping. It really all depends on her mood at that particular moment.
Ditzy, airheaded, and incredibly hyperactive, Stacy is a stereotypical genki girl. Happily going through life without a care in the world, she’s always on the lookout for ways to have fun, make new friends, and have fun with said new friends (or have fun doing things to said new friends, although it’s never out of any real maliciousness, she just thought it would be fun!). Unfortunately for all involved, she often tends to forget that others are not nearly as resilient as she is…
History:
Stacy was just a typical ditzy teenager heading to high school that fateful morning. As she often did, she carelessly crossed the street in front of the school without looking both ways first. On this particular morning, that decision would have drastic repercussions. Had she done so, she would have noticed Dr. Zinestine’s Glorious Grind-o-Majig barreling towards her, completely out of control. No prizes for guessing what happened next. After finally halting his invention’s destructive rampage, Zinestine went back to retrieve what was left of poor Stacy. She might have seemed well and truly dead, but through Zinestine’s mastery of SCIENCE! she would live again! Bringing the girl’s various pieces and parts to his lab, the good doctor set about rebuilding her. Once he was finished, Stacy was good as new, and far better then she had been before her little “accident”, at least in Zinestine’s not-so-humble-opinion.
Now, Stacy works for the good doctor on a part-time basis, while she repays her “debt” to him for “saving her life”. Not that she minds. She gets to travel to amazing places, meet strange people, and have all kinds of fun with them! She couldn’t be happier!
Additional Info:
Stacy has a very unusual way of playing Chess. Whether that’s how Chess is actually played on her homeworld, or if it’s simply the way Stacy plays it, is currently a mystery.
Magical Coins: N/A
Type: Lesser Force
Name: Dr. Zinestine
Personality:
Dr. Zinestine is pretty much what most people would expect from a Mad Scientist. He is loud, egotistical, embittered towards all who would fail to recognize his genius, and very, very insane. Approach with caution. It should be noted that he views Stacy as an invention, rather than as a person, and treats her accordingly (In this case, since he cares about his inventions more than people, Stacy is treated rather well, or as well as anyone can be treated by a Mad Scientist).
History:
A fairly typical Mad Scientist from a world of Mad Scientists, Dr. Zinestine’s time is mostly spent building new inventions to change/take over his world, and battling against his fellow eccentric visionaries in his quest for scientific supremacy.
Resources:
Besides Stacy herself, Dr. Zinestine has access to an entire lab/workshop’s worth of bizarre devices, inventions and experiments (both failed and successful), as well as a small army of assistants and minions, many of which the good doctor created himself. He also has a pair of particularly freakish monstrosities that serve as guards against unwelcome guests. However, Dr. Zinestine himself would tell you that his greatest asset would be his stupendous, and completely unparalleled super-scientific genius.
Additional Info:
Often unleashes cackling peals of laughter for no readily apparent reason.
Name: Ramona Ralorin
Age (Magical Girl): 16
Age (Before Magical Girl): 16
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Specialization: Corrupted Darkness
Weapon: The Penumbranomicon (Mystic)
This ancient and dreadfully powerful tome contains a dizzying array of spells and curses powered by Darkness Magic. In particular, Corrupted Darkness Magic. The forbidden knowledge inscribed upon its twisted pages is certainly not for the faint of heart, but Ramona is confident that her force of will is more than up to the task.
Powers:
1. Third Eye-
Ramona has the Sight, allowing her to see the flows and after effects of magic. Her sense of magic is extremely precise - she can pierce illusions, trace the effects of faded rituals, or know the type of magic being used at a glance. Most helpfully, her highly attuned magic sense allows her to predict incoming spells. If she is quick enough, this can let her dodge attacks or counter them with her own. She can also easily tell when an Overcity entrance is nearby, though it will take her some time to determine exactly how to activate it. This works even out of costume.
2. Tentacles-
These manifest as inky black strands of pure darkness, emanating from her outfit, as well as various points within her immediate surroundings.
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- The Penumbranomicon is a mystic tome of extraordinary power, far surpassing that of most other spell books.
Sorcery (Curses)- Ramona’s knowledge of curses began long before she became a magical girl, and she can make use of them to curse people and places even when she is untransformed. The strength of these hexes will, of course, be significantly less than what she would be capable of while transformed, but they are still potent enough to cause noticeable problems for her victims.
Mana Channel- Ramona is capable of channeling some of her own mana into a chosen ally. She usually achieves this by using her tentacles as a conduit.
Gifted- Ramona is an incredibly skilled practitioner of Darkness Magic, with abilities far beyond what normal users are capable of. In particular, she can infuse her tentacles with mystic power and use them to control others like puppets. This is of course easier with willing subjects, but, with a bit of effort, even the unwilling can be controlled in this manner.
Interdimensional Home- Ramona has access to a small Interdimensional Apartment, where she can relax and practice her spellcraft in relative peace and safety. Aside from the usual items, it also contains a small library, a collection of artifacts, some pen and paper roleplaying games, and an ornate chess set.
Patron: Darketh Von Darkenstine, Dark Lord of All Darkness (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- As the Dark Lord of All Darkness, Darketh is the very embodiment of Darkness Magic. As such, he is able to greatly assist Ramona in getting the most out of her specialization.
Mental Link- Darketh likes to keep in touch with his various agents wherever they may be across the multiverse. Therefore, he has established a mental link with each of them. Ramona may not be too fond of the invasion of privacy, but she appreciates being able to always have access to her Patron’s vast knowledge and support.
Mystic Might- Ramona’s Patron has greatly enhanced her mystical abilities far beyond their already impressive level.
Mana Font- Since many of Ramona’s high-level spells and techniques require vast amounts of mana, her Patron has provided her with a far deeper well to draw from.
Transportation- Ramona has been provided with a Magic Broom, a form of transportation befitting her witchy aesthetic.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- Darketh is not human, and he has very little understanding of the human condition, which would usually be something of a problem for most people. Of course, being something of a sociopath neither does Ramona, so she and her Patron actually get along rather well.
Rival Force- As an embodiment of Darkness, Darketh has a special hatred for the Beacon in general, and the Ascendancy in particular. Since his forces consist primarily of Dark Magical and Monster Girls, Beacon is always setting itself against his operations, and attacking his agents wherever it finds them. For his part, Darketh has instructed his agents to respond to Beacon in kind, attacking their agents and facilities at every opportunity.
Big Brother- As stated previously, Darketh likes to keep tabs on his agents, and takes a fairly active role in guiding their operations. Being one of Darketh’s top agents, there are very few times when Ramona is not under her Patron’s direct observation.
Loud- Darketh is by no means a subtle being. Loud and bombastic, when he wishes to make his proclamations known, all in the vicinity will hear him, whether they want to or not...
