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Post by Zen on Jun 19, 2017 21:51:08 GMT -5
Odd CasesCody Lazarus (Partners with Roger Bacon, who no longer has his abilities as a servant) Master-Servant PairsKirin Oshiro and Max (Archer) Jack Blair and Celtchar (Lancer)Hera Gregg and Morgiana (Saber) Miranda Raldenforth and William Tell (Archer)Julia Bellinger and Peter Pan (Saber)Webster Krauss and Dante (Caster) Skyla Robinson and Ivan Tsarevich (Rider)Unpaired MagesLogan AldenheizLester Makar Anne Kenrin Sybil LucaniaJeb Yurrick Kael SebastianMaria Williams Anastasia WilliamsUnpaired ServantsGunnar Hamundarson (Lancer)Grendel's Mother (Assassin) Bridget Bishop (Caster) Lizzie Borden (Berserker)Numa Pompilius (Lancer-Shielder) Clara Barton (Rider) King Midas (Caster)Lu Zhishen (Lancer)Appearances Cody Lazarus Jack Blair Kirin Oshiro Mason Grey/Webster Krauss Skyla Robinson Anne Kenrin Gunnar(Lancer) Celtchar William Tell Dante Hera Gregg Lester Makar Sybil Lucania Max Lizzie Borden Morgiana
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Post by Zen on Jun 19, 2017 22:18:27 GMT -5
SERVANT:
What's your name?: What do they call you?: (Your title, like "Knight of the Lake" is Sir Lancelot's title) What class are you?: (Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, Berserker, or classless) What's your age?: (Apparent age) What are your stats?: (Strength, Endurance, Agility, Luck and Mana reserves) What's your Noble Phantasm?: (Without a mana source, using a noble phantasm is typically suicide) Where are you coming from?: (The story of your life before dying and becoming a servant, as well as any sanctum wars they were a part of) Where are you going?: (What you're up to today, after escaping Sanctum)
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Post by Zen on Jun 19, 2017 22:29:07 GMT -5
MAGE:
What's your name?: What do you do?: (Your job, or your role in the mage's association) What's your age?: What are you good at?: (Skills, abilities and what sort of magic you practice) What gives you trouble?: (Weaknesses, shortcomings, flaws in your character) Where are you coming from?: (Your backstory) Where are you going?: (Your future plans, what your character is doing as the story begins)
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Post by Zen on Jun 20, 2017 12:18:01 GMT -5
What's your name?: Kirin Oshiro (http://i.imgur.com/SfuFxMn.jpg)
What do you do?: Cody Lazarus' partner and assistant. Also a highly ranking member of the Mage's Association by virtue of him being the patriarch of the house of Oshiro, one of the three most significant families across the world.
What's your age?: 20
What are you good at?: Elemental magic, knowledge of advanced magecraft, keeping calm and collected under pressure
What gives you trouble?: Chronic nightmares and a dry sense of humor
Where are you coming from?: Kirin was a powerful Mage serving the Spade Faction in the Final Divided War. In secret, he wasn't an actual master-that title went to his assistant, Riza Miles, master of the Archer of Spades. Upon catching wind of the true nature of the Sanctum Wars, a plot by the mage's association to retain control over the sanctum keys, he and his assistant defected to the Club side and aided their victory. However, in the waning moments of the war, Archer was possessed by his father Isa Oshiro, and Riza was killed. Isa was shortly brought to justice and the sanctum keys were destroyed, but there was no bringing her back.
Where are you going?: Kirin is now the fiancé of Hera, who was once the master of the Rider of Clubs. Though they will be wed in a few short months, he also acts as the assistant to Cody Lazarus, the former leader of the Club Faction, who now had a whole host of enemies. Kirin seems to live a stable life for the first time, but at night he still has visions of Riza in his dreams. She is suffering.
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Post by Red Eyed Salsa on Jun 20, 2017 14:14:45 GMT -5
What's your name?: Logan Aldenheiz
What do you do?: Head scientist and researcher of the 'Collective Arcane and Alchemy Research Groups', CAARG.
What's your age?: 47
What are you good at?: Due to insufficient magic circuits, Logan has considerably high aptitude at 'fake magic', otherwise codeworded as 'Alchemy' by CAARG. He specializes in flat shields and ballistic blasts for combat spells. Logan is also capable of floating/hovering spells, as well as spell processes capable of cutting any physical bonding of atoms, although only at hand reach.
"Alchemy" is a highly calculated and manipulated version of normal magic, which requires little to no active magic circuit for the spell processes to be completed. Only recently discovered, it's discovery sparked the founding of CAARG, who's members are mostly non-magic users.
What gives you trouble?: Clinical depression, developed over the years, means Logan has little to no interest nor drive. This, combined with his natural pessimism, makings finding the 'good' in offers and deals difficult, as well as making critical planning in combat situations difficult, despite his high intellect. Clouding of the user's mental state, such as emotions and alcohol intoxication, renders Alchemy unusable, as it demands a very high cognitive thought and power.
Where are you coming from?: Originally a son of two successful mages, he had spent three years in magical training, his parents hoping the'd inherit the best of their magic genes. Halfway through the third year, Logan was found to have fault magic circuits, unable to use more than the most basic of spells, anything more powerful causing a painful backfire. Disappointed in their child, the parents sent him to live in a dorm, outside of the magus world, and continued on with the next two decades of his life, attempting to live like a normal non-magic citizen.
However, magic wasn't the only thing Logan found himself useless at. Most craft Logan attempted to practice, he found himself below average, failing at any skill or hobby, and never found a talent he was natural at. Years of this, along with the rejection from his family, left Logan in a horrible mental state, causing him to attempt to go back to his roots, and return to magical research. It wasn't long after this until a colleague in the community magic research Logan went to, noticed his desperation. It was this colleague that told Logan about 'Alchemy', immediately catching his interest. Together, the two spent the next two years researching the subject together, before their work was noticed, and the two confronted by two wealthy researchers, who both seemed to have an unnaturally keen interest in Alchemy. Logan and his colleague were invited to join a then small research team, funded by a shrewd and unknown source.
The research group, with the four men leading, grow and grew, forming the 'Collective Arcane and Alchemy Research Groups', as many teams were assigned to experiment and improve each separate process of achieving 'Alchemy'. Despite being forced to remain low profile, and unable to publish it's achievements, to keep their funding source covered and hidden from the mage's association, CAARG continued to remain successful, and Logan being one of the leading users of Alchemy application.
Where are you going?: Continue with CAARG research, only mildly interested in the Sanctum War he was seemingly chosen to partake in. Countermeasures for an attack by another contender aren't entirely neglected, however.
