NAME Crovita, Karasuka Kuraime, II
NICKNAME Vita, Deathbird
SPECIES Harpy, anthromorphic crow
AGE 129
DATE OF BIRTH September 24th
GENDER & PRONOUNS Female, she/her
ORIENTATION Bisexual / Demiromantic, femme preference POSITIVE TRAITS Nurturing. Loving. Doting. Independent. Resilient. Resourceful. Intelligent. Motherly. Understanding. Playful. Protective. Careful. Deliberate. Thorough. Supportive. Perceptive
NEGATIVE TRAITS Secretive. Distrustful. Overbearing. Selfishly selfless. Blunt at times. Moody. Stubborn. Manipulative. Possessive. Workaholic. Occasional bleeding heart. Overprotective. Vicious.
LIKES Nighttime, night markets, making beefy men squirm, money, bloodwine, peace flower, dragon’s breath, black rouge, anything that accentuates her cleavage, expensive lingerie, witch-fingers, bloody delights (high in iron!), flirting, dancing, vibrant landscapes, parlor tricks, anything Asuka does with their painting, Asuka’s feathers, the painting of Asuka as a baby she keeps in her study, etc.
DISLIKES The Azzar, most criminals, most people, stuffy by-the-book types, not working / keeping herself busy, being controlled, cottonmouth cakes, scarbuncle cheese, daytime, the ocean, anyone with an ego the size of Myrrdin, Sanguinarians, Wildlings, Myrrdinian monster hunters, ignorance, trolls, botchlings, etc. PERSONALITY Crovita is a very complicated woman. She comes across as a sensual delight, happy to make your night, pepper you with inky black kisses and dote on you till morning - and to a degree, she quite literally is. But you’ll never know who she is, what’s important to her, who’s important to her, what her name is, if you’ll see her again. She’s mysterious and beautiful, and means business when it comes down to brass tacks; Brutal with an appetite for control and long battles of attrition, choke out the competition. She uses her skills to tip the scales in her favor, always ensuring she comes out of any scenario on top, even when the outcome is too much of an unknown to even bother gambling with. A natural at negotiation, steering a conversation, and risk assessment. But she’s horribly closed off from most emotional attachments, denying herself the distraction from work and Asuka. She’s a focused, capable woman, and she’s always got a trick up her sleeve in any given situation. But her love for Asuka may sometimes cloud her judgment. Anyone she loves especially will end up smothered by her in some way, whether by too thorough check-ins or by genuinely too much affection. She’s overbearing and overprotective, and although it all comes from such a place of love and care, it is often too much. It’s a good sign, if she feels protective like this toward you, but it can also be the opposite depending on your perspective. ASTROLOGY Sunjatti Peacekeeper, Terran Libra
MENTAL HEALTH Paranoia, claustrophobia
HEIGHT 6’1”
HAIR Long, raven hair that reaches the midpoint of her back, silky soft, an oil-slick shine to it, and she typically keeps it down with her fringe oscillating between hime-cut or straight-cut or in a traditional Askarri braid. Smooth and well-maintained.
EYES Heterochromic, the right being piercing gold and the left a rich royal purple - a vivid representation of her magic as well as genetics. They are always framed by smoky eyeshadow and thick, long lashes
MARKS & SCARS Beauty marks in random places on her body, with her most noteable being the one on her left breast and the other just below her lower lip (also on the left). A number of scars both on her face and all over her body, but she hides them with prejudice. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Her skin tone is a pale neutral tone and she usually wears a layer of makeup that accentuates the curves and angles of her face, with winged eyeliner and a point at the inner corners of both eyes, and black rouge. Rather tall and long-legged. She has a classic coke-bottle body shape, curvy and generally proportioned well. She can be seen wearing Askarri bedlah, custom dresses like, assassin’s garb, leather armor, and custom heavy armor. Similarly to Asuka, she has beauty marks in random places on her body, with her most noteable being the one on her left breast and the other just below her lower lip (also on the left). While she’s able to concel her harpy appearance, she is still very much a harpy ; Her feathers are sleek oil-slick, sweeping and sturdy, with her arms serving as her wings in much the same way as Asuka. Taloned fingers at the end to function as hands. Her tail feathers are long and some curve upward at the end, but are strong and otherwise perfect for flight and balance. Both legs are relatively human to a certain point, til about mid-thigh, before making way for tufts of feathers, leather black skin, and finally more talons. FACE CLAIM Enigma, Musaigen PARENTS
-Karasuka Kuraime I
-Ágrifa the Stormcrow
SIBLINGS Unknown
SIGNIFICANT OTHER Single, multiship OCCUPATION A sorcier working as Azzar Malik al-Askarra’s court mage, doubling as an intelligence agent, or Shade ; Unfortunately for her, she happens to be Malik’s favorite.
EQUIPMENT Crovita is prepared for anything, so she’s got a limitless bag filled with: Tungskin, singing stones, knives, her twinblade, her greatsword, her palmseal, explosive alchemical reagents, scrying glass, invisibility potions, healing draughts, a blackwyrm whistle, husbandry tools, witchlights, flamedancers, various international currencies, border passes, the list goes on. MAGIC
Affinities: Necrotic, Spacial, and Air - high manipulation skill ; The older a harpy is, the more types of magic they can acquire and control, usually about every 50-100 years depending on the harpy - exceptions are uncommon but not entirely rare.
Shapeshifting: Low-level Multishifting - she can transform into an odd array of animals and inanimate objects, though she is imperfect in practice ; If you know what to look for, you’ll notice ; She can also hide her harpy features this way.
Specialization: Shadow - the resulting sub-school of magic between necromancy and illusions ; This allows her to become a shadow, become invisible, manipulate shadows, create them, and just about everything else. She’s quite adept at it too, being a sort of pioneer of a lost school.