Mental Mutation (Dominator)- Ramona has always craved control, and that craving has only increased now that she has become a Dark Magical Girl. She feels compelled to assert her dominance over any group and in any situation. It doesn’t hurt that she is one of the highest-ranking agents in her Patron’s service, so most have no choice but to follow her orders. Those that dare to challenge her authority will find that Ramona has no small number of means by which to force their compliance, none of them pleasant.
Fighting Style:
Ramona is largely a long-range combatant, preferring to stay in the back ranks and command her allies in battle. She has a wide range of abilities to aid in ambush operations and can bestow an array of crippling curses and debuffs on her opponents. In moments of particular urgency, she will take command of one of her allies directly, guiding their movements like a puppet, and occasionally channeling extra mana into them, in order to super-charge their attacks.
Ramona is a moody, snide, and generally unpleasant young woman, who has a low tolerance for fools and anyone who dares to challenge her authority. She thinks quite highly of herself and likes to be in charge of any group or situation she finds herself in. It doesn’t take long for others to learn that they challenge her orders at their considerable peril.
History:
Ramona always liked to boss others around, and from an early age was enamored with the idea of using mystical mans to do so. She loved to study occult manuscripts and it wasn’t log before she became adept at placing curses and hexes upon people who annoyed her. It got to the point where she was running multiple protection rackets at her high school. No one liked her, but everyone feared and obeyed her. Eventually, Ramona sought to gain even more power for herself, and so she spent considerable effort tracking down an incredibly ancient tome whispered of in hushed awe by the members of the occult community, The Penumbranomicon.
No sooner had she acquired it, than she was contacted by the tome’s creator, a being who introduced itself as Darketh Von Darkenstine, the Dark Lord of All Darkness. After getting past her contempt for its ridiculous name, Ramona discovered that the being possessed vast mystic power, power that it wished to share with her. Agreeing to become one of the Dark Lord’s agents (on the condition that she would be the highest-ranking among them), Ramona was flooded with magical energy, and became a Dark Magical Girl. Since then, she has supervised numerous operations for her dark master, and has known success far more often than failure. She still doesn’t have any friends, but that doesn’t really bother her. She has power and authority, the only two things she really cares about.
Additional Info:
Despite her misanthropic nature, she has something of a soft spot for Stacy Sterling. Ramona still gets annoyed by her, of course, but Stacy is one of the exceedingly few people that Ramona considers something close to a friend.
Also, Ramona is a great lover of Chess and is very skilled at it.
Magical Coins: N/A
Type: Lesser Force
Name: Darketh Von Darkenstine, Dark Lord of All Darkness
Personality:
Loud, bombastic, and highly theatrical, Darketh is a fairly typical (some might even say stereotypical) example of an Evil Overlord. However, although he constantly makes grandly sinister proclamations of how Doom and Darkness shall sweep over all of creation, he is actually rather caring towards his various subjects, agents, and underlings, especially if they perform well. As such, he and Ramona have an almost father/daughter relationship. Indeed, Ramona is far closer to her Patron than she ever was to any member of her own family.
History:
Darketh’s early history is shrouded in mystery. What is known is that he gathered a formidable army and used it to conquer the entirety of his world, remaking it in his twisted image. Since then, he has expanded his realm to include many other words in many different universes. During these campaigns to expand his empire, Darketh’s forces have faced frequent resistance in the form of The Beacon, a force of light and purity that stands completely at odds with Darketh’s vision for the multiverse. Darketh eagerly awaits the day when the light of Beacon is forever extinguished, and he does all that he can to hasten that day’s arrival.
Resources:
As the ruler of an array of worlds spanning over a dozen universes, Darketh’s resources are vast and powerful. Armies numbering in the billions, led by a collection of mighty Monster and Dark Magical Girls carry out his bidding across the multiverse. With access to the wealth of so many conquered worlds, Darketh’s servants are equipped with formidable war engines and magical items of phenomenal potency.
Additional Info:
Much like Ramona, Darketh is an avid player of Chess. Unlike Ramona, however, his skill is somewhat less than exemplary.
MDP encountered these characters during her trip to Silverburg.
Click on the hiders to find out more about each one!
The first of four such units, Team Alpha’s members were imbued with magical power by The Artifact, in a process carefully supervised by Dr. Nykannis herself. Passed off as the recipients of cutting-edge genetic enhancement, they are now contracted out to a certain shadowy black ops division of the U.S. military for use in clandestine operations around the world. The four teams are on a constant rotation, with two squads in the field, and two assigned to DDS’s R&D facility. While one of these latter two squads enjoys some well-deserved R&R, the other team serves as security detail for the complex.
A hard working and highly dedicated soldier, she is very confident and proud of her position as leader of DDS’s flagship special ops team. Has quite a fiery temper.
She is a quiet and intensely focused young woman with a chilly disposition. As Team Alpha’s second in command, she is Alpha-01’s trusted right hand, her cool and collected nature providing a balance to her commander’s more heated disposition.
She is a soft-spoken and somewhat timid girl, who seems rather unsuited for combat. For her part, she hates having to fight, but she knows she doesn’t have much of a choice in the matter. With that being the case, she tries to push through her doubts and insecurities, so as not to let down her teammates.
They are both fiery, brash, and quick to get into fights. Although not particularly pleasant to be around, they still follow orders and work well with the rest of their team.
She has a dour and sarcastic disposition, often exchanging snide commentary with her fellow heavy weapon specialist, Alpha-07.
History:
CLASSIFIED
Incantation: “Transform!”
Name: CLASSIFIED (Alpha-07)
Age (Magical Girl): 15
Age (Before Magical Girl): 15
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Specialization: Metal
Weapon: Heavy Energy Pulse Rifle (Ranged)
Power: Focused Fire
Perks:
Enhanced Sustenance
Enhanced Outfit
Martial Training
Familiar- BD-E, or “Buddy” for short, is a small robotic drone, which normally serves as an advanced scout, spotter, and targeting assistant. During emergencies, the drone can, for a short period, assume a larger combat mode. This grants it the use of a powerful energy cannon.
Although these two specializations tend to blur together, they are, in fact, quite distinct. At least, according to Nykannis. What those distinctions are, on the other hand, is anyone’s guess. In practice, they both enable her to create all kinds of strange super-scientific ultra-magitech inventions and experiments that break all known laws of reality, as befitting such an exceptionally freakish magical/monster girl/thing. She can also employ swarms of nano assemblers to enhance and modify the weapons and equipment of nearby allies (or sometimes even the allies themselves, if she’s in the mood for some genetic engineering or bionic augmentation), along with the capabilities of her own bizarre technomagimechanical form.