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Post by Zen on Jun 20, 2017 20:48:00 GMT -5
Name: Max. Just Max.
Known As: The 22nd Freeshooter
Class: Archer (Alternative: Assassin)
Age: 28
Strength: C Endurance: C Agility: C+/A+ Mana: B Luck: C
Skills:
Magic Resistance (D+): Ranked down after escaping Zamiel's grasp and no longer being bound to the 7 magic bullets. Basic spells do next to nothing to him, intermediate spells do slightly less damage, and advanced spells deal damage as normal. Since he is a wraith, however, he receives extra damage from holy magic.
Marksmanship (A): Max is deadly with his musket and can line up a shot in an instant. If necessary, he can target a flying enemy while he himself is in freefall. Among the 99 freeshooters, he's one of the best at aiming both quickly and effectively.
Tracking (B/A+): Archer can track humans, mages and servants alike. Casters and Berserkers leave a particularly large amount of mana residue, meaning he can hunt them down especially easily. To most other servants his tracking is at B rank, but after spending centuries among the other freeshooters he has an especially keen sense of them. He can hunt down any one of the other 98 from anywhere on earth if he wants to.
Wraith Form (C+): A skill he possesses simply by being a phantom resurrected by the demon Zamiel. Max can fade into a silhouette of his normal form and melt into any surface, then rush along its side at a speed equivalent to a servant with agility of A+ rank. With this he can quickly ascend skyscrapers or phase through ventilation shafts, or simply fly under an opponent and appear behind them. He was once only able to do this when he was injured, but with a master with a higher mana pool he can seamlessly shift in and out of this form at will at the cost of some mana. While in wraith form he is invulnerable to all except divine attacks, but he himself cannot attack or physically interact with anyone.
Independent Action (D): Max needs mana only to fire from his noble phantasm and to assume Wraith Form. Otherwise, he can remain in the world without food or water indefinitely, watching everything unfold from the sidelines. He can get into one or two good firefights before expending himself.
Noble Phantasms:
Agathe (D+): A musket, now unremarkable due to lacking the seven magic bullets. It's nevertheless a powerful weapon, striking with the force of a servant with B rank strength, and paired with his marksmanship it becomes a terribly powerful weapon. The bullets are mana-based, and thus he will not run out so long as he has a source such as a master, and they have minor homing capabilities (adjusting their trajectory slightly in order to hit shots that otherwise would have been near-misses). Named after the woman he loved in life, Agathe. He surrendered his soul just to get the chance to marry her, after all.
Background: A very long time ago, Max was a German marksman who simply wanted to marry the woman he loved, a girl named Agathe. Her father wanted him to prove himself worthy, however. A test of marksmanship was to be held, and her hand would be his only if he performed flawlessly. He was't taking any chances. Max's luck was worsening by the day, and he and his beloved were too far in love to let the consequences scare them. He was approached by a man named Caspar, who introduced him to the demon Zamiel. With Zamiel, Max forged seven magic bullets and won Agathe's hand in marriage, but his soul forever belonged to the demon. He became the 22nd Freeshooter; the 22nd archer who had taken the demon's offer. The 99 Freeshooters were forever bound to the Sanctum Wars, and were some of the deadliest Archer-class servants that were ever summoned. Though other servants were loyal only to their masters, Max answered to no one before Zamiel, who owned his soul for eternity. Max always said, "Agathe was worth it." It's been centuries since they were forever separated, but he's never forgotten her.
Current Goals: A crack was torn in Zamiel's curse when Sanctum was opened up, and the 99 Freeshooters escaped along with the rest of the servants. Simo Häyhä (A former Assassin of Clubs, the 94th Freeshooter) returned to Finland before watching over the turmoil in eastern Europe. Vasily Zaytsev, the 99th, emerged in Russia and has now become a fearsome rival. Max, meanwhile, wanders the dirty streets of London. The mage's association is based just north of where he is, but he couldn't care less. His loyalty now is only to tobacco and alcohol. Sex sometimes, too. He's quite the charmer, after all.
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Post by muhtheepic on Jun 20, 2017 21:19:21 GMT -5
Name: Gunnar Hamundarson (http://prntscr.com/fnp9y6)
Epithet: Hero of the North
Class: Lancer (Alternate: Archer)
Age: 22
Strength: A
Endurance: B
Agility: A+
Mana: C
Luck: D
Skills:
Magic Resistance (C): As a member of the lancer class, and a man who was knowledgeable of curses and witches in life, Gunnar is capable of canceling most weaker spells, and diminishing the effects of more powerful ones.
Archery (A): Gunnar was known as an incredibly skilled archer, who held off an entire clan with his bow alone, and was only defeated once his bowstring snapped. He can fire arrows and throwing projectiles with pinpoint accuracy.
Charm (B): A skill related to charisma, but accentuated by Gunnar’s incredibly handsome natural appearance, as he was frequently described as the most beautiful man on Earth. This gives him an advantage when it comes to charming people and gaining their favor.
Concealed Attack (C): Throughout his time as a warrior, Gunnar successfully utilized many different types of hidden attacks, always striking from an unexpected angle – for example, he once stabbed an unsuspecting enemy through a crack in the wall after waiting for him to walk into the right position. This skill gives Gunnar an advantage when it comes to moving stealthily and setting up traps to aid in his offense.
Bulwark of the Land (A): Gunnar has an incredible amount of loyalty to the places he frequents. While he initially planned to leave his native Iceland to save his life, he became so moved by its beauty and scale that he decided to stay behind, and defended it heroically. Later, Gunnar made his last stand protecting his house single-handedly against an invading clan. At any point where he is charged with defending a place he has a strong emotional connection to, he becomes exponentially more powerful.
Noble Phantasms:
Atgeir (Anti-Unit, C): Gunnar’s long-bladed halberd, known for the “singing” it made when drawn in anticipation of bloodshed. Atgeir can be pointed directly at an enemy, which will cause the ringing to multiply in volume and effect, stunning the target or rendering them off-balance and interfering with their senses.
Light Hero (Anti-Self, D): Gunnar is considered the prototypical example of an Icelandic “light” hero, one whose loyalty, virtue, and manhood are all exaggerated to the point of cliché, and he has no flaws of character whatsoever. This distinction of being the original “hero cliché” helps mask Gunnar’s true identity from other servants, by presenting him as an embodiment of heroism rather than as an individual.