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG — MODERN VERSE —
When Crovita was little, perhaps no older than freshly hatched, Crovita’s mother was approached by Askarri Shades and the then-Azzar on an annual visit to the Black Eyrie. They offered her safety, prosperity, peace, promising her child would be well-taken care of and trained in magic, if she honored the ages-old treaties between Askarra and Chimeria upon their next visit to the Eyrie and gave Crovita to them as their ward. She agreed. How could she not? If Crovita would be protected, educated, safe from the threats of Chimerian undead and wildlife, from Wildlings and Myrrdinian monster hunters, when the population of the Black Eyrie was beginning to wane and weaken, how could she not jump at the chance?She left the Black Eyrie with Crovita, before the torrents of the following spring rain could begin their monsoon, before the Askarri returned, and made way for the southwestern border through the trecherous, vicious, stormy countryside of Chimeria. Like any native of the land, she had little trouble aside from a few close calls - but it wasn’t Chimeria that would prove the danger in the first place. In a few weeks’ time, she reached the border crossing, staying at an inn for the night to rest, and in the night, the town was raided by Wildlings - and they brought Myhala with them, nameless horrors from deep within the earth and a time long-ended. They slaughtered the crossing’s people, and in the panic, Crovita’s mother sought to get away; Alas, a Wildling, wielding a bloodied axe, caught her by the wing before she could take flight and swung. She fell to her knees, wings broken, head hanging from her neck by threads, and in what precious few moments she’d had before she died, she angled her body just right and shielded Crovita from harm.Arriving in twilit morning, the Azzar and his Shades, half-through their journey to the Black Eyrie, were too late. Countless bodies littered the crossing, dismembered, slashed, and half-eaten, buildings burning in veritable pyres, but there was an unsettling cry among the crackling of the flames - the wail of a child. When at last they’d found her, a decision was made, and she was taken back to Askarra, accompanied by only one of the Azzar’s guard. Great care was taken in the effort, and upon arrival in Sekora, the royal capital, she was cared for by the palace nursemaids and, a few years later, the Azzar’s Shades. As she was too little to understand what’d happened or even to remember it, it was easy for her to adapt to palace life, brought up as a noble, officially, and training meanwhile to become a Shade herself.The training itself began when she was roughly five-years-old and was altogether incredibly grueling, involving a series of stealth- and magic-related trials to gauge aptitude and grind out much of the softness in her heart - all of which resulted in the deaths of other prospective Shades and unfathomable pains besides, permanently scarred in more ways than one and forced to ignore and suppress her emotions. She faced a monster of the Myhalas, let loose in the city sewers, slimes, undead, necromancers, murderers, thieves, rapists, torture, starvation, isolation– So young, thrust into danger at a mere thirteen, forced to maim, kill, and make moral decisions before she could ever truly understand or appreciate the gravity of such things. Well, now she might’ve had an idea.In the midst, she took what little personal time she had between the overwhelming physical exhaustion, vomiting, training, and viscerally haunting nightmares to hone her magic all the more. If she was to be a tool, then let her be a razor. In some ways, despite her experiences, she’d accepted that this was the price to pay for a home. At least harpies were venerated as opposed to oppressed, beloved and respected as loyal allies to Askarra, living symbols of an apparent ancient alliance. Even if she’d no say, no ability to turn away from the Azzar on principle, she was honorbound to repay him for taking care of her and teaching her how to survive on her own. So her magic became her focus, and she would spend countless years mastering both spacial and necrotic magic, the fringes of another, darker affinity presenting itself.At eighteen, it was time for her to be accepted into the fold properly as a Shade, where she was then to pledge fealty to Askarra and the Fates. An elaborate ritual would follow, both of intense pain and pleasure, purpose and sloth, past and future, incense and bloodletting on a full moon - having her eye ripped from her skull and replaced with a blessed stone, both Mausza and the Sightless Eye’s boon; The gift of extraordinary power and magic, unique abilities and enhancements, at the cost of her soul. She took the chance, cementing her place as a Shade in the palace, and suffering in silence in the aftermath.Shortly thereafter a party was held in her honor at which many nobles and mages attended, and she would meet one Tethis Surna, the University’s archmage. They spoke at length and Tethis was impressed by her intellect, sensing something great in her, and she by the breadth of his skills and power, humbled by the Black Eyrie’s Seraph. As it would soon be time for her to depart to further her training as a mage, Tethis floated the idea that he’d mentor her and teach her everything he knew - a bird like her didn’t belong cooped up in the tower. She left for Zuri with him the following week, permissions granted by the Azzar under… manageable conditions.From that point on, she traveled all over the continent with Tethis, learning how best to use different forms of necromancy, how much potential her shadow magic truly had, how to tame a chimera and exorcise a banshee, how to turn undead and teleport, how to bless and banish curses, and so on. Knowledge gained honing the blade of her mind and body even more. Seeing the Widow’s Tangle of the Diremark, experiencing weeks of undead siege warfare in the Dustveil, fighting Myhala on the road and sealing their tunnels, enjoying the visceral poetry of Vitale’s hellmouth, dabbling in the Yuurei’s mysticism, burrowing deep into dwarven keeps of the Barrowfells. She apprenticed under him for nearly sixty years, slowly, unnoticeably falling in love with him.But when such came a time she did notice, she made her feelings known and he accepted them with indifference, but any reciprocation however small was enough for her. Her apprenticeship came to an end and she returned to Askarra significantly wiser, stronger, and hardened than when she left. By then, the Azzar she served in her youth had died and his son had just handed the throne to his - Malik al-Askarra. In demonstrating her magic and abilities as a Shade, verifying herself, she was welcomed home and promptly put to work. Wildling attacks and blackwyrm infestations were on the rise again, but so too had there been civil unrest splintering the Askarri people, and plenty more to deal with. A challenge she rose to meet without complaint.Through many acts of heroism, valor, espionage, and forged alliances, she and Tethis eventually married. In this time, much of her focus was on her work, but inklings of that family she’d wanted came bubbling to the surface. Many discussions were had between her and Tethis, and it was clear that whatever children they had would not be born of mutual love. Tethis was too cold, too mechanical, too logical, time having worn away the best of his emotions - she was just too blind and too busy to have seen it. Even so, she was resolved in thinking it wouldn’t matter if Tethis loved their child or not; She would, and if it made matters better, she wouldn’t hold him responsible for it - she just wanted a family. And he gave her one. Soon after, they filed for divorce; It was a clean break, after nearly thirty years of marriage.When Asuka hatched from their egg, Crovita fell in love all over again, and her life changed dramatically in the blink of an eye. Her sense of purpose was renewed, underscored, and highlighted, and she knew that no matter the circumstances, this baby was all that mattered. Unusual and weak though Asuka was, at first. Still she loved them, even though they couldn’t fly, even though their feathers were weak and flimsy, even though they had a weak constitution and looked a bit more like their father than she’d have liked - she loved them. Asuka was precious, and she would protect them always, no matter the cost. She would need help, however, so she hired help and forged a vow of silence, magically preventing them from ever revealing any information about herself or Asuka, even under threat. Asuka was home-schooled, cared for by nannies, and kept under surveillance in order to protect him. Crovita couldn’t take any risks, not with her baby.They traveled much, between Askarra and the surrounding nations after Asuka was born, spending months in the Nouxfrati countryside, the Luvian lowlands, Scarburnt highlands, Adamantine ports, Manji oases, Nuradanian forests– And on account of both Azzar-related things and an inherent fear within Crovita. For years, they lived in Askarra with reltively few issues, protected well by the Azzar and the royal guard - safe enough that she didn’t really need to keep leaving those eerie crystalline eyes behind to watch them. She limited their freedoms, and soon entirely restricted, growing more and more concerned by the rapid increase of Wildling attacks outside the city, stories of brigands sneaking in through the gates and slitting women’s throats on their drunken stumble home, thieves and murderers flooding into the almost-safest city on the continent–At some point, she made a decision in her quiet desperation to protect them, and took them to the University in Zuri, pulling Tethis’ string to allow admittance. Asuka would be safe with their father in the tower, and Tethis would watch over them as promised. Since then, she’s visited on a semi-regular basis and given them all manners of gifts, always and ever so supportive of them in her own ways, desperately missing them, silently regretting having sent them away - but they were far safer at the University than they ever would be with her. But from there, she poured herself into managing the Wildling situation, often venturing into the canyons to hunt down their leaders, make them collapse and scatter, dissolve. Culling when culling was necessary, sabotaging supplies, pushing and pushing and pushing until they crossed the Myrrdinian border. Merciful in the unspoken second chances she’d give.As of now, she works under the current Azzar, Malik, but has, in secret, forged pacts and alliances with certain groups looking to have him overthrown. She has, over the years, noticed and discovered much, hence part of the reason she agreed to apprentice under Tethis so quickly - the royal family was far darker and more twisted than they seemed. Cruel, unusual, false in every respect, trafficking alchemical ingrediants poached from beastfolk bodies, locking mages, Wildlings, dispossessed, and nightfolk alike in manticore cages until death, hunting folk for sport. She supposes no one ever said each of the Shades’ goals were to be the same. Moves made to maintain a certain amount of chaos, serving the petty wants of the royal family, obfuscating the truth for the material, for political power. Abusing refugees, betraying the Manji people. Much as she loved Askarra and its people, there was none in her heart for the royal family. A regime change was in order, and Crovita would not be the one to lead it, but she would be the deciding blow.