While her various magitech inventions (which range from small gadgets and gizmos to massive technomantic biomechanical constructs) might frequently exhibit capabilities similar to those expressed by other Specializations (freeze rays, lightning guns, and gravity beams, for example), there are three important things to consider- One, the effects of these creations are almost always less powerful than what can be achieved by a practitioner of the Spec in question (and those that do have comparable, or even superior power are so dangerously overcharged that they frequently explode if used more than once). Two, some of these inventions are only single-use, one-of-a-kind items. Three… Well, honestly, there is no three. This pair of Specs really is ridiculously OP, as they pretty much allow her to create an analogue to almost any Perk, Power, or Magical Specialization, given enough time and resources (mana). The only reason Nykannis is allowed to dwell in this particular universe is because she promised the Grand Magistrates that she would stick to being a “background character”, to use their impenetrably cryptic terminology, and not make any major changes to the universal status quo.
She’s done a fairly good job of it so far, all things considered…
Weapon: Super-Scientific Ultra-Magitech Arsenal (Melee/Ranged)
At any given moment, at least three pairs of appendages (and often half a dozen more) protrude from Nykannis’s enormous technomagimechanical form, each covered in a plethora of bizarre technomantic armaments. The vast majority of these are ranged weapons, and while Nykannis’s exact load out is constantly changing, they are certain to be the most eclectic collection of death rays one can possibly imagine (Including, but by no means limited to: neutrino particle cannons, polyphasic penetrator beams, polycyclic plasma blasters, mega magitech magneto cannons, and multiphasic transdimensional hyper homing lasers).
These are supplemented by a slightly smaller (but no less impressive) array of melee weapons, from slipstream swords and biphase buzz saws to quantum hammers and monomolecular blades, for those rare times when Nykannis has to engage an enemy up close.
Power: Barrage (MAXIMUM OVERLOAD!!! Nyahahaha!)
As one might guess just by looking at her weapon-covered form, Nykannis can put out a lot of firepower. A LOT. But sometimes, she needs to unleash even more… When it’s time to really get serious, she can override what few limiters she has to massively overload her already dangerously overpowered arsenal. Or, as she likes to say, “crank it up to 1123 out of a possible five!” When this happens, reality itself weeps, as its very fabric is rent asunder by inconceivably powerful forces unleashed by weapons too impossible to describe. Not only is her arsenal’s destructive power and rate of fire drastically increased, but her weapons are also given secondary (and in some cases even tertiary) effects, mostly of an explosive nature. The downside, of course, is that this drastically depletes her mana reserves and can only be sustained for a short time.
Perks:
Dual Weapon- Described in detail above.
Enhanced Outfit- Nykannis’s body is covered with dozens of technoarcane supplementary power accumulators of various sizes and shapes, granting her increased technomystic power for use in her super-scientific sorcery.
Gifted- As the Queen of the Mad Scientists, Nykannis is undeniably gifted in her chosen fields of expertise. In addition to her vast proficiency in all manners of SCIENCE! (both Weird and Mad), this unique brilliance is best exemplified by the peculiarities of her magical abilities and monster girl nature. Even when untransformed, Nykannis is still able to wield a substantial amount of her technomystic power, and her transformation itself is quite unlike those of most monster girls in that her human form is her default appearance.
Thralls- Nykannis possesses five weapon and sensor covered drones which she can detach from her massive technomantic body and use as scouts or additional attackers in combat. They are particularly useful for locating hidden enemies and discovering blind spots in a target’s defenses, uploading all their findings to Nykannis’s own advanced targeting array.
Size and Scale- Nykannis’s monstrous combat form is exceedingly large, towering over most other magical and monster girls. This grants her an increased level of vitality and protection, due to the additional layers of nanofluidic hyperalloy armor covering her body and the multiple energy shield generators protruding from it.
Patron: Solo
Patron Benefits:
Free Agent- As befitting a Queen, Nykannis is beholden to no one. Well, no one other than her current employer... But it’s not like he’s a Patron, or anything, and she can leave his employ at any time, so it doesn’t really count! At least, that’s what she keeps telling herself…
Magical Overload- Like any good Mad Scientist, Nykannis doesn’t believe in half measures, safety measures, or basic sanity. As such, when whatever caused her to become a magical girl took place, she unsurprisingly decided to go all out and dangerously overload the process. She’s quite pleased with the results.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alone- Nykannis is all alone, only having herself to rely on. And she wouldn’t want it any other way. As the greatest Mad Scientist that has ever, or will ever live, she’s more than capable of taking care of herself. Plus, she’s made plenty of interesting friends (in some cases quite literally) in her travels that may be persuaded to lend her a hand (or tentacle) should she need it.
Monstrous Form- Due to dangerously overloading her body with technomystic energies, Nykannis at her full potential is now something far more than human. The various key facets of which are enumerated below.
Centaur Layout- In her transformed state, Nykannis’s lower body resembles that of a segmented metallic serpent. Several pairs of legs often protrude from it in a manner similar to that of a caterpillar or centipede. These are useful for finding purchase when climbing, or for anchoring herself in place when employing weapons with considerable recoil.
Nonstandard Limbs- The vast majority of Nykannis’s various supplementary appendages are tipped by weapon clusters, and thus are unusable for any forms of manipulation, while her “original” pair of limbs become much larger, their fingers ending in wickedly sharp metallic claws. Even so, this does not completely preclude the good doctor from performing detailed work, as she can easily create smaller, more refined appendages for such tasks. Indeed, with their array of built-in tools they are far superior to human limbs in every respect.
Mental Mutation (Builder)- This manifests not so much in the construction of traps (although Nykannis likes to build those too), but primarily in the creation of new inventions, and the building up of additional knowledge. Nykannis is constantly working on one bizarre creation or another, while simultaneously researching some new theory or phenomenon. Currently, her work on The Artifact consumes much of her time, as she seeks to unlock the many secrets hidden within it depths.
Second Specialization- Due to the overwhelming amounts of technomystic energy flooding Nykannis’s massive cybermagitech body, she is capable of making use of not one, but two Magitech Specializations! (Nyahahaha!) Of course, this is only to be expected of the Monarch of Mad Science, and she makes use of them so interchangeably that they might as well be a single Specialization.
Fighting Style:
Nykannis rarely takes part in combat, preferring to work in her lab and observe her creations’ performance in battle from a safe distance. On the exceptional occasions when she takes to the field herself, she likes to engage her opponents at range before finishing them off in hand to hand combat (in the unlikely event that there’s anything left of them after her initial bombardment, that is).