Background: Gunnar was the greatest of the Icelandic chieftain-warriors, demonstrating incredible athleticism and prodigious skill with both his Atgeir and his bow. His downfall came about after he killed two men from the clan of Gissur the White, despite it having been prophesized that he would die when he killed two men from the same family. Gunnar thought he could escape Iceland altogether and avoid this fate, but as he was about to set sail, he was suddenly overcome with the majestic beauty of his homeland. He changed his mind and returned to his house, knowing that men would already be swarming toward him to seek revenge. Once inside, he stabbed Atgeir through a gap in the wall to kill an enemy scout. The remaining attackers, realizing he was home, charged the building, but Gunnar held them at bay for several hours at a distance with his bow. Finally, after his bowstring broke in a scuffle, Gunnar asked his wife for one of her hairs to replace it. She refused him out of spite, because he had disciplined her previously for stealing food during a famine; Gunnar, unfazed, leapt into hand-to-hand combat with the attackers, where he finally met his end.
Unfortunately, because of the way his property was destroyed upon his death, there were no fitting catalysts left to summon him with; thus, although Gunnar would have liked to participate in a sanctum war as a heroic spirit, it had never come to pass.
Current Goals: Gunnar seeks out a master with a pure and unselfish heart that could assist him in carrying out noble deeds. He is no stranger to chaos, turbulence, and violence; in fact, he relishes this opportunity to face down other great warriors in combat, since he himself was peerless in his time.
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Post by Red Eyed Salsa on Jun 21, 2017 2:03:22 GMT -5
Logan Aldenheiz
"...And thus, I propose that we create a discussion with the strategic board, and schedule meetings over the next week. If that cannot be done, then I'll call for a top adviser the day after next, and hold a discussion here--"
Logan's face was cast downwards, eyes trained on a fixed position of his shining and bare desk, his placed movingly onto of the surface. His unshaven chin rested onto of his white gloved hands, the sleeves of his white coat rolled back about five inches. In his presence, in-front of the office desk stood two others, who were briefing him on recommendations, most of which he seemed to have had little interest in. To the left, stood his well trusted colleague, hair kept orderly unlike his own, and a steamed black business suit. Square glasses rested on his nose, several sheets of paper in his hands which he read off of. To the right was a maid, who's skirt was just below the knee, and black hair pulled back neatly. A dull expression was worn on her face, as she kept silent, she was armed with a pen and clipboard.
"That won't be necessary, Chris. Our strategists are only proficient at practical application of Alchemy, as well as escape plans. They know next to nothing about winning a mage's war. I will do this by myself."
For a moment, the man named Chris simply stared at Logan, before feigning a cough, and pushed his glasses back up his nose, handing the sheets of paper to the maid at his side. His face changed from that of a stern businessman, to showing, if just a little, of that of concern.
"I'm well aware of the lack of measures against this situation, and that you are the most capable within the organization for combat. However, I doubt you have the capabilities to direction confront an enemy, if forced to. You're useless at almost everything, Logan."
Logan lifted his chin from his hands, leaning back into the executive chair. Now, he stared upwards at the ceiling, his pale blue eyes seemingly stiff. The maid, who had finished marking up the the papers in the meantime, turned her head up, her almost blank face showing hints of curiosity.
"What do you plan to do, in that case, Professor Aldenheiz?"
"Don't pry into matters that don't concern you, stupid servant. Leave my office."
Still with her blank expression, the maid gave a short bow, as she'd turn on her heel, and left the room, closing the door behind herself. The business suit wearing man watched her leave, returning too his formal outlook, before turning back to face Logan.
"What do you plan to do, Logan? You should at least have an idea of what should respond to the situation with."
Logan's eye lowered to meet the subtle glare of Chris which was not cold, but far from warm. A few more seconds passed by, before he gave his answer.
"I'll keep my eye on it."
As Logan spun his chair away, Chris turned, and left the office himself. The researcher combed a clothed finger through his own messy brown hair, head hanging over while his back remained against the leather.
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Post by Doodlebug on Jun 21, 2017 10:48:28 GMT -5
What’s your name?: Hera Gregg (http://i.imgur.com/z3uyaUEl.jpg)
What do you do?: She makes sure no one in Cody and Kirin’s group of allies gets killed. Pretty much just keeps an eye on known and suspected enemies. Just in case.
What’s your age?: 20
What are you good at?: Water and Earth Elementals as well as mid to high level shields, also familiar with some ice elementals
What gives you trouble?: cloaking/stealth, mommy issues, haunted by the deaths of last war
Where are coming from?: Hera Gregg was just a rebellious teen with anger issues who loved fast cars. That was until she discovered her father’s secret library filled with tomes and ancient books on different aspects of spell casting. It was here she discovered her talent for magic. About three years later she discovered she had been chosen to participate in the Sanctum War on the Clubs team as the master of Rider. After many battles and seemingly pointless deaths the clubs all destroyed their keys, and the Sanctum War was ended forever.
Where are you going?: Hera is now working with Cody, the leader of the Club faction in the last war, and Kirin, her fiance, to bring knowledge of the magical community to the muggles non-mag normal people of the world. The death she witnessed in the war still lurks in the back of her mind casting a long dark shadow on life, but her upcoming marriage and success as a mage are pushing her forward along with a promise she made to a certain fallen master long ago...
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Post by nertox on Jun 21, 2017 12:48:24 GMT -5
SERVANT:
Your Name: None Your Title: Grendel's Mother
Frequent Impersonated Titles: Lady of the Lake / She-Wolf / Gefjon
Class: Assassin (frequently impersonates Berserker / Caster)
Apparent age: Variable
"Grendles modor Ides, aglæcwif." Assassin is an antagonist in the poem Beowulf, who fought Beowulf after he killed her son Grendel. She had the upperhand until Beowulf killed her with an antique sword. Her appearance and motivations are the subject of scholarly debate, as the text is ambiguous in describing her: subhuman or parahuman, villainous or heroic. This ambiguity, along with her lack of a true name, renders her a powerful Assassin, capable of shifting between phases with different appearances and skills. However, the lack of concrete objects associated with her and the melding of identities makes her difficult to summon, meaning that this is one of her few opportunities to venture into the world. Assassin uses her unique abilities to gain multiple identities as separate Servants of different classes. In direct battle, she is of above-average strength for an Assassin, wielding either a dagger or sharp, monstrous claws. Her first phase (Aglæcwif) is monstrous, taking the form of a giant troll or she-wolf. In this form, she fights with massive claws and teeth, and can credibly pass for a Berserker-class Servant if necessary. Her second phase (Ides) draws inspiration from valkyries, fertility goddesses such as Gefjon, and warriors, giving her the appearance of a shining woman and access to low-ranked Divinity. This phase fights with a dagger, weak flight or gliding, and water magic. Despite these phases being associated with the concepts of ‘evil’ and ‘good’ respectively, Assassin is truly neither of those things, and simply plays the role of an evil or good Servant in each of her respective forms.