NAME Faith Erin Miris
NICKNAME Kitten, Erin, Honey, various pejoratives, Terin (verse dependent)
SPECIES Feline Shapeshifter, anthromorphic maine coon
AGE Mid- to Late 20s
DATE OF BIRTH June 9th
GENDER & PRONOUNS Male, he/him
ORIENTATION Homosexual / Homoromantic POSITIVE TRAITS Sweet. Thoughtful. Loving. Optimistic. Generous. Playful. Understanding. Compassionate. Self-sacrificing. Sees the beauty in everything. Quick to act. Honest.
NEGATIVE TRAITS Pushy. Boundary-crossing. Desperate. Bittersweet. Gullible. Self-sabotaging. Masochistic. Self-objectifying. Assumptive. Stubborn. ASTROLOGY Sunjatti Voidsinger, Terran Gemini
MENTAL HEALTH Possible BPD, depression, anxiety
HEIGHT 5’2”
HAIR Deep chestnut brown that fades to lighter red toward the ends, cut in choppy layers framing his face. It’s not unheard of for him to grow it out, where he throws it up in a ponytail or wears it down, occasionally curling it depending on the occasion; It’s soft and smells of green apples and coconut.
EYES Iron-red in certain lights, bloody crimson or ruby in others, slit pupils, framed by long lashes; Almond-shaped and sharp at the inner corners, commonly seen with near-perfect winged eyeliner and red eyeshadow.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Small, feminine, and slender, but distinctly cat-like. He has a pair of fluffy, long-haired black ears that seem a mite too big for his head, and a tail to match. He wears a thin layer of lip gloss to give his lips a little shine. His face is heart-shaped and smattered with freckles of varying intensity; His skin is pale with yellowish undertones, with freckling just about everywhere. He has 8 armband tattoos that serve as a coldly simple metaphor for the number of times he’s come close to death, as well as myriad jagged scars from being abused as a child, mugged, and sexually assaulted - the most prominent of which being the messy scar across his nose, starting from the lower right cheek and stretching upward and over his nose to his left eyelid. His tongue and bellybutton are pierced, as well as his ears multiple times over, though his lobes are gauged to about half inch. He tends to wear simple outfits, like jeans and his leather jacket, but he also likes to wear traditionally feminine clothing as well, but one thing he never leaves the house without is his choker. FACE CLAIM Shin (Amnesia), MC from Love and Deepspace PARENTS
-Cash Allen Sawyer, deceased
-Juno Miris, deceased
SIBLINGS Morrigan (@elysiumtouched) and Kaede Shikabane, both verse dependent
SIGNIFICANT OTHER Single, multiship OCCUPATION Faith is rather enterprising, using his resourcefulness to his advantage to create multiple streams of income; He sells much of his crafts online and in town at market fairs, while doubling as a late-night, exotic entertainer and escort for mid- to high-profile clientele.
EQUIPMENT He generally has his cellphone, wallet, a hunting knife and small handgun he also uses for self-defense, singing stones, his apartment key, and that’s kind of about it. MAGIC
Affinities: Fire in its base form, no evolutions or combinations - it isn’t as strong as, say, Loux’s, and his control over it is middling at best, but he can source it very well.
Shapeshifting: Can only take on the form of a mid-size, chestnut black, brown, and white maine coon as he has no mastery over this talent.
Classification: Lesser Anthromorph - an anthromorph whose secondary animal characteristics are either desireable, low in number, or are otherwise aesthetically non-cumbersome.
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG — LaDS VERSE — FANTASY VERSE
Warning for abuse and death by self-defense in the 3rdish paragraph, also lots of guilt and sex work.
Faith’s backstory is a bit complicated and potentially very triggering, as it involves a long history of victimization at the hands of his father, his peers in school, coworkers, and clients, sometimes even complete strangers. So, specifics will only be talked about in private or meta posts. There’s A Lot, but the Biggest events are outlined here.Faith was abandoned by his mother and left in his father’s care, subject to the deep hatred Cash felt for Juno upon her leave. Cash abused Faith for years, punishing him for his mother’s sin, repeatedly belittling him, beating him, humiliating him, among other things. Somewhere along the way, in his childhood, he came to accept and believe what his father would tell him - that he was worthless trash, just like his whore mother - and why wouldn’t he? Nothing in his life would change. He was trapped under his father’s thumb. He had no control over his life. No one around him wanted to ‘get involved’. No one would help him. Some would even go out of their way to make things worse. And when you’re told enough times you don’t mean anything and everyone treats you like that’s true, it’s hard to think the opposite could even be possible.Though he tried, hopelessly, to aim for a better life and a little self-respect.Before he left home for his scholarship to med school, Cash decided, in all his alcoholic wisdom, to pick another one of his usual fights with Faith. Going on a tirade about how dirty the kitchen was despite him having just cleaned it, howling at him to do it over again, but Faith did something brave this time - he ignored him. Avoided him, tried to go back to his room, silently standing up for himself. Cash reacted about as well as any would expect. He chased him around the house and when he caught up to him, he broke his nose and screamed in his face, left him writhing on the floor to get something, and Faith couldn’t trust that it wasn’t a bat or empty bottle. But he knew where he kept the shotgun - lucky for him it was in his reach. The second his father stepped back into the room, he shot him. And has lived in shame over it ever since, some moral lines blurred significantly further. Carrying this weight as if it was his fault from the very beginning. What’s worse, he couldn’t bring himself to report it, but neither could any of his neighbors, and Cash’s disappearance went largely unquestioned, body left exactly where he died, in the doorway to his bedroom next to the bat. No one came looking for him anyway.Faith tried to live like any other college student, sweeping everything he’d gone through under the rug in the hopes it would just - go away. That he would stop feeling this guilt, stop feeling as if he’d done something wrong by protecting himself, like he was spoiled, evil, twisted, and damaged beyond repair. He had taken someone’s life and, regardless of the reason, what gave him the right to do that? To choose it? The only thing that kept his mind off of it was his schoolwork, and a few chance meetings with two of his professors. He kept to himself otherwise, trying to minimize his presence, seeing himself so poorly. Punishing himself for what anyone else would’ve done had they been put in the same position, or at least understand. Isolating himself.He dropped out of college two years in. Nervous, insecure, too guilty to better his life in any meaningful way, allowing his trauma to stand in the way of living.He, in desperation, now surviving entirely on his own, contributed to more than just a few cycles of harm by taking up sex work, naively thinking that doing so allowed him an inkling of control over his life while also thinking it’s the only thing he’s good for - a humiliating way out. For many years, his career was fraught with bodily harm, having too many close calls with all the wrong clients. He