Nykannis is a typical Mad Scientist, in that she is extremely egotistical, highly focused on her work, and very, very insane. Aside from that, though, she can be rather personable, and if you take an interest in her current projects/obsessions, she can happily talk with you for hours on end (that said, Nykannis’s social skills are sorely lacking, and if you don’t have an intellect or level of enthusiasm close to hers, it will be a very one-sided conversation).
History:
Hailing from a distant universe, several millennia more advanced than this one, Nykannis is only living in this “Neanderthal nightmare” (as she calls it) because she needed a place to hide from some stupendously powerful, but as yet unspecified enemy (“No, it’s not Dr. Zinestine. Why the hell would I ever be afraid of that idiot?”). Wasting no time establishing a place for herself, she soon entered the employ of Lodovico Demiris, as the head of his R&D program. With the aid of her super-scientific brilliance, Demiris Defense Systems saw breakthrough after breakthrough, although Demiris insisted the majority of these developments would be kept classified (at least for the time being), so as not to radically destabilize the geopolitical landscape by advancing the planet’s tech level too quickly. This was something Nykannis herself was in complete agreement with (no need to attract undue attention after all, especially in light of the deal she made with the Grand Magistrates).
Lately, Nykannis has been hard at work plumbing the depths of The Artifact, an impossibly ancient, and staggeringly powerful, magitech device recovered during an expedition to Antarctica. What knowledge she has gleaned so far has already produced substantial benefits for DDS, and she has become completely obsessed with unlocking all it’s remaining secrets. Indeed, the recent creation of The Prototype, may be proof that she is drawing increasingly near to attaining that goal…
Incantation: “Incantation? Who has time for that shit?! There’s SCIENCE to be done! Nyahahaha!”
Additional Info:
Like all Mad Scientists, Nykannis is prone to unleashing cackling peals of laughter for no readily apparent reason.
Although Nykannis is not, nor has ever been, a member of The Gourd, she shares their twisted sense of humor when it comes to inventions, as her friend, Kate Carson, has discovered…
Kate’s Specialization is the direct result of her Camera, itself the source of all her magical power. When Kate is untransformed, the Camera is limited to “only” being able display an exhaustive amount of information about whatever she takes a picture of (this includes secret things like weaknesses, along with more mundane things like age, occupation, favorite color, personality, etc). It can even reveal invisible things like spirits. In this way, it basically functions the same as the Snapshots Perk, although it’s a bit more powerful and can be used while untransformed.
When Kate transforms, she is able to unlock her Camera’s full power, granting her an array of impressive (and not so impressive) abilities. The foremost among these is the ability to create “negative copies” of anything she has already taken a picture of. They fight on her behalf, and have access to all the powers and attributes of the original, albeit at a slightly reduced level. The downside to this is that any copies created in this way are erased from the Camera’s memory, meaning all the info on them is lost, and the image can never be copied again, unless Kate takes a new picture of it (which, depending on the image in question may be exceedingly difficult, if not downright impossible). Unless they are destroyed in battle, the copies usually last for about an hour, before fading out of existence.
Other abilities include the almost never used “Freeze Frame” feature (which places the target in a stasis field, while also draining their mana, but can only be used on targets that are standing perfectly still), changing the Shutter Speed (which can either briefly speed up a target or slow it down for a significantly longer period), and modifying the Depth of Field (either focusing on a target (usually an ally) and making it become blurry, indistinct and harder to hit in combat, or blurring the area around a target (usually an enemy), causing it become greatly disoriented and vulnerable to attack), as well as the fairly mundane Flash (which, as the name suggests, produces a blinding flash to stun enemies).
As a special note, while The Camera can record video, it cannot gather information on what it records. That feature only works when taking still images. At least, that’s how it works when Kate’s not transformed…
Weapon: The Camera (Mystic)
Kate’s Camera, or, to give it’s proper title, Nykannis’s Hyperdigienchantech Photographic Implement 3000, is the source of all her mystical abilities. Without it, she’s pretty much just an ordinary human. As it’s name suggests, it is the creation of Dr. Nykannis, and as the self proclaimed “Queen of the Mad Scientists’” greatest invention, it is fittingly a magitech device of extraordinary power. Unfortunately, to unlock the majority of that power, Kate is forced to undergo an incredibly embarrassing transformation, a source of great frustration for Kate, and great amusement for Nykannis. When Kate is untransformed, it resembles a normal, albeit quite advanced, digital camera. Upon assuming her full magical girl form, it gains a much more ornate appearance, in keeping with her outfit’s elaborate aesthetic.
Power: Third Eye
A Power she was innately born with, Kate’s Third Eye allows her to perceive the flow of magical energies around her. This is useful for tracking potential subjects of interest (as long as they have a strong magical signature), as well as locating hidden magical objects, dimensional portals/gates, and Overcity entrances. It also has the benefit of alerting her to incoming magical attacks. This is usable even when untransformed.
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- As befitting the greatest invention of the Monarch of Mad Science herself, Kate’s Camera possesses abilities far beyond those of a typical magical weapon.
Enhanced Outfit- Despite its embarrassing and highly impractical appearance, Kate’s magical girl outfit provides a staggering amount of supplementary magical power for her Camera to draw upon.
Gifted- This applies not so much to Kate herself, but rather her Camera. As the greatest creation of the Greatest Mad Scientist of Them All (at least, in said Mad Scientist’s own not-so-humble-opinion), Kate’s Camera is far more powerful than a normal magical device or weapon. Most notable is the fact that she can use some of its abilities even when untransformed.
Big Backpack- Kate has a large backpack full of useful items that she can conjure at any time, even when untransformed. The items in question range from food and clothes, to some extra cash and an unbreakable laptop that can get an internet connection anywhere (even across dimensional barriers).
Super Maps- Kate has a small locket that can display an array of incredibly useful maps. These show surrounding areas, special features and topography. It also displays the positions of Kate and her allies, as well as many enemies that are in the nearby area. It can be used anywhere, even in the Overcity, but the rapidly changing features of that realm often make the maps confusing to read. As a special note, the maps cannot detect the locations of portals, but that’s not really a problem for Kate. After all, that’s what her Third Eye is for.
Patron: Solo
Patron Benefits:
Free Agent- As a freelance photographer, Kate’s a free agent, happy to work for anyone, as long as the pay’s good.
Mana Font- Kate’s Camera has access to a massive supply of mana, allowing her to make use of its impressive abilities long after its mana reserves should have run dry.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alone- Kate’s all alone in the great big multiverse, but she doesn’t mind. In fact, she sees it as a benefit. With no one tying her down, she’s free to go and do what she chooses. Sure, she doesn’t have a safety net, but she’s always been a resourceful girl. Plus, she’s made no small number of friends (some of them quite influential) during her travels that are always willing to help her out (with or without a little “persuasion” on Kate’s part).