Assassin's goals in this Sanctum War are as nebulous as she is, especially since this is the first time she can remember leaving Sanctum. She has no qualms about preying on civilians or mages for their mana, and will naturally present different faces to different people as a form of information gathering. She can be oddly protective of people she chooses to trust and ally with, and is looking for a purpose for her existence. Strength: A- (Aglæcwif) / D (Ides) Endurance: B (Aglæcwif) / C- (Ides) Agility: D (Aglæcwif) / A- (Ides) Mana: C- (Aglæcwif) / B (Ides) Luck: D Skills: Presence Concealment (A+): Assassin is able to conceal her presence as a Servant, making her excellent at spying. Preparations to attack weaken the efficiency of this skill but do not entirely eliminate it, making surprise attacks possible. Ides/Aglæcwif (A): As a result of her ambiguous descriptions in Beowulf: the word Aglæcwif, which has been described as meaning either “monster” or “warrior” and also describes Beowulf himself, and the word Ides, which means a woman, often of high class or even divine status, Assassin is able to shift her appearance, stats, skills, and even apparent identity as a Servant. Information Erasure (E): Assassin possesses a weak form of the Information Erasure skill that affects the memories that others have of her after the battle. This skill is focused on making it difficult for others to connect Assassin’s two identities, rewriting memories to exaggerate their differences or even have both phases in the same place at one time. This allows Assassin to pretend to be two separate Servants more effectively. Skills (Aglæcwif Only): Mad Enhancement (D): In her Aglæcwif phase, Assassin gains a rank-up to Strength and Endurance to allow for more close-quarters combat, at the cost of some of her language skill and ability to carry on complex thoughts for extended periods of time -- fitting for a monster. Foul Aura (C): In her Aglæcwif phase, Assassin radiates a feeling of evil, causing all others to view her morality in this light. Extended exposure to this aura causes similar ‘evil,’ feral behavior in others. Skills (Ides Only): Divinity (C): In her Ides phase, Assassin becomes associated with the fertility goddess Gefjon and valkyries, granting her divine attributes and giving her the appearance of a woman worthy of worship. Saint of the Waterside (B+): In her Ides phase, due to being known to live in a lake, Assassin gains a stronger association with the element of water. Her strength increases near water, and she possesses hydrokinesis, allowing her to channel mana in the form of water for use in attacks. Noble Phantasms: Curse of the Antique Sword (Anti-Unit (Self), C): Assassin can only use this Noble Phantasm in her Aglæcwif phase. When Beowulf fought Assassin, she was immune to most conventional forms of attack, until Beowulf found a magical antique sword in her lair and was able to kill her with it. This Noble Phantasm manifests as a protective aura that renders Assassin immune to all forms of attack that have already been used against her in this battle, forcing her enemies to adjust and adapt their strategies. However, she gains an increased weakness to new forms of attack, particularly physical attacks with a strong magical basis, like physical Noble Phantasms. This Noble Phantasm is most effective due to its subtlety -- it can be activated quickly and without warning, at which point attacks that previously had an effect will simply glance off Assassin. This Noble Phantasm does not have an extremely high mana cost, but the nature of this incident means that it should only be used when the other option is certain death. Plough of Zealand (Anti-Army/Anti-World, B): Some scholars argue that Assassin is none other than the fertility goddess Gefjon, who is famous for creating the island of Zealand by ploughing land out to sea. This Noble Phantasm manifests four golden oxen and a plough. The oxen move forward, creating a massive fissure in the ground, enough to destroy structures and defensive forces. The oxen will continue moving until they reach a source of water such as a lake or ocean, at which point the fissure will fill with water and the displaced land will form an island in the lake. This Noble Phantasm has a high mana cost.
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Post by nertox on Jun 21, 2017 13:29:43 GMT -5
MAGE:
What's your name?: Miranda Raldenforth (Codename: Echo) What do you do?:
So many mages are inherently selfish creatures, treating the acquisition of magical power and its use to gain political power over others as a means to itself. The current sociopolitical structure of mages, backed by the Mage Association, has gained an uncomfortable equilibrium: several powerful families, who have passed down their magic through many years, have magical and political dominion over many weaker families, with each family becoming more powerful over time at roughly the same rate. But every so often, there are outliers: non-entities without the guidance of the Mage Association to keep them in check gaining access to a powerful magical artifact or spell, one family deciding it deserves more than it has and performing an ill-advised ritual, and the like all threaten to disrupt the system that has kept magic tame, safe, for so long.
Echo deals with these outliers.
The Raldenforth family was once a lesser-known house of mages, yearning for greater status despite their comparatively short lineage. They began to refine a series of "anti-magic" spells, with the eventual goal of finding a way to turn a family's magical power against them or transfer a portion of it to the Raldenforths. The Mage Association, however, got wind of these plans, and through a combination of targeted assassinations and the threat of destroying their family's name entirely, was able to stop the Raldenforths from progressing. However, seeing the merits (and potential dangers) in the style of magic they had created, the Mage Association struck a deal with the Raldenforths: in exchange for a seat at the table at important inter-family meetings, the Raldenforths would donate their most promising child each generation to the Mage's Association for training. Miranda was one such child, trained from an early age to assassinate the targets that needed assassinating, sabotage rituals that threatened to disrupt the delicate order of society, and be an enforcer for the Mage Association. A mage-killer.
Without the Association's direction, when she's not hunting targets as the shadowy bogeyman Echo, Miranda tends to be rudderless. However, she is intent on learning more about her family's history, information that the Association has withheld from her in the fears that it might sway her allegiance.
What's your age?: 20 What are you good at?: (Skills, abilities and what sort of magic you practice)
Miranda's magic focuses on disrupting, reflecting, canceling, or copying the spells of others, in addition to being acceptably proficient at physical or ranged combat if magic fails her. Her trademark effect is generating a field that disrupts the casting of magic, causing spells to trigger prematurely or backfire. A mage intending to throw a fireball may instead find their hand on fire, their forcefield spell may generate a forcefield inside their body, or their summoning ritual may activate before the contract protecting the summoner can be completed. Larger-scale rituals are more protected against this method of attack, as are enchanted objects, but here Miranda's training comes into play: she has been trained with enough knowledge of rituals and enchantments to know how to sabotage them, canceling key effects or redirecting their targets, without being able to cast them herself. Her biggest weakness is non-magical attack, which is why the Association has kept the extent of her abilities a secret and sent her out only after closely analyzing her target. But any mage that relies too strongly on quick casting or complex rituals will find themselves virtually defenseless against her.