gave up hope on himself, on the hopes he’d find love, comfort, safety, peace. This was his life, his purpose, to be used and abused as everyone’s outlet. Women, men, didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what he wanted, what his preferences were. Somebody would hurt him just for asking them to go slower. He didn’t have much reason to hope, his rent was due and he had student loans to pay - oh yes, medical school flunkee - locks and windows to replace, bars to install, paying out of pocket for necessary home security. He needed a gun, too, something to carry with him that could prevent him from being hurt again, and he was fast, it would.Over time, he slowly transitioned from streetwork and strip clubs to escorting, offered an opportunity at just the right time by a mysterious man who smelled faintly of blood and roses. He took this risk without fully weighing the cons or potential eventualities, disregarding himself in an attempt to better his life. He was lucky. Though it was slow going in the beginning, his clients never had anything negative to say about him - some even praised him, paid him more than he’d made in a month’s worth of work for only a few hours! - and the differences between the types of work here became apparent; He was safer, paid substantially better, legally protected, and treated with a modicum of gifts and respect as an escort, but as someone on the streets…? Here, he could present as he wished and someone would pay top dollar just to have dinner with him. Here, he could set his own rules for real, and even have them followed. Here, maybe he could afford to hope.Ultimately, this causes a change in him, a determination to heal, to stop blaming himself, seeing himself in so ugly a light, and to start caring a bit more about himself and his health. Understanding that there’s nothing he can do to change the past, but instead of wallowing, he could balance the scale and do some good. Hope, slowly, came back to him. There is still much to see and enjoy in the world, truly beautiful sights and people, and no two experiences are the same. He could still live a good life, potentially meet the man of his dreams, and most of all, he could take care of himself. He was his own person, had his own voice, boundaries that mattered. And he could one day, maybe, be the helping hand he wished for to others. A new outlook, his dream to live comfortably and safely now potentially actually attainable- A roof over his head he could keep, clothes that didn’t have any stains or holes, a television, books! Silly, in his mind, that he should be excited for small things, things everyone else seems to have and a lot of that was uniquely theirs– But even so, it’s enough for him. Forward, then.And that’s really where his healing begins to take off. He is not someone in need of saving, but someone who needs to be reminded that he is strong enough to save himself - he has already. Twice!
LIKES
Flowers, dancing, singing, reading erotic novels, movies, expensive fabric, not having to worry about rent, the smell of fresh laundry, music, tall grumpy assholes, strawberry lipgloss, volunteering, feeding stray cats, talking to his houseplants, tequila, shopping, nights out on the town, sex, cleaning, cooking, tinkering, poetry, traveling, flirting, stargazing, magic, etc.
DISLIKES
Being touched on his back for any reason, the idea of eating, feeling guilty for killing his father, being dependent on others, owing, panicking, fighting, strong smells, uninspired art and fashion, blood, hot and cold weather, talking about himself, daytime, the news, cheese, etc. PERSONALITY
Faith treats himself very poorly, often ignoring a number of his needs in order to work and continue distracting himself from the horrible things he’s experienced throughout his life. He is flawed, often sacrificing himself for others to a harmful degree, working himself to the bone just to find even a moment’s peace. He’s determined and resilient, standing for what’s right even if he gains nothing or loses everything in the process. He believes that there’s always a chance life can get better, because there’s still beauty and grace left in the world, so he’s always moving forward, always kind and gentle toward others. He is not without his fangs, however; He’s been victimized enough, how can anyone expect him not to at least try to protect himself? Trouble is, that sometimes ends up happening when it isn’t warranted. Frightened of others, assuming the worst of their intentions- And he has unhealthy views of love and how relationships are supposed to work, consciously so, all brought on by the belief that certain others are right to say he’s worthless and dirty. His trauma may color his behavior at times.
NAME Kaede Shikabane
NICKNAME Kae, Shizuka
SPECIES Feline Shapeshifter, anthromorphic snow leopard
AGE 19-42, verse dependent
DATE OF BIRTH October 31st
GENDER & PRONOUNS Male, he/him
ORIENTATION Bisexual / Biromantic, heavy male leaning POSITIVE TRAITS Honest. Diligent. Loyal. Protective. Committed. Persistent. Strong willed. Hard-working. Thoughtful. Kind. Generous. Earnest. Firm. Loving. Prepared. Giving. Mostly merciful. Self-sacrificing. Open-minded. Accepting. Proud.
NEGATIVE TRAITS Distrustful. Obstinate. Conflicted. Reckless. Guarded. Hard-headed. Hot-tempered. Bratty. Snobby. Self-loathing. Self-conscious. Reactive. Melancholic. Isolative. Impatient. A smidge obsessive. May get jealous. Envious. Naive. ASTROLOGY Sunjatti Balemagus, Terran Scorpio
MENTAL HEALTH PTSD, survivor's guilt, antisocial behaviors, extreme self-harm
HEIGHT 5’5”
HAIR Long and layered, so it tends to sit in a boyish, fly-away sort of way. It’s a dark violet shade - or, pretentiously, midnight - and incredibly soft to the touch. He prefers to wear it down
EYES Cornflower blue and sharp at the corners, framed with long lashes, dark circles, and light irritation.
MARKS & SCARS An abundance of barely-there freckles all over his body and both self-harm & combat scars, a large gash across his throat and a few on each of his thighs - and many more on his arms, front, and back; Also has a birthmark under his right buttcheek. There is a surgical scar on his right hip caused by a near-ruinous injury and the surgery that followed. OTHER PHYSICAL DETAILS His typical outfit (for work-related things) consists of a modified white & light blue haori, black sleeveless turtleneck, modified harem pants, and no shoes. His body is slim with some light toning and he stands at a rough 5'5". His skin is somewhat unusually pale, denoting a lack of sleep and improper nutrition. He wears a crimson jade hip ornament said to have healing properties. On each ear, his lobes are pierced, as well as two cuffs and and industrial on his right ear. Also x3, he has a phenomenal ass. FACE CLAIM Yoru, Shishi no Odoriko PARENTS Juno Miris, deceased, and Kurai Shikabane
SIBLINGS Morrigan (@elysiumtouched) & Faith, both verse dependent
SIGNIFICANT OTHER Single, multiship
PETS Stacy, a 17-year-old magical hedgehog; and Muushi, a 3-year-old tuxedo cat OCCUPATION Sorcier, Retributor ; Glorified killer & exterminator for the Japanese arm of the US-led International Nightfolk Coallition.
EQUIPMENT He is effectively always ready for a fight, keeping a katana and at least four knives of varying styles and lengths on his person at all times. He will also have a cellphone, his wallet, a trauma kit, an infinite pocket, palmseal, singing stones, a travelling mirror, and various other magical items and tools.