Fighting Style:
Kate usually tries to avoid combat if she can help it, preferring to keep a low profile and only transforming when absolutely necessary. If she needs to assume her magical girl form, it almost always means that something has gone very wrong. In such situations, she mostly relies on her Camera’s ability to create copies of various monsters to take care of whatever might be threatening her, or at the very least, give her a chance to escape (which is a very good chance, thanks to her Third Eye and Super Maps). Above all else, Kate is a pragmatist, and she won’t hesitate to trick her foes, or use their weaknesses against them.
For the most part, Kate is a very laid-back and easygoing person, and although she still can get excited, angered, or flustered by things, such occasions are usually quite rare. Most of the time, Kate does her best to avoid attracting undue attention to herself, blending in with the background and unobtrusively observing. When she chooses to interact with people, she is actually quite personable and friendly, always making an effort to cool tensions and put others at ease. That said, she does have a bit of a mischievous side to her, and she’s only too happy to prank people if she thinks she can get away with it.
On a darker note, Kate is not above using blackmail to achieve her goals, and since she likes to take pictures of everything and everyone she encounters, she has a lot of secret and sensitive information to work with.
History:
Kate doesn’t like talking about her past. When asked, she’ll just say that she’s “been around the block more times than you’d expect”, and after getting to know her, it’s easy to see that she’s a LOT older than her sixteen-year-old appearance would suggest. Interestingly, she’ll freely admit that she no longer ages, but that it’s due to something other than the magical girl process (after all, she only got her Camera a few years ago). When pressed she simply states that it’s a little souvenir she picked up from taking a dip in the Fountain of Youth (or one of them, at any rate), but whether or not that’s true is anyone’s guess. She’s known Nykannis for quite a long time, and has gone on many trips across the multiverse with her, but despite all that, she still insists she’s just a simple freelance photographer and an ordinary down-to-earth girl. An ordinary down-to-earth girl who has blackmail files on several interdimensional tyrants and even a few eldritch horrors…
Incantation: “Picture Perfect!”
Additional Info:
If it wasn’t clear by now, Kate absolutely HATES her magical girl appearance, and as such is extremely reluctant to transform, only doing so as a last resort.
Karen has tentacles! LOTS of tentacles! They completely cover her body, and if she needs more, she can always grow new ones! She can also form sharp spikes on her tentacles, but she rarely does this as it might seriously hurt someone!
Power: Tentacles (Surprise, surprise!)
Perks:
Dual Weapon- Described above.
Enhanced Weapon- Karen’s tentacles are stronger and more agile than what one would normally find on a magical or monster girl. Her spikes are also really sharp and can cut through even the strongest armor.
Enhanced Sustenance- Karen isn’t fully human anymore, and as such, doesn’t need much to keep her alive. Things like food, water, air, and sleep are now completely optional. This is a very good thing, considering where she lives…
Prehensile- Karen’s tentacles are extremely flexible, and all can be used with the same level of dexterity and coordination as she once had with her arms and hands.
True Sight- Karen’s vision has been greatly enhanced since becoming a monster girl. She can see in pitch-black environments, as well as through smoke and other environmental blinders.
Patron: “Darling” (Horror)
Patron Benefits:
Creeping Doom- “Darling” had been slumbering for several hundred millennia, before Karen came along and woke him up. As such, he is rather patient with his goals, not seeming to desire more than simply living with his new wife and producing offspring. What he plans to eventually do with said offspring, on the other hand…
Reasonable- “Darling” is quite reasonable, at least as far as Karen is concerned. He seems to genuinely care for her, and appreciates her intense love for and loyalty to him. His thoughts on the rest of humanity are anyone’s guess…
Physical Prowess- “Darling” has ensured that Karen is far stronger than an ordinary human.
Magical Overload- At Karen’s request, “Darling” infused her with so much magical energy that becoming a monster girl was pretty much guaranteed. Karen’s now a tentacle monster, and she couldn’t be happier!
Patron Drawbacks:
Mind-Bent- Karen loves “Darling” with all her heart and always wants to stay by his side and make him happy. Okay, perfectly normal behavior for a brainwashed horror servant, right? Well, here’s the scary part- Karen isn’t actually mind-bent, at least, not by “Darling”. She’s always been like this…
Bane- Like all horrors, “Darling” has a bane, and, by extension, so does Karen. Predictably, Karen has no idea what that bane might be, and, in fact, doesn’t even know what banes are. This may cause problems for her in the future…
Clueless- Much like his wife, “Darling” is rather clueless about, well, pretty much everything… He and Karen really do make a good pair…
Monstrous Form- Karen absorbed so much magic that she has become a monster girl, much to her immense delight. The various major results of this are listed below-
Non-Standard Limbs- All of Karen’s limbs are now tentacles. She is very happy about this.
Mental Mutation (Sentinel)- Karan will do anything to protect her “Darling”, and that includes keeping him away from other promiscuous horrors that might have eyes for him. After all, he belongs to Karen and no one else!
Mental Mutation (Altruist)- Karen just wants to help “Darling” and make him happy. The same goes for other people, to a lesser extent. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body (quite literally, now that she’s a tentacle monster), and she’d never want to hurt anyone. The problem is… She’s kinda stupid, and it’s all-too-easy for her to get tricked into helping the wrong people…
Redirected Magic- Karen’s magical energies have been redirected to better fuel her vast physical prowess. This makes her really good at tickling contests.
Fighting Style:
Karen doesn’t like to fight people. She’s a kind and caring soul, who’s content to just live a peaceful life with “Darling” in loving bliss. If someone were to ever threaten that bliss, well… Karen is a physical powerhouse, with tremendous strength and speed, which she can use to make lighting fast strikes upon her foes with dozens of spiked tentacles, in rapid succession. Although only a meager mage, she also has access to Fire Spec magic, and is still capable of throwing a few fireballs at her enemies, mostly as a way of weakening their defenses before she closes in for the kill.
Karen is a bubbly and ditzy girl, always ready to give a big hug to her friends. Although incredibly sweet and loving, Karen is also very innocent (some would say mind-numbingly stupid), and she often gets confused when people freak out after she shares her interests with them (never mind revealing her current monstrous appearance).