What gives you trouble?:
On the combat end, Echo is reactive in nature, able to prevent most magical attacks from connecting but poor at starting the fight herself. Her usual technique is to sabotage a spell or ritual already in progress, or to goad a magical attack from her opponent. Her training in physical combat is enough to overpower most civilians, but any mage that makes a point of practicing it is likely to give Miranda a run for her money. Mentally, Miranda has been brought up following the Association's way of thinking, but is surprisingly naive, prone to deception or trickery if she doesn't kill her targets outright.
Where are you coming from?: Think I've said most of this already: an enforcer of the Association, who also does some mercenary work on the side if it doesn't go against the Institute's interests. Trying to learn more about her family, and the Association's relationship with it.
Where are you going?: Right now, she's investigating the interaction between her anti-magic and alchemy, which threatens to disrupt the current order by making magical tools available to a wider variety of people.
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Post by MS on Jun 21, 2017 13:34:09 GMT -5
Mages:Name: Lester Makar (goes by Les) Appearance: Occupation: Not part of the mage’s association. Crime lord and street magician. Age: 23 Skills: Lockpicking, pickpocketing, sleight of hand, stealth things. He can use his magic to create a doppelganger of anyone he’s met and can command them to carry out actions, though it can only last up to 10 minutes and he can only have one at a time. He can see through the doppelganger if he chooses to, and can possess them to take direct control, though this leaves his body vulnerable. He swap places with any of the doppelgangers as well, though it costs a lot of mana. Les also utilizes various forms of illusion and stealth based magic. He can use basic electric magic, but that’s the extent of his offensive magical capabilities. Can use minor physical enhancement spells. He carries a gun with him. Weaknesses: Les doesn’t know many offensive spells and lacks substantial magical might. He’s also still fairly ignorant of the extent and power of the mage’s association, leading him to overestimate himself and underestimate the association. Backstory: Les started off as a simple thief wanting a better lot in life than a homeless shelter. Everything changed when he picked the wrong person to mug. The person he tried to mug was a mage, and the mage used his magic to defend himself and ultimately try to kill Les to uphold the no witnesses rule. Les barely escaped and was left with a bad burn scar on the side of his neck. After that incident he became obsessed with the strange art of magecraft and tried figuring out how to use it for himself. One day he spotted a girl putting away a strange book in her bag. He got lucky and managed to the book and quickly ran off. The book turned out to be a tome. It took him months before finally figuring out how to unlock his own mana circuits and use the tome. First he used magic to efficiently steal more things and make his life easier. He then started recruiting people and gained a following, becoming somewhat of a crime lord. He filled in some of his crew on the secret, and used them to help him gather more info on mages. They pickpocketed random people to see if there were any clues, and eventually found a few people with mage IDs, leading to Les learning about the mage’s association. Current Goals: Les harbors ambitions of taking down the mage’s association, viewing them as nothing more than a posh organization who thinks they’re better than everyone. Currently he’s trying to subtly spread the awareness of magic as a street magician in London without making himself a target.
Name: Sybil Lucania (no longer considers herself to be a Lucania though) Appearance: Occupation: Member of the Church Age: 25 Skills: Specializes in divine magecraft. Proficient enough to summon a lesser angel, though has never attempted it. Well versed in healing and shielding spells. Before she switched her focus to divine magic, Sybil practiced and became proficient in creating various familiars to fight for her. She doesn’t use that ability as often anymore. Has a fairly large mana pool. Weaknesses: Most of her big spells either take a lot of time to set up or a lot of mana (or both), so she'll be on the defensive more often than not. Insecure about her and her family, and has been feeling a bit of anxiety since the last Sanctum War. Backstory: House Lucania was once a high-standing magus family based in Italy. However, seven years back a huge scandal surrounding House Lucania came to light resulting in their loss of political power, wealth, and expulsion from the Mage’s Association. Sybil, with her world shattered, cut ties with her family and wandered around alone and lost, searching for a new purpose in life. She then found herself on the doorsteps of a church, where she met a missionary named Anata Maui. Anata became a mentor figure to her, and from then on Sybil dedicated her life to the Holy Order. Current Goals: Continue serving the Church, perhaps find and talk to the Masters of the last Sanctum War to find out what happened to Anata. Is currently an assistant to the Church’s council representative. Servants:Name: Bridget Bishop Appearance: Title: Salem’s Judgement Class: Caster Apparent Age: Looks to be around late 30s, early 40s Stats: Strength: E- Endurance: E Agility: D Mana: A Luck: D Skills: Magecraft (A): Proficient in casting illusion, dark, and fire magic as well as some basic shielding spells. Witchhunter (B): Spells become more effective against other Casters and mages. Induce Paranoia (C): Those within a mile of Caster feel an increase of dread and become very wary of those around them, whether they be a friend or foe, potentially clouding their judgement. The effect it has makes it so people are more likely to turn on mages, whether or not they’re aware that the person is a mage or not. Noble Phantasm: Pandemonium in Salem ~ The Witch’s Last Laugh (A+) Caster kills herself to summon a Reality Marble in which paranoia is raised to the extreme, causing those within to turn on each other whether they be enemies or allies. Perception becomes distorted and fears are preyed upon. Those of strong will can somewhat resist the effect while the weak willed can be driven to insanity. The other victims of the Salem Witch Trials appear as enemies. Some take the form of beasts while others are enemy Casters of lower caliber. The landscape of the Reality Marble generally takes place in a foggy, somewhat distorted Salem Village, though depending on the individuals in the Reality Marble the landscape may look different. The spell fades away after 10 minutes, or when all the witches are killed. Backstory: Strange things started to take place in Massachusetts, starting in Salem during the late 1600s. Children started having strange fits, neck and back pains arrived without warning, people lost control of their bodies, and some claimed to have saw strange animal forms roaming around. There was only one explanation: witchcraft. The townsfolk scrambled to find the perpetrator, and eventually the clues led to Bridget Bishop. She was tried and was found guilty. But alas, poor Bridget was innocent. It didn’t matter though. She was to be hanged. As the rope was tied around her neck, something caught her eye. She made one final plea. “It’s not me, can’t you see! She’s right there! She’s right-” The noose cut her off. Those last words made the townfolk wary. Was she really innocent, or were those simple desperate cries of a convict? Or perhaps, there were more witches. Hysteria continued, and more deaths followed. All were innocent. Eventually, the panic died down and everything resumed to normal. Not for Bridget though, for death was a peculiar thing. There, she learned the truth. What she saw before she died was real. A maiden with sick green eyes, twisted the light around her. A true witch. And there were more like her. And thus, Bridget Bishop found a new purpose as a Servant of Sanctum. To do what her fellow townsfolk failed to do: hunt down and destroy witches. Never mind the fact that she herself became a witch. Current Goals: Caster is looking for someone to form a contract with so she can stay materialized and carry out her purpose.