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG — JJK VERSE
FANTASY VERSE
On July 31st, 1998, then-head of the Shikabane Clan, Taisho, called for a family reunion, expressing distressed urgency in all communications. Confused and concerned, family members from all over funneled into the clan compound. When asked, Taisho would not explain himself, insisting he had important things to discuss with the branch heads - and it was a good opportunity for the family to get together again, one last time. The impromptu banquet proceeded normally, confused whispering among the clan. Taisho ushered the branch heads into some private back room, leaving the rest of the family - including women and children - in the dining hall. Terin (8) and Kaede (6) were playing with Aoi (7) and the rest of their cousins, blissfully ignorant to the trouble brewing within the depths of the estate.Approximately 2 hours after the banquet began, a blood-curdling scream tore through the dining hall. There, lying face-down in a pool of her own blood and internal organs, was Kusabi (3rd branch head). Suddenly, Aoi’s parents, seated beside the children, had lost their heads, a fountain of blood spewing across the table. Within moments, the bloodshed soared to impossible heights, blood and flesh splattering across the walls and puddling on the floor. Panic broke out - even the clan’s strongest were lost. The children hid underneath the table, listening in stunned horror to the sickening squelch of everyone they knew being eaten and torn apart by experimental abominations. They huddled together and cried as any children would, frozen stock-still as 61 members of their family were slaughtered around them.Taisho eventually joined in the massacre himself, finishing off any stragglers with maddened glee. He killed 5 more children, including Tsubaki (13), Tatsuki (11), Kanda (9), Tenko (7), and Junko (8). Then he killed Ayato, Sanada, and both the next head, Shichi, and the 2nd branch head, Zenchou. Ultimately, the magical abominations he unleashed upon his clan turned on him and fed from his corpse - only then did the blood sacrifice he set in motion go into effect, but he couldn’t keep the power he sought to claim. The remaining Shikabane soon found their bearings and exterminated all abominations they could find - but unbeknownst to them, one had gotten away.It was later discovered that the heads of the branch families and the next clan head were plotting to eliminate Taisho, who had become extremely mentally unwell in his old age. In a desperate vie for the power to remain head, Taisho planned to sacrifice 60+ members of his own family in a complicated-but-straightforward ritual - hand their lives to Sanguinach in exchange.In the years since the Shikabane Massacre, Kaede, Terin, and Aoi were taken in by Kurai, who took over as acting head. The children attended Chimachi Prefectural, but Kaede surpassed Aoi & Terin quickly. When he reached adulthood, Kurai handed the role of clan head to Kaede. Upon forging an unbreakable pact with a youkai, Kaede took over, sacrificing his very soul to rebuild it, protect Terin and Aoi, and ensure the safety of nightfolk across the globe. He proved himself a talented sorcerer by INC standards and was recruited forthwith as an Enforcer (civil law officer) - he rose up in the ranks fairly swiftly here, as well, eventually being scouted by the Retributors and losing his choice in the matter.
MAGIC
Affinities: Necromancy & Lightning - high-level moderate control.
Shapeshifting: Not applicable - he didn’t much care for transformation as a school of magic.
Specialization: Lightning, Illusions, and Summoning - highly skilled thanks to years of practice and fine-tuned familial techniques handed down for generations.
LIKES
Boba, chocolate oranges, tea, most animals, time off, long moonlit walks, American food, taking naps, drawing, playing music, dancing, most teas, boys with light hair, singing, spending time with his cat Muushi, whisky, knives, flowers, black coffee, sharing snacks and drinks, ignoring phone calls, reading and researching, etc.
DISLIKES
Inefficiency, most mushrooms, most sweet things, being forced to improvise, being flustered or confused, blood, corpses, failure, imperfection, being responsible for other people’s lives, lack of control, being noticed, his job, most nightfolk, most humans, cottonmouth cakes, FrankenLeeches (except the chocolate ones), the International Nightfolk Coallition, most other sorciers, etc.
GOALS To reduce local and international crime rates among nightfolk in accordance with his role as retributor for the INC
DESIRES Freedom from his grief, and forgiveness for the lives he couldn’t save or had to take; To love and be loved as though he were truly worthy of it. He’s tired of floating through life with nothing to show for it. PERSONALITY
Kaede has some difficulty forming relationships with other people and is generally very slow to start. Incidentally, this frees up a lot of his time, so he pours nearly all his focus into his work. He’s incredibly flawed in some aspects of his reasoning and decision-making, despite his intelligence, having assigned an arbitrary amount of blame to himself for past failures, perceived or not. He’s the small and silent type, with a spoonful of emotional baggage and social ineptitude. Though he comes off as cold and formal at times, he has a mischievous streak and can be rather playful under the right conditions. He can also be sweet and somewhat boyish, though he’s mostly a bit bratty and hardheaded. He’s a sensitive soul at the end of the day, riddled with trauma responses and other behaviors resulting from years upon years of emotional, mental, and physical abuses - where the bulk of his trust and mental health issues stem from. He has vivid flashbacks about the massacres, nightmares too, and such will drag him back into an incosollable state of fear and misery. Although, he tends to hide, like a feline trying to lick their wounds in private.
NAME Kay Corvo Karnus Morteatum, III
NICKNAME Caedis Die L'Carrus, Kay
SPECIES Feywild Hybrid, vampire & fey
AGE North of 400
DATE OF BIRTH October 28th
GENDER & PRONOUNS Male, he/him
ORIENTATION Demisexual / Biromantic POSITIVE TRAITS Loyal. Thoughtful. Observant. Serious. Merciful. Talented. Intelligent. Calm. Collected. Protective. Focused. Reciprocal.
NEGATIVE TRAITS Cold. Aloof. Bitter. Unapologetic. Miniscule sense of humor. Punishing. Manipulative. Unforgiving. Obstinate. Arrogant. Hypocritical. Taunting. ASTROLOGY Sunjatti Balemagus, Terran Scorpio
MENTAL HEALTH Paranoia
HEIGHT 6’4”
HAIR Short, silvery hair that sits feathered, or otherwise ‘elegantly disheveled’. It has a dull lilac hue to it in certain lights and is well maintained, styled using lightweight products.
EYES Narrow and hooded, pinkish red or magenta irises, framed by short, dark silver eyelashes. He sees right through you.
MARKS & SCARS A number of lasting silver burns on his arms and back - all received when the heir of night was captured at war, for he was captured too. Pale red-violet in color, ashen scars all. OTHER PHYSICAL DETAILS Kay has a seemingly stiff posture, with broad shoulders and firm musculature, angular dorito man (and a little bony). His skin is somewhat warm for ghostly pale, belying the truth of his vampiric pedigree, and while it appears otherwise unblemished, there are a number of lasting silver burns on his arms and back. Pale red-violet in color, ashen scars all. He tends to wear modern elegant clothing, his wardrobe entirely custom, in shades of black, red, and gray, and in a way that makes him seem…almost human. FACE CLAIM Sylus Qin, Love and Deepspace PARENTS Carmilla Morningstar and Keres Morteatum II, both unfortunately still living their immortal lives.
SIBLINGS Keres II’s progeny Caelus (29M), Carmilla’s Elizabeth (542F) & Antonetta Devilliers (30F) - and many more, none that he considers siblings.