History:
Karen was always a nice and friendly girl, quite personable and never mean to anyone. She also had some serious issues (some would even say whole subscriptions)… Mainly it was tentacles. She LOVED tentacles. Where other girls were creeped out by such icky, slimy things, Karen couldn’t get enough of them. She would read books, watch movies, play video games… If it had tentacles, she loved it. Although, Karen could never understand why the girls in her favorite shows, books and games were always so adverse to getting all lovey dovey with the tentacle monsters they encountered. After all, she had always wanted to feel the sensation of dozens of tendrils wrapped lovingly around her body, and wished that she could somehow have tentacles as well, which she could wrap around others, instead of boring arms and legs… It was just too bad that tentacle monsters weren’t real…
Or so she thought…
After making the acquaintance of a certain Mad Scientist (a story for another time), Karen was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. If she wanted, she could accompany her new friend on a trip to Antarctica, where her friend had it on good authority that some actual tentacle monsters resided. Overjoyed, Karen was only too happy to tag along, and by the end of her adventure, she had met the most handsome tentacle monster/eldritch horror. It was love at first sight, and Karen decided to remain behind with the creature as its wife. In order for her to survive in such an inhospitable environment, Karen asked her “Darling” if he could turn her into a tentacle monster as well. The rest, as they say, is history.
Incantation: “Incantation? What’s that?”
Additional Info:
Karen really likes to give hugs. Unfortunately, she often forgets how strong she is now…
"E-everything will be fine as long as I don't turn around... T-that's s-simple enough, j-just don't turn around... D-don't turn around... (sigh...) I really hate my life...
As you can see, Connie has an average body for someone her age, and as the Empress of Nightmares wears a flowing robe in the style of a kimono.
Specialization: Oddball (Nightmares)-
Has the power to give people nightmares, as well as increase said nightmares' strength and realism. In a way, she can conjure up illusions and hallucinations for people in the waking world, but they are (normally) nowhere near as strong as those created by someone with the Illusion power set. They essentially tap into the fears and phobias already present in the individual and make them real. Connie has very little (if any) control over what form they take or what they do after being created, which can sometimes be a problem, since if they are tied to/powered by strong enough fears, the illusions can have a tangible effect on the physical world (in this way, they act rather like spirits as described by the Spirit specialization). Finally, in times of danger, Connie can surround herself with something resembling a pocket dimension, somewhat akin to a witch's barrier from Madoka, albeit nowhere near as powerful. It simply amplifies her nightmare aura and the strength of her illusions in its small area of effect.
Weapon: The Mask of the Endless Nightmare (Mystic)-
This is the terrifying artifact through which Connie was imbued with her dark powers, and which now amplifies these already considerable mystical abilities.
Power: Tendrils of Eternal Darkness (Tentacles)-
They manifest as inky black tendrils that can appear from any nearby surface, including Connie's outfit, and even small portals in the fabric of reality itself.
Perks:
Enhanced Weapon- The Mask of the Endless Nightmare is imbued with all the reality shattering power of The Lord of Nightmares. As such, it provides a greatly amplified level of power to its chosen wearer.
Power Artifact- The Diadem of Eternal Horror is an amethyst gemstone set upon the forehead of the Mask of the Endless Nightmare. If a strong enough fear is detected, it empowers Connie's illusions enough to solidify them into tangible entities.
Mystic Artifact- The Eye of Fear is a small pendant that Connie keeps hidden in the voluminous folds of her robe. Resembling a creepy crystalline eye glowing with sickly energies, it permits the user to peer into the psyches of nearby targets, allowing her to view traumatic events in their pasts, their presents, and even events they fear may come to pass in their futures, so as to better mold suitable nightmares for them.
Ally- Mia Cooper (Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth) See attached character sheet.
Interdimensional Home- Ostensibly a small place where Connie can relax and recuperate, unbothered by the usual unpleasantness of her unusually unpleasant life, in actuality, since this space was created by the powers of the Lord of Nightmares, it is far too terrifying for someone like Connie. Thus, it is seldom visited.
Note- Nothing present there can actually harm her (she IS the Empress of Nightmares, after all), but since she's such a scaredy-cat, she simply can't handle being surrounded by so many creepy things in such a confined space.
Patron: The Lord of Nightmares (Lesser Force)
Patron Benefits:
Focused- The Lord of Nightmares is the embodiment of Connie’s specialization and is only too willing to aid her in getting the most out of it. Her magic flows easily, and, with her patron’s guidance, she has the potential to wield her element with great efficiency. Spells cost her less mana.
Mental Link- Some Lesser Forces know spells or have abilities to communicate in subtle ways. The Lord of Nightmares is one of them. It can always communicate with Connie, at any time. This may not always constitute a benefit (Connie certainly hates it…), but means that she won’t be caught off guard if it discovers new information, and it is able to notify her if it requires her assistance immediately.
Hidden Death- As it is linked to a universal constant, if the Lord of Nightmares is somehow killed, it will come back in time. Connie won’t be called on to fight in heavy combat to defend it, instead her task will be to ensure it will return.
Mana Font- The Lord of Nightmares is capable of channeling massive quantities of energy to its chosen champion. As such, Connie has more mana than normal.
Mystic Might- The Lord of Nightmares has drastically improved Connie’s mystic abilities.
Patron Drawbacks:
Alien Mind- The Lord of Nightmares does not think in ways that make sense to a human mind. It has little to no understanding of the human experience. While it desires Connie’s well being it does not understand why she find its requests objectionable, and will not always know how to help her.
Formless- Since its essence is contained within the Mask of the Endless Nightmare, the Lord of Nightmares has no physical body. It cannot speak to Connie without employing its Mental Link with her, indicate things via pointing, or affect things directly without her aid.
Rival Force- Sweet Dreams are the antithesis of the Lord of Nightmares. Thus, it holds great animosity towards any beings who promote/are empowered by them. For her part, Connie will have to defend her patron often, and will likely be called on to make attacks on the agents of this rival.
Clueless- The Lord of Nightmares doesn’t know how other magic, monsters, or mystic phenomena in general work. It can’t offer Connie any meaningful advice on these topics.
Fighting Style:
Connie has been fortunate enough to have avoided any battles so far, but since she has only been a magical girl for a few weeks, it seems only a matter of time before that changes. In preparation for this, Mia has worked with her to come up with an effective way to defend herself. This mainly involves using her “nightmare bubble” to amplify the fear hallucinations produced by her opponents into tangible threats for them to face, allowing the conjured horrors to overwhelm her foes with sheer weight of numbers. Her tentacles can also assist in this regard.
A gentle, kind, shy, girl who is easily frightened/embarrassed. She dearly loves her best friend Mia and is incredibly grateful to her for standing by her through so much adversity, although deep down, Connie hates the fact that she's been such a burden to her fiend. Connie would really like to have more friends, but years of constant bullying have left her very nervous around other people.
Despite appearances, her personality stays exactly the same in her magical girl form, something those who've encountered her find quite inconguous.