Name: Ivan Tsarevich Title: The Hero-Fool Class: Rider Apparent Age: ~25 Stats: Strength: B- Endurance: B Agility: A Mana: C Luck: A Skills: Magic Resistance (B): When Ivan’s Noble Phantasm “The Little Humpbacked Horse” is active, Ivan is immune to weak spells and the effects of powerful spells are highly diminished. Riding (A): Ivan is able to skillfully ride any vehicle or creature. Heroic Heart (D): Ivan’s kind and heroic nature helps him prevail over more malevolent figures in battle and charm others. Noble Phantasms: The Little Humpbacked Horse (B-): Ivan’s talking, magic horse. When mounted, Ivan gains access to the magic resistance skill. Ivan’s horse has the ability to sense most incoming attacks and can warn Ivan about them. Baba Yaga’s Carpet (C+): A flying carpet that was a gift from the witch Baba Yaga. Raises his agility rank to A+ and grants him the ability to fly. However endurance is lowered to C. Takes the least mana to maintain. The Grey Wolf (B+): Ivan’s third mount is his strongest, taking the form of a large wolf. Agility is lowered to A- but strength is raised to A and endurance to B. It also takes the most mana to maintain. If Ivan chooses (or is forced to), he can have the wolf consume his other Noble Phantasm “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, causing the wolf to grow stronger and faster resulting in agility being raised to A, strength being raised to A+, and endurance raised to A-. Ivan also gains access to the magic resistance skill. However this effect only lasts 24 hours before reverting back to normal, and Ivan’s horse will not be regained. Sword Kladenets (C): Ivan’s magic sword. It has the ability to guide itself towards its targets so it is easier to hit them. Backstory: Ivan is the hero of many different Russian folktales. Often he is the youngest son in his family. Sometimes he’s a prince, other times he’s a peasant. But he’s always a kind, brave individual with a simple yet positive outlook on life, and is even charming at times. This has helped him gain the assistance of many magical creatures such as the humpbacked horse and the grey wolf, and has even been aided by the witch Baba Yaga. Even when malevolent figures such as his older brothers or the deathless being Koschei manage to kill him, he comes back prevailing in the end and wins the hand of a beautiful maiden. Current Goals: Ivan doesn’t really have any big goals. Currently he’s helping whoever he can and enjoying his time on earth. Perhaps if evil were to arise, he will search for a mage to help combat it.
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Post by Doodlebug on Jun 21, 2017 21:51:33 GMT -5
Name: Lizzie Borden (http://i.imgur.com/m1pKrtCl.png) Title: The Outcast of Fall River Class: Berserker Age: 32 Stats: Strength: D+ Endurance: C Agility: D Luck: A+ Mana: E Skills: Mad Enhancement (A): Can be triggered by just about anything. You attack her? TRIGGERED. You insult her? TRIGGERED. You accidentally step on her foot? TRIGGERED. If you make her even a little mad or upset you may have accidentally activated this skill. Which is not good. Because it changes her Strength, Endurance, and Agility all to A immediately. So, uh, you may wanna run. It activates the Subject of Speculation noble phantasm and also tends to drain a low-medium amount of mana from the master depending on how long it’s active. Fugue State (C): It is considered that Lizzie Borden may have committed the murders of Andrew and Abby while in a fugue state. If Mad Enhancement is active for over 5 minutes, Lizzie enters a fugue state and won’t remember what happened until at least 24 hours later or unless she sees the severed head of someone she killed. Lesbian??? (D): It is theorized that Lizzie was a lesbian and ended up killing her stepmother and later her father with the help of the household maid, Bridget Sullivan, after being caught in a relationship with her. If Mad Enhancement is not active and there are two are more woman within sight, Endurance ranks up to B. Presumed Innocent (D): Although she was the prime suspect, Lizzie wasn’t convicted of killing her parents. In fact, she was a regular churchgoer and left a large portion of money to the Fall River Animal Rescue League upon her death. Whenever Mad Enhancement isn’t active Lizzie is quite reasonable and rather sweet. She is able to charm people of similarly reasonable attitude and calm those who are unnerved or sad. Noble Phantasm: Subject of Speculation (B) The murders of Andrew and Abby Borden were never solved causing many theories to be raised around them. Although Lizzie was the main suspect, it was never proven causing people to question how they thought of her. Activation of this noble phantasm causes the people around Lizzie in a 10 yard radius to become confused as to who she really is and what her alignment may be. The longer someone is exposed to it the more distorted a view of her they’ll have. If someone is exposed to it for over an hour they will think of her as an insane murderess and fear her immensely. Mana drain depends on how long the noble phantasm is active. A few minutes only requires a minor amount of mana, but an hour can require a medium-high amount of mana. This noble phantasm automatically activates whenever the Mad Enhancement skill is activated or Lizzie’s Hatchet is used. Lizzie’s Hatchet (C) A hatchet-head with the appearance of having ash and sawdust deliberately applied to it was discovered in the basement of the Borden house with a handle that looked like it had been recently broken off. This was assumed to be the weapon used to kill Andrew and Abby Borden. As Lizzie’s noble phantasm, it acts as a regular hatchet with the exception of an increase in accuracy and the ability of the handle and hatchet-head to detach from each other in the event that one piece gets stuck/trapped/is rendered unusable and respawns the missing piece. Low mana cost for use except for a low-medium mana cost increase for replacing a missing piece. However, using this noble phantasm automatically activates the Mad Enhancement skill and Subject of Speculation noble phantasm. Backstory: Lizzie Andrew Borden was born in 1860, six years after her sister Emma, in the town of Fall River, Massachusetts where she ended up living her entire life. However, her hometown ended up ostracizing her after both her father and stepmother were murdered. Being the only one at home besides the maid and having shown a hatred for both Andrew Jackson and Abby Durfee Grey Borden, Lizzie was the prime suspect. However after the deaths of her parents, Lizzie had been prescribed regular doses of morphine to calm her nerves. This caused the private inquest held only a few days after her parents’ deaths to be ruled inadmissible in her trial in June of the next year. Something which was quite fortunate for Miss Borden. The trial was long and tedious and was filled with contradictory statements on both sides. It was especially hard on Lizzie who fainted when her father’s and stepmother’s severed heads were brought forth as evidence. After fifteen long days since the start of the trial and an hour and a half of deliberation, the jury declared Lizzie Borden not guilty. There was no rest or relief for Lizzie Borden though. No one else was ever accused of killing Andrew and Abby Borden and many people still assumed she had done it. Instead of returning back to the home where the murders occurred, Emma and Lizzie bought a house in a nicer neighborhood which Lizzie named “Maplecroft”. Several years later, Emma and Lizzie had a falling out and Emma moved out of the house leaving Lizzie alone with a crowd of people who assumed she was a murderess. At long last Lizzie found relief and rest when she died of pneumonia in 1927. The details of the funeral were not published and very few people attended. Currently: Lizzie is currently desperately searching for a master to provide mana for her.