SIGNIFICANT OTHER Single, multiship OCCUPATION He has two: Acts as director of Morteatum International Private Security, which puts him in charge of security for all Red Hand vampires ; But, he also works in tandem with Cedric Montgomery in his rebellion against the very same Red Hand, using information gleaned from ever-constant surveillance to organize hits on specific targets at just the right time, allow room for non-Sanguinarian parties to gain power, and ultimately eliminate the Red Hard altogether (big ask).
EQUIPMENT He doesn’t keep much on him but his credit card, cellphone, and catalyst - a wand carved from ancient dragon glass, obsidian black with rivers of blood and gold winding around its surface, glowing faintly when used. MAGIC
Affinities: Ice, Necrotic, and Earth - exceptional manipulation and natural sourcing.
Shapeshifting: Innate Raven - naturally capable of shifting into the form of a silvery leucistic raven in accordance with his vampire blood ; natural-born vampires are capable of shifting into one of three animals, commonly discovered within three years of birth.
Specialization: Shadow, Water, and Thorn - he is one of the only few who have managed to keep shadow magic alive, like Crovita, using his vampirism as a means of strengthening it, evolving it into Abyssal magic.
Graduate School: Night’s Cathedral - one of the eleven nightfolk schools in North America, focused on the education of vampires only and specifically ; This school is well-respected among vampires as an institution, the arbiter of vampiric education, but is simultaneously a churner of extremely dangerous Red Hand agents
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG —
Kay was born around the same time as the Heir to the Throne of Night, Cedric Montgomery, and so the pair - whose families were closely allied - were raised alongside each other as nobles, as friends. Hand-picked aised, under a miles-long list of expectations and the rigid Principles of vampire society, and chosen to follow in his father’s footsteps. Plucked from his mother’s unholy womb, and groomed for a royally militant life - a knight without the title, but a believer in in Sanguinach all the same.But it was in his fledgling age that he saw the reason in the Red Hand’s - namely, the Morteatums’ - philosophy, understanding the inherent need to protect their own from other nightfolk, from humans. Safety in an ivory tower, on Night’s Sacred Ground, when all the world around them loathed and misunderstood them. Often were they hunted, not only by humans but by werewolves, and so - naturally, vampires, Sanguinarian or not, had to find a way to survive. They banded together and unified under the Nightfather’s banner, and changed, vying for power and control by any means necessary in an effort to prop themselves up with tools, magical affinities, and livestock.Trouble was, Kay didn’t know just how far the Red Hand was willing to go, nor the breadth of the depravity of the families in its ranks, including his own. He believed his parents, at first, after the raiding parties, when so many of them would return in shrouds. Seeing enslavement as righteous consequence to opposing the Red Hand, war and death as holy, indoctrinated from the moment he was born. He didn’t see the truth, even as it flew before his very eyes, fighting these wars as a boy, accustomed to the battlefield when he first learned to properly feed. He was trained explicitly to kill, and any who opposed the Red Hand.When he came of age, he was treated to a royal orgy and sent once mor into battle alonside Cedric, but it was in this petty war between the Myerscoughs and the Montgomerys over who retained the right to the Feywild, that the pair had been captured - caught sleeping in shallow graves when dawn came, and tortured for weeks on end with silver, exposure to sunlight, isolation, and starvation, paraded around in half-shaded gibbets as Myerscough thralls did their masters’ dirty work. He had only Cedric’s screams to keep him company, and there were none who would come to save them.It was during this conflict that Kay devised a plan to escape and rescue Cedric. Weakened by his ordeal, yet still he pushed himself, scrambled for even the smallest hint of malleable energy with which to trade faces with one of his torturers and sow just enough doubt. A pinch of hypnotism, a hint of convincing alteration, acting, and he was quickly released, the one replacing him in silver chains. If it worked once…surely it would work twice, and it did, against the thralls. Once he located and freed Cedric, there was something different about him. Not vengeful, but hollow, yet in the end, when they’d recovered just enough of their energy, feeding on the corpses of dead thralls, they slaughtered half the Myerscough clan and broke their house, proving the Montgomerys the victors - thus rightful owners of the Feywild they sought to conquer. Cedric’s twin, Claire, took care of the rest, and carried her brother home.In the aftermath, Cedric was treated like a defective tool, propped up only as Godwin Montgomery’s heir as planned and his truest disappointment simultaneously. What happened to Cedric was swept under the rug and hidden away so as to maintain the King’s image, and such had inflamed his disillusionment with the Red Hand, his loyalty to his friend outweighing all else. Bitterness and disgust were born within him, for he could not suffer the callousness and disregard of a lord he once respected, the ignored realities of vampiric depravity. And he carefully considered then the far-reaching consequences of the actions of immortal men, a Feywild village invaded and its people slaughtered or taken to be indignified as livestock. And he knew, he knew what was done to them, for it had been done to him, to Cedric. Only, they wouldn’t have the opportunity to escape.Soon after the confrontation with Godwin, Cedric, despite his injuries, paid a visit to Kay. Sickened by the cruelty of vampires, Cedric unloaded his concerns and frustrations, but insodoing revealed a plan - one that would require patience, secrecy, and strength of will. Over the course of the next few centuries, they were to lie. Publically align themselves in perfect harmony with the Red Hand’s desire for supreme leadership over nightfolk, fey, and humans - all the while secretly organizing a rebel force to rival the Red Hand’s military force, and the Sanguinarian clerics, positioning themselves strategically until the time was right. This meant that, on occasion, killings would be necessary and vital to maintain their mounting rebellion, and that using the petty hatred of the remnants of the Myerscoughs to their advantage would be, too. Kay agreed.
LIKES
Luxury, marble, gold, black mirrors, Cedric, backbone, autonomy, whisky, night flights, snakes, birds of prey, investing, philosophy, freedom, well-implemented justice, secrets, shadows, people who can think for themselves, history, theatrics (in certain circumstances), classical music, etc.
DISLIKES
Incompetence, most aspects of vampire culture, the Red Hand, enthrallment, gritting his teeth and bearing it, unnecessary violence, having to drink blood, kids, mortal foods, bloody delights, the gruesome process of turning, debt, how society works as a whole, dogs, werewolves, the Catch & Release Principle (doesn’t mean what it sounds like it means), all loyal to the Red Hand, all faithful to Sanguinach, frivolity, lack of spine, fire users, and plenty more. PERSONALITY
There is nothing this man wouldn’t do to collapse the Red Hand and put an end to it forever, divesting himself of his emotions and compassion in an effort to bring his plans to fruition. He is uniquely motivated, spiteful and cruel in his deliverance, dishing out every bit of what he’s given - unafraid of getting his hands dirty, of doing his own dirty work, entirely resolved to serve Cedric as the sword he uses to strike down evil at its rotten core. Dramatic, quite, but true nonetheless, another victim of self-abandonment due to express purpose and deeply held desires for change, for personal revenge. He is cool and calculating, always has a plan and utmost faith that it’ll work if he stays his course, slinking through shadows, manipulating other vampires, blackmailing them and utterly ruining their lives if not outright killing them. He can be harsh and unfriendly, sarcastic and aloof, even occasionally self-righteous. He knows he’s a villain, even if he’s on the ‘good side’ - but there are no good men in war, only varying degrees of bad men and death. Bitter and angry about what the Red Hand have done to him, to Vayn, Cedric, Claire, and other vampires, itching to at last deal retribution. He has survived much and continues to, conquering deceit, lust, power, and all else vampires covet, to use as a bludgeon against them all. Focused, determined, capable of seeing it all through to the end, accepting the loneliness of his position and purpose in undeath.