History:
Connie never knew her parents. For as long as she can remember, she has lived in the Penrose Orphanage, bereft (with one notable exception) of family or friends. Often teased mercilessly by the other children because of her fragile and easily frightened nature, "Cowardly Connie the Crybaby" had only one small respite from this torment in the form of her best friend, and fellow orphan, Mia Cooper. Mia was always swift to jump to her defense, and provided poor Connie a much-needed source of care and encouragement in her otherwise bleak and miserable life. But Mia wasn't always around, and it was on one of these occasions that a group of Connie's most vicious tormentors decided to play their cruelest trick yet.
Dragging her to the orphanage's cellar, they shoved her inside and locked the door. Connie was completely terrified, but despite her sobs and desperate pleas, the door remained firmly secured against her escape. Beginning to hyperventilate, she franticly began searching for some other way out of the nightmare she found herself in. It was then that she saw it, an eerie glow emanating from the farthest depths of the cellar's suffocating confines. Hesitantly approaching it, she soon discovered that its source was an old mask. Being particularly terrified of them, she gave a shriek and fell over backwards, but before she could attempt to crawl away, a deep and sinister voice sounded within her mind. It announced itself as the Lord of Nightmares, and since she had discovered the mask within which its essence resided, she would be its new champion. Connie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She tried to protest, but before she could get out more than a feeble whimper, the mask launched itself at her face, and upon clamping tight upon it, flooded the pitiful girl with unimaginable quantities of dark power. Mere moments later, the horrifying transformation was complete. The shrinking violet Connie was no more, in her place stood the imposing Empress of Nightmares.
Connie's tormentors were in the midst of laughing at their pathetic victim's plight, when the Empress appeared before them. Not uttering a word, she spread her arms wide and unleashed a torrent of horrors dredged up from the darkest recesses of their minds. Once they had all been reduced to quivering cationic wrecks the Empress departed. While it seemed as if a wicked tyrant had been unleashed upon an unsuspecting world, nothing could have been further from the case. Even as the Empress of Nightmares, Connie was still the same timid girl she had always been. Utterly horrified by what had happened to her (and by what she had inadvertently done to the bullies), she went to the one place she felt safe- the room she shared with Mia. The room was empty, so she waited. When her roommate returned, she was initially taken aback by what her friend had become, but after quelling her shock, she gently helped Connie to get her bearings. It didn’t hurt that Mia herself was also secretly a magical girl and had been one for several years, a fact she now revealed to Connie. After telling her friend all she knew about life as a magical girl, and helping her change back to normal, Mia worked with Connie to develop a plan for navigating this new phase of her life.
We’ll see how it goes…
Incantation:
From the pitch black obsidian depths of your feverish and tormented minds I come! Phobias and lamentations are my gifts to all! Let your hands claw at your eyes and your wails deafen the multitudes! Tremble O World, for the Empress of Nightmares is upon you!
Note- This is said in a deep, imperious voice, with notably sensual undertones, as though she is clearly reveling in the power coursing through her. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, this incantation is spoken completely unwillingly on Connie’s part. She can’t help herself. She simply HAS to say it at the culmination of every transformation, whether she wants to or not, and she REALLY doesn’t want to. It creeps her the hell out.
Additional Info:
Connie is an aspiring artist who likes to paint pictures of cute and happy things, although lately, her powers make these paintings turn out somewhat creepier than she intended, much to her disappointment. She also likes cute stuffed animals and frequently cuddles with her small collection when she's feeling particularly depressed/frightened (which is sadly quite often). Oh, and she is also incredibly clumsy.
As one might suspect, Connie absolutely HATES being the Empress of Nightmares. Even when transformed, she prefers to go by her real name, that is, if she chooses to socialize with anyone at all (she's painfully shy). Of particular note, she is extremely terrified of masks, and since she wears a mask in her magical girl form, one of the weaknesses she’s trying (and failing) to overcome is being confronted with her own reflection (the first time she saw herself as the Empress, she nearly gave herself a heart attack).
Tyrannical and demanding, the Lord of Nightmares is single-minded in its pursuit of eternally increasing the quantity and strength of intelligent beings’ nightmares. In this way, it is less of a thinking being and more of an elemental force.
History:
Not much is known about the Lord of Nightmares. It reveals its history to no one, not even its chosen champion, although, admittedly, Connie has never dared to ask it.
Resources:
Although staggeringly powerful in its focused area, the Lord of Nightmares’ resources are virtually non-existent. Despite what one would think regarding such a being, the Lord of Nightmares has no army of monsters or web of agents (other than Connie), and has very little presence in, or effect on, the world outside the realm of nightmares. On the other hand, since every creature has dreams, and thus nightmares as well, this has the potential to be a very mighty realm indeed.
Additional Info:
Bonded to the Mask of the Endless Nightmare, the Lord of Nightmares manifests itself to Connie as an inky black wraith-like being. Its form is amorphous and constantly shifting, but sometimes, on particularly unpleasant (and thankfully quite rare) occasions, Connie has seen what appears to be a face emerge from the darkness. What that visage depicts only Connie knows, but since it takes several hours of Gaia’s comfort to even begin to calm her, it’s probably best if we don’t find out.
Name: Mia Cooper (Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth)
Age (Magical Girl): 15
Age (Before Magical Girl): 14
Gender: Female
Gender (Before Magical Girl): Female
Appearance:
Mia has an average body type for her age, and as Gaia, wears an extremely skimpy outfit, usually consisting of little more than a skimpy bikini made of leaves and vines. On certain occasions, she might also wear a verdant flowing silky robe, but it is so thin, and it clings to her body to such a degree, that it still leaves very little to the imagination.
Specialization: Wood
Weapon: Nature’s Blossom (Mystic/Ranged)-
This is a green staff wrapped in leafy vines and small flowers. The leaves grow larger the closer they are to the top of the staff. It is here that a large multicolored flower blooms. Nature’s Blossom not only aids in focusing Gaia’s mystical power, but also serves as a ranged weapon, capable of shooting emerald beams of potent magical energy.
Power: Nature’s Fury (Barrage)-
Gaia can put out a staggering volume of offensive magical power. This mostly takes the form of swirling whirlwinds and surging torrents of vines, branches, and tendril-like beams of pure life energy. She can even cause roots and vines to shoot up from underneath her foes as well, assailing them from all angles.
Perks:
Dual Weapon- As noted above, Nature’s Blossom is a Mystic Weapon whose power is so great, that its normally weak magical beam is amplified into something far more impressive.
Enhanced Weapon- Nature’s Blossom is an extraordinarily powerful nexus of natural life energies. It is Mother Earth’s generous gift to her daughter, and it is Gaia’s great honor to wield it.