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Post by Zen on Jun 22, 2017 17:23:03 GMT -5
Name: Morgiana
Title: Ali Baba's Clever Slave Girl
Class: Saber
Age: 15
Strength: A
Endurance: C
Agility: A
Mana: C
Luck: B
Skills:
Eye for Danger (A): Perception boost. Morgiana easily picks up on deceptions and plans by their enemies that place her master in danger. She can pick apart lies simply by looking at someone as they speak. In life, she saved Ali Baba's hide many times by catching wind of the many assassination plots formed by the 40 thieves that wanted him dead. She went on to thwart every single one, in the process killing 38 of them (the remaining 2 being killed by the thieves' own boss, whom she later also killed). Additionally, within a 20 meter radius around her and her master, presence concealment of A rank and below becomes useless.
Magic Resistance (D/A+): Resistance to magic comes innately with all Saber-class servants. Normally, Morgiana's magic resistance is minimal, but when she is sword dancing she can deflect even powerful spells with her sword and either send them off course or, in some cases, send them right back to their casters. While normally her noble phantasm drains her mana, catching certain spells allows her to take some of the energy for herself.
Charm (D/A): She'd managed to win over Ali Baba's son, after all. Morgiana has a naturally magnetic personality, a pretty face and a figure that goes well with her dancing. Those who meet her for the first time suspect no ill intentions from her, even if she plans to kill them as per her master's wishes. Although she's a bit too young to cater to her male targets' preferences, she's nevertheless perceived as too innocent and adorable to be a threat. In addition to her magic resistance, her charm also gets a boost when she activates her noble phantasm. Even servants who she had been fighting previously may become smitten and possibly let their guards down. Mileage may vary depending on the individual target. Some servants just get more agitated.
Busy Bee (E): In life Morgiana was a slave, specifically a domestic servant and dancer. She's well versed in servitude and will eagerly perform monotonous tasks such as cooking gourmet meals, washing clothes, walking dogs, searching for wire taps, washing dishes and performing dances for her master and his/her guests. She can do all of this without ever tiring, given that she is provided a tiny amount of mana. These tasks will be done with maximum efficiency, although she can't be expected to do this at superhuman speeds (hence the E rank). She is also capable of performing these tasks with a maid outfit, but it's advisable not to ask her to do so. Just a precaution.
Noble Phantasms:
Enchanted Scimitar (Anti-Unit, C+): An arabian blade that was found by her master Ali Baba when they infiltrated the cave of the 40 thieves. Initially he took it for its monetary value and to render the thieves a weapon down, but he later handed it to Morgiana in place of her practice sword in order to perform for the thieves' boss (who he thought to be a merchant). This blade, which ironically once belonged to the criminal, was the one that slayed him. It was only after the tale of the 40 thieves that Morgiana discovered that the blade was magical. The Enchanted Scimitar is a nearly indestructible sword that deflects all magic.
Sword Dance (Anti-Self, A): A Noble Phantasm that can be activated either while performing for an unsuspecting target, or while already engaged in combat with an enemy. Unlike other Noble Phantasms where a large sum of mana is depleted upon activation, Morgiana's Sword Dance burns mana steadily over time, meaning the longer she has to perform, the more draining it becomes. Once she's begun the dance, her Charm ability increases to A rank and she becomes significantly more resistant to magical attacks (in that she can catch spells with the blade and send them right back to their casters). It takes a great deal of focus (or apathy) not to be entranced by the dance, which often makes a spectacle of whatever particles surround her. In life, Morgiana used such a sword dance to kill the last of the 40 thieves when he least expected it, at the climax of her performance. With this noble phantasm she often repeats the same trick, catching her foe at his or her most vulnerable before landing a critical blow with her sword. Shielding one's eyes can lessen the dance's effect, but it also makes it a lot harder to land a blow on her.
Background: Morgiana was once a lowly slave girl serving a man named Cassim. She performed domestic service and occasionally danced for his entertainment. It wasn't exactly a glamorous life. Cassim was a greedy man, but there were far worse men that could have been her master. One day, while he was out, Cassim was killed by a band of forty thieves and the rights to Morgiana went to his younger, more compassionate brother Ali Baba. Although this new master was humble and treated her well, he had no motivation to set her free.
Ali Baba and his wife one day came across the lair of the forty thieves that killed his brother. The body's remains were strewn across the outer walls as a warning to others. With the help of his son and Morgiana, he gathered the remains at midnight and made off with them, but a proper burial couldn't be performed while Cassim's body was still in pieces. Morgiana had the morbid, although ultimately effective idea of stitching the corpse together so a proper funeral could be held without the town knowing that Cassim was murdered. She paid a tailor to walk blindfolded to Cassim's residence and stitch him together, and not long after her former master was laid to rest.
The thieves woke up and found their victim's body missing, so they set out to kill Cassim's rescuers. Their first spy marked Ali Baba's house with a symbol that would signify for the rest of the thieves to kill all those inside, but Morgiana saw this and marked every building in the village with an identical symbol. Frustrated, the thieves' leader killed the spy and sent another, who chipped at Ali Baba's doorway and ordered his peers to target a house marked as such. Again, Morgiana caught wind of the plot and spend the next evening chipping away at every house she could (almost getting arrested in the process). And again, the thieves' leader killed the second spy.