NAME Loux Garo
NICKNAME Lulu, Firefox, Flametongue, the Avatar of Flame
SPECIES Canid Shapeshifter, fox anthromorph, with questionable lineage
AGE 28
DATE OF BIRTH Month Day, Year
GENDER & PRONOUNS Male, he/him, though it's possible for him to switch freely between sexes
ORIENTATION Bisexual / Biromantic, no preference ASTROLOGY Sunjatti Voidsinger, Terran Gemini
MENTAL HEALTH Arson, psychopathy, panic disorder, depression, self-destructive behaviors, minor addiction, possible bipolar
HEIGHT 5’10”
HAIR A mop of disheveled, champagne blond hair that was once a darker shade, having lightened in the latter half of his youth. Though a bit messy, wooly thick, and somewhat course, it’s softer than it seems.
EYES Hidden by blond, are stormy gray and unwaveringly calculating, seeing much but disclosing little. They are also hypnotic, and there's a non-zero chance you'll end up under his spell - on accident.
MARKS & SCARS Completely covered in scars from the right side of his face and down - all twisted, ugly, burns, impalings, ice burns, claw and maw marks, etc - caused by a nasty and very unfair fight between himself and 6 strangers at The Packhouse.
OTHER PHYSICAL DETAILS He boasts a toned, lean build. Golden skin tone. He can usually be seen wearing some form of traditional Chinese, French, or Japanese clothing in a plain black & white color scheme. He also has a few piercings: Gauged lobes, fitted with weights, tongue piercing, and two on his weiner forming the beginnings of a Jacob's Ladder. FACE CLAIM Chobei Aza (Hell's Paradise), Tatsuomi (Gokurakugai), Bakugou Katsuki (MHA), Gilgamesh (FATE), and Chikage Kazama (Hakuouki) PARENTS If you ask him, he has two sets of perfectly legitimate parents: Lionell Garo & Chihana Shikawa, who were tragically killed in the line of duty by a blackwyrm; and Letha & Silvère Devilliers, in which one was murdered by Deadeye and the other suffered a fatal heart attack upon finding Loux's nearly lifeless body in the park.
SIBLINGS Leonie (31F) and Lucienne (33F), both still living in Salem's Crossing without issue.
SIGNIFICANT OTHER
- Single, multiship OCCUPATION Loux is a metphysical merchant, peddling stolen, contraband, and handmade magical items to fund his search for the sanguine star alongside Sortia & Vayn. But he's also a drug dealer, mass murderer, smuggler, information broker, inventor, and self-taught chef.
EQUIPMENT On his person, he keeps the following: His leatherbound grimoire, the Limitless Chest, a travelling mirror, his enchanted athame Brie, and a pack of assorted Franken-Leeches.
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG — FANTASY VERSE —
Loux was born in Miami, FL to respected sorciers employed by the Department of Regulatory Sorceries (USDRS) - the youngest of three. He was very young when they were killed and eaten by blackwyrms, having precious few memories of them, and so was simultaneously the least and most affected by their deaths. Spending most of his youth in and out of the foster care system, group homes, couch surfing, the like, he fell in with the wrong crowds, delving deeper and deeper into the uncomfortable underbelly of supernatural society. A boy would see suffering that was simply just so, blind eyes turned from the dying, overdoses, murders, innocents caught at the wrong place and wrong time, torture, betrayal, theft, and more - and embrace them.The truth is, he cannot cope without a family. He always knew what he needed most, how unattainable it truly was, but when rumors of a fallen starcutter began to circulate among the dregs, he pulled himself up by his bootstraps and got to work, siezing his opportunity. Guidance, acceptance, forgiveness may all be things he can only give himself, but he can right some wrongs and put everything back where it was, undo a lifetime of bullshit. Over the course of roughly eight years, Loux had carved a wide space for himself in Salem’s Crossing - enough room to flex, throw his weight around; mastering quite the handful of sorceries and keeping his word took him far. This opened up many different avenues for him and he has a guy for anything, any time, though he has stuck more closely with information brokers. Over this eight year period, he’s made little progress on his quest.However, two years prior to today, Loux met Sortia through a broker, right place right time. They were both looking for the starcutter, and over numerous lengthy chats on a private balcony at Strychnine, they came to an agreement, an understanding - they would help each other get to the starcutter, but may the best mage claim its boon. It wasn’t long after this, during a particularly dark round of dueling, that their newfound synergy would be tested, hearing some whiny vampire cry and squeal in his attempt to back out of a fight. They interjected, naturally, both a bit nosy, and…discovered the vampire had more than enough reason to whine and cry. With a handful of Deadeye’s crew down for the count, Loux robbed them all blind and the trio took off.Currently, the three are travelling the world together in search of the starcutter. Ladida, been together ever since, besties for resties. The end.
MAGIC
Affinities: Fire, in all its baser and sophisticated forms - bless with the creation root, ability to source magic from his own body, and he's masterful at manipulation.
Shapeshifting: Innate fox-shifter - natural-born shapeshifters will transform into the same species as their parents, but are capable of taking multiple forms depending on skill level.
Specialization: Total Multishifting & Sunfire Magic - capable of transforming into a vast myriad of animals, objects, and people on a molecular level at-will; The Sunfire affinity is the combination of Cosmotic, Flame, and Divine Order affinities, which he acquires post-ascension to godhood. LIKES Flirting, partying, stealing, messing with people, haggling, fruity beverages, napping, Cookies & Screams, selling brachio to dumb parents, talking shit, dancing, high art, ignoring Vayne, scarbuncle cheese, etc.
DISLIKES The idea of commitment, neediness, authority, humans, most other shapeshifters, anything related to the DRS, dimensional travel, bitter things, self-righteous types, Cottonmouth Cakes, having his music interrupted, etc.
GOALS What he wants most is more naive than either Vayn or Sortia : To bring his parents back to life using the Sanguine Star - necromancy on its own won’t suffice.
DESIRES Comfort, shelter, protection, and recognition. Understanding. For jumbled thoughts and pain to be forgiven, for grief to be eased and put to rest.
ALIGNMENT Chaotic Neutral
POSITIVE TRAITS Dutiful. Helpful. Thoughtful. Protective. Straightforward. Playful. Patient. Affectionate. Sweet. Charming. Thorough. Fun. Ambitious. Decent bedside manner. A hero when you need him to be. Firm. Persistent.