Purification Artifact- The Orb of Spring is a verdant, flower covered sphere that greatly amplifies Gaia’s already prodigious ability to purify an area of both pollution and unnatural entities. While it can keep an area clear of monsters, Gaia still needs to charge it and it only works in a fixed radius around the Orb itself. It also doesn't force monsters to leave an area they are already in, but it will make them uncomfortable and they’ll likely want to leave.
Patron: Mother Earth (Deity)
Patron Benefits:
Blessing- Gaia is capable of bestowing Mother Earth’s blessing on a person or place. This requires a special rite, but will have subtle but real effects, like purifying air and water, as well as promoting thriving and abundant plant life.
Divine Competence- Gaia is competent in several areas of skill and study associated with the natural world, especially plant life. This is no substitute for proper training and experience, but even in her untransformed state, she can be expected to manage without complete failure.
Mana Font- Mother Earth is capable of channeling massive quantities of energy to her chosen champion. As such, Gaia has more mana than normal.
Mystic Might- Mother Earth has drastically improved Gaia’s mystic abilities. She is truly a force of nature.
Gifted Item- Mother Earth has gifted her daughter with The Orb of Spring, a powerful Purification Artifact, described above.
Patron Drawbacks:
Rites- Gaia is the daughter of Mother Earth, thus there are rituals that she is expected to observe. Some are relatively easy, like tending a garden. Others require her to do things rather bizarre for modern society, like performing somewhat suggestive fertility dances.
Arrogance- While Gaia is undeniably precious to her, Mother Earth does regrettably tend towards arrogance. She frequently overestimates what her daughter is capable of and dismisses what her enemies are capable of. The demands she makes of her daughter may not actually be achievable for Gaia on her own, or even with help.
Big Brother (Overbearing Mother)- Mother Earth will often poke her nose into her daughter’s personal life, and be constantly checking up on her and observing.
Clueless- Mother Earth doesn’t know how other magic, monsters, or mystic phenomena in general work. She can’t offer Gaia any meaningful advice on these topics.
Fighting Style:
When Gaia needs to engage in combat, she employs every aspect of the natural world around her. From the tiniest blade of grass to the mightiest tree, all come to her aid in battle. Using her considerable command over plant life, Gaia can mold these allies into fearsome monstrosities. Coupled with magical blasts from Nature’s Blossom and barrages of branches, roots, and vines, the Daughter of Mother Earth can easily make short work of her would-be opponents.
A brash, short-tempered tomboy, who always seems to be getting into trouble. Tough, abrasive, and holding a low opinion of pretty much everyone (and authority figures in particular), Mia usually isn’t a very pleasant person to be around. Her one soft spot is for her best friend, and fellow orphan, Connie Williams. She cares for her deeply, always offering talk with her about any and all of her myriad problems, and fully prepared to help her in any way she can.
When she becomes Gaia, her personality drastically changes. Gone is the flippant, tough talking tomboy, replaced by a serene, refined, elegant and unfailingly polite nymph-like demigoddess. She speaks calmly in this form, her voice sounding like a blissful sigh. As Gaia, it takes a lot to truly anger her, but if this is accomplished, her roars of displeasure have been known to take on the tone of a raging hurricane. Also, her affection for Connie is massively increased in this form, and she often cuddles with her friend, caressing her, giving her frequent hugs, gently stroking her hair, and even providing full body massages to help her relax.
Note that this affection is purely platonic. She thinks of Connie as a sister, not as a romantic interest.
History:
An orphan, like Connie, Mia has known the former ever since they were little kids. Seeing how frequently bullied her friend was, Mia was always quick to leap to Connie’s defense, serving as her protector and the orphanage’s most feared bully hunter. Several years ago, while in the midst of a particularly vivid dream, she was visited by a being claiming herself to be Mother Earth. This being warmly informed Mia that she was the chosen recipient of her power, and that she would not only become her champion, but her daughter as well. Now, one might think an orphan would leap at the opportunity to have a kind and loving mother, but not Mia. She basically told the absurdly powerful goddess to go screw herself. Mother Earth, however, would not take “no” for an answer. Heedless of Mia’s increasingly stronger worded protests, the goddess flooded the unwilling girl with every ounce of her staggering power. When she had finished, Mia had been utterly transformed into the embodiment of nature’s power and beauty. The mouthy tomboy was no more. In her place was an otherworldly beautiful demigoddess, Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth.
Although Mia hated being Gaia, she didn’t really have much choice in the matter and so grudgingly resigned herself to her fate, performing her missions for Mother Earth, while still trying to maintain some semblance of her former life. This continued for several years, until one fateful day, when she discovered that her best friend had also found herself in a similar predicament. Now, Mia helps Connie to acclimate to life as a magical girl as best she can.
Incantation:
Nature’s beauty! Nature’s grace! Nature’s power! Behold! I am Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth!
Additional Info:
Mia hates everything about being a magical girl and is greatly embarrassed by her magical girl persona (especially the outfit, or lack thereof). Or at least she used to hate everything about it. Now she is somewhat thankful she ended up becoming Gaia, as it allows her to keep watch over Connie. She still gets really embarrassed when she turns into Gaia, though. She also despises Mother Earth, seeing her as highly annoying and controlling.
As Gaia, Mia absolutely loves Mother Earth, carrying out her wishes without question and eagerly striving to be the best daughter she can be. In this form she is not at all embarrassed by her skimpy outfit, viewing it as an opportunity to show the beauty of Mother Earth to all who gaze upon her. Also, as Gaia, Mia never goes by her civilian name, for various reasons. Even if the individual addressing her knows her civilian identity, she insists that they refer to her as Gaia, or sometimes even “Lady” Gaia. The only exception to this is (unsurprisingly) Connie, who she allows to call her Mia for old times sake (and because she often simply forgets Mia’s magical girl name in the first place).
Kind, loving, warm and generous, but in an overbearing, smothering, highly controlling way. Mother knows what’s best and others will simply have to endure it, whether they like it or not.
History:
Apparently the sentient consciousness of Earth itself, she is the personification and protector of the natural world. Due to reasons too complex to note here, she is unable to exercise the totality of her vast power herself, but must instead imbue a chosen young woman with her massive mystical might. This “Daughter of Mother Earth” then acts as her agent, carrying out her bidding in the world.
Resources:
Mother Earth’s resources are as vast as the Earth itself. All of nature is hers to rule and command, and this authority now extends to Gaia as well. Of course, with pollution, deforestation, and various other environmental ills at an all time high, Mother Earth’s powers are not nearly as strong as they once were. Nevertheless, they are still not to be taken lightly.
Additional Info:
Mother Earth is quite pleased that her daughter has decided to take her friend Connie under her branches, so to speak. She is a goddess who seeks to nurture growth, after all, and what better growth to nurture than the potential of a dear friend?
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