The chief of the thieves grew tired of this shenanigans and tracked down Ali Baba's residence himself. He arrived at the household with 38 oil jars- one filled with actual oil, the rest each with a thief inside armed with a dagger. As Ali Baba conversed with their unexpected visitor, Morgiana nonchalantly filled every last jar with boiling oil, killing all 37 assassins in a single night. Naturally, the last remaining rogue was furious to see his minions all dead in the morning, so he armed himself with one of their knives and decided to take matters into his own hands. The still oblivious Ali Baba offered his guest a dance performance by Morgiana herself, and the criminal figured this to be an easy opportunity to get close to the man and end him. But the clever slave girl distracted the thief with a marvelous sword dance, and at the moment he was most smitten with her she slashed through the neck with her blade. Ali Baba restrained her and nearly had her hanged for murdering his guest, but his son soon discovered the knife hidden in the man's robes. Morgiana explained the incident, as well as the 37 corpses in the oil jars outside. As thanks for saving his life, as well as the lives for his wife and son, and finally for avenging Cassim's murder, Ali Baba set her free and offered her his bachelor son's hand in marriage.
"Well, it's a step up from slavery", she figured.
Current Goals: After centuries of being once again a slave to Sanctum (and whatever mage that decided to summon her as a heroic spirit), Morgiana is now once again relishing the scents of freedom. Despite this, she's now forced to once again find a master- that, or fade away. She's on the lookout for someone she can trust, but time's running short.
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Post by nertox on Jun 22, 2017 22:40:59 GMT -5
Miranda
"Mira--Echo. Any progress?" Rufus, a shock of blonde hair peeking out of his hooded robe, stepped into Miranda's training room and shut the door behind him. Rufus was one of Miranda's supervisors, the one most frequently assigned to check up on her one-on-one and act as ops when she was out in the field. It struck Miranda, not for the first time, that he didn't seem to be that much older than her, maybe in his late twenties. Fairly attractive, too. And he was the only Mage's Association member who used her real name often during work hours, although he usually corrected himself quickly enough. If she didn't know better, and if she didn't have so much work to do, she might think--
Miranda pushed the thought out of her head. She had more important things to worry about, and within the Mage's Association, you could never really know whether someone was a plant with the specific purpose of testing her loyalty, or a sixty-year old using magic to make himself look younger. Back to the matter at hand.
"Some." She looked at the device on the floor. It was an urn, with a stately, elegant shape that looked like it belonged in a museum. But the texture and material threw the whole effect off, with whitish-gray, smoothed edges giving the appearance of something from a lab. The letters "CAARG" were stamped near the bottom of the urn. This was the only concrete object that the Mage's Association had been able to locate following the rumors of a shady research group practicing a new sort of magic, and it wasn't much. But if anyone could understand how it worked, it was Miranda.
The device was a purifier, capable of turning murky, bacteria-infested water perfectly safe and drinkable. Any mage worth their salt either already knew a spell to the same effect or would be able to learn one in ten minutes; even Miranda, with her shallow mana pool, wouldn't have any problems purifying enough water to fill three of these urns.
But the mana circuits in this artifact were... unique, to say the least. All mages had magic circuits embedded in their bodies, transforming raw mana stored within their bodies or from an object in the outside environment in precise ways to allow it to be used in spells. Magical items usually acted in one of two ways: either as a power source or 'pipe' for these circuits, allowing a mage to channel more mana than they would be able to alone, or as a sort of adapter allowing the mage to channel mana in more precise ways than their natural circuits would allow.
This device was different. Its internal mana circuits, rather than 'plugging in' to a mage or the environment, formed a closed loop. Miranda could see how it would absorb ambient mana from the environment or people it was near, not enough to be noticeable, and run it in an internal circuit with minimal loss. Adding water to purify into the urn would disrupt the circuit, forcing the mana to travel a different path -- through the water, purifying it. It had a cooldown time, but barely required any conscious action on the part of a mage, a normal human could operate it just as easily. The design would have been beautiful if it wasn't so wrong.
Rufus was silent, waiting for her to elaborate. "I can make out its general structure, but I'm not sure I can disrupt it reliably. Moving the magic circuits as it is now just causes it to... snap back, sort of." If a mage had been casting the analogous spell on a pool of water, Miranda -- or Echo, if she was on a mission -- would have been able to cause even a relatively benign spell like this to backfire horribly. Amplifying the impurities instead of removing them, or causing the mage to try to 'purify' themselves, throwing off the concentrations of essential ions in their blood. It wouldn't kill the mage, but they wouldn't enjoy it.
Miranda's anti-magic worked best on interfaces. Between a mage's magic circuit's and an object's, between an object's and the environment, between a mage and their environment. Changing a fixed magic circuit would be like trying to change the flow of a river while the water was flowing in it. But she knew it had to be possible - after all, her ancestors had worked with altering magic circuits, and she should have had the power they had. But maybe not the knowledge, or the training.
"You understand why we're doing this, right?" Rufus asked.
"To try to disrupt whoever's making these?" Miranda ventured.
Rufus shook his head. "The Association isn't all that worried about them, yet. We're fairly confident that we can counter any of their techniques with real magic, and if they threaten to go more public with their discoveries and extend their abilities to people not in the know about magic, they'll naturally expose themselves, and we can crack down on them. Second guess?"
"To help me fix the weaknesses in my abilities?" Miranda replied, thinking about interfaces and circuits.
"Closer. More specific than that." When Miranda didn't respond, Rufus continued. "When some of our analysts looked at that, they thought it looked like a contract. Mana spent to forge it, mana flowing through it, but not something that directly interacts with the outside world. Only with what the circuits flow through directly. Do you catch my meaning yet?"
Miranda paused. "The Sanctum War...?"
Rufus nodded. "There's precedent for disrupting Servant-Master contracts. Sure, it's all been on the Servant end so far, what with the Medea incident and all that, but there's no particular reason a mage shouldn't be able to do it too. There's a chance it's a mental block of some kind, a desire to prevent yourself from being part of a circuit you change."
"Servant-Master contracts are based on some of the most ancient rituals of all. Putting myself in the middle of that circuit would probably fry me before it disrupted the mana flow, especially when I'm not even sure I can mess with this," she said, gesturing at the urn.
"We're confident in you. Start with little steps, and you'll learn to change more. We're asking some of your family members to try to create a tool that might help you get around the restrictions we've discussed; hopefully we hear back from them soon."
"Speaking of which..."
"Yeah?"
Miranda was struck by the image of her family the last time she had seen them. The suspicious, almost angry glares of her cousins. A profound sadness in the eyes of her father. And, in the more distant relatives, fear. She wasn't sure what Rufus, or the Association, could do about that. Better not to mention it.
"Never mind, sorry."
Rufus nodded and smiled briefly. "Well, I'll leave you to it."
Miranda took a cup of water, poured some dirt in it, and shook it, with her hand covering the opening. As she poured the cup of murky water into the urn, she reached toward it with her other hand, felt the magic circuits, energy thrumming through her hand, and started trying to twist them.
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