NEGATIVE TRAITS Distrustful. Freely cuts off communication with anyone. Selfish. Arrogant. Noncommittal. Emotionally guarded. Manipulative. Lazy. Cruel. Merciless. Reckless. Too ambitious. Impulsive. Murderous. The opposite of law-abiding. Obsessive. PERSONALITY
Loux is a scummy guy with a heart of gold buried deep underneath all the muck. He remembers and cherishes key details of the people that come in and out of his life, ever present in the moment. He cares a great deal for others than himself, but is lazy and noncommittal enough to justify doing merely the bare minimum and little more to help them - call it a halfbaked defense mechanism. He wears a crooked smile and some cheek to soften his every blow, guarding his truth closely and even using it as a point of manipulation to get what he wants. Misery loves company, so why not have a little fun with it? He likes fun more than angst, always and ever seeking out parties, alcohol, drugs, sex, the whole nine yards to drown it out, find even a hint of joy. He’s measured and calculating despite appearances, observant, and can generally read people fairly well. He’s flexible and accepting of most things, loose and perhaps overly friendly, tending to ‘go with the flow’. Any percieved sleights against him are met with exacting retribution, be it by force, magic, or otherwise, calm and collected. He generally decides how he’ll deal with a person from beginning to end early on.
NAME Sachira Shikabane
NICKNAME Sati, Satra Shen, Panther of the East,
SPECIES Feline Shapeshifter, panther anthromorph, with questionable lineage
AGE Unknown (Over 1,000+)
DATE OF BIRTH August 9th
GENDER & PRONOUNS Male, he/him
ORIENTATION Bisexual / Biromantic, male preference POSITIVE TRAITS Thoughtful. Charismatic. Friendly. Self-assured. Independent. Resilient. Quick thinking. Quick witted. Thorough. Careful. Wise.
NEGATIVE TRAITS Secretive. Dishonest. Manipulative. Defiant. Vindictive. Petty. Occasionally impulsive. A little childish. ASTROLOGY ?? Sun, ?? Moon, ?? Rising
MENTAL HEALTH PTSD, anxiety, hallucinations
HEIGHT 5’8”
HAIR Thick, wild, and altogether long black hair that both frames and hangs in his face. It is well-cared for, despite occasionally getting greasy and stringy when the baths are few and far between.
EYES Citrine in color and his pupils are nearly permanently slit. They are angular and sharp, piercing, but do not readily show emotion nor what he’s thinking in any given moment.
MARKS & SCARS No visible scars.
OTHER PHYSICAL DETAILS Narrow but masculine body type, semi-toned in musculature with unblemished, lightly-tanned skin. His anthromorphic feature is his obvious tail, of which has sleek, short, black fur, proportional to his body. He wears a lot of red fabric, from cotton to silk, with a common heron and sea wave pattern woven in; Red haori, black hakama, footwraps, and a leather harness for his swords. FACE CLAIM Sanada, Sanada of the Crimson Flame PARENTS Unknown, both long dead
SIBLINGS Unknown, all of them dead if he had any
SIGNIFICANT OTHER Formerly Ashari Gold-finger, multiship OCCUPATION Mercenary and drifter by trade, picking up bounty hunting, monster slaying, tracking, and escort jobs; On occasion, he dabbles in piracy and ‘fighting for a cause’, teaming up with the odd witcher for an adventure or two here or there.
EQUIPMENT He possesses the Black and White Fangs, curved blades forged from the left and right canines of the famed dragon, Dessudora; An odd number of singing stones, an unreadable map, maps of Yuurei, A'virda Fhal'Tir, and the continent respectively, a compass, various herbs and alchemical concoctions, an infinite pocket, border basses and travel papers, among other things. MAGIC
Affinities: Beast & Blood - his control over either is so fine-tuned, he manages quite well without the basic utilities; He tends to keep his capabilities with blood magic tightly under wraps, as blood affinity and use is outlawed in Yuurei.
Shapeshifting: Innate Panther - naturally born with the ability to transform into a black panther right away, coming from a line of interbred shifters and weres.
Specialization: Bestial, Multishifting, and Blood - in his travels and work with Yuureian elves, he has mastered the arts of transformation, beast communication, memory alteration, hypnosis, mind control, healing, and sex; He is formidable, though limited to close- and mid-range applications of magic save for a handful of spells.
NEXT — CHARACTER TAG —
Satra awoke on the shores of Yuurei, near what is now known as Tata-Suki Port, then under Fhal'Tiran control. He was injured, dehydrated, and near to starving, remembering nothing but his name and how to wield his magic. On the beach beside him was a witcher from the Cat School, banged up and mangled in all the same ways, waterlogged too. He thought the man had drowned initially, but when he went to check, he sensed the faintest heartbeat and quickly took to gathering what affects of his he could find and dragging the man further up into a cave, where he would tend to each of their wounds and start a fire. A big ask, but he managed.When the stranger awoke, bearing a cat-shaped medallion, the two spoke for many long hours, at first distrusting each other, then deciding to travel together come morning. Satra always did have a way with words. It turned out, the other man was a witcher from the Cat school who went by the name Ashari Gold-finger, among others. Older, but still possessed of youthful appearance, with a mop of blond hair and a scar across his face. Ashari was also quite capable in a fight, and Satra learned many things from him, traveling the south of Yuurei. One could argue they’d become close friends or even lovers.In the end, their adventures caught up to them. Two decades had past and their friendship was as strong as ever, such that Ashari requested help on a contract - which he’d never done before. Traveling together was one thing, but… Assassinating a problematic local leader and a general of the Fhal'Tiran army was no easy task, but the plans had already been set, traps already laid - all that was needed now was an extra blade. Satra, of course, asked questions, squeezing out as much information as he could so he could make the right choice: Dirty his hands to silence a few drums of war, or leave Ashari to bear the burden alone. Simplistic terms, but that’s what it boiled down to in truth, so he… chose to lend aid to his friend, operating as that second blade - he would take out the general.For the most part, the plan went off without a hitch; Satra was able to disguise himself and sneak into the Fhal'Tiran army camp some few miles from the port, where Ashari was able to do the same at the Fhal'Tir-controlled Lord’s estate. At the stroke of midnight, when all was silent, Satra slunk into General Melah'Sara’s tent, quiet as a cat on the hunt, and slipped knife through his ribs while he slept. He made his escape with ease, a fly upon the wall when the guards came and went, disappearing into the night with the buzz of his wings. He hurried to the rendesvous point, a tavern near the docks, but when Ashari didn’t show, he became worried - and went searching through the alleys and streets throughout town.He found Ashari later, dead between two empty barrels stinking of old fish, clutching the side of his neck.In the days following, he saw to Ashari’s burial, and mourned the loss of his friend. On the fourth day, however, he had a dream, a revelation in his sleep. Some part of his memory had been revealed to him, bits and pieces of the suffering of war, the lives he’d taken, his convictions at the time, and Ashari - who wasn’t truly his friend at all. They were enemies, or rather rivals, fighting for the same cause but disagreeing on the solution. Ashari met Satra’s stronger sense of reason with reproach and bitterness, finding him naive and idealistic in a time he couldn’t afford to be. On the fifth night, he remembered he was too old to remember exactly how old, having long lost count of the years. On the sixth, he remembered past bonds, his friendship with a harpy of the Mistwood Eyrie, Karasuka Kuraime, who’d been selected by Agrifa himself to marry and produce a child. A great honor for her, one she took seriously. He’d met Agrifa, went to Chimeria for the ceremony. But he remembered a life at sea, his boat, the horrors of the untameable Sea of Ghosts, seeing Seralta, Syr, Khaven, Kaleen, Hydrea, Paea–Many things came to him, and he realized he was not the man he was trying to be, originally a spy in the service of the King of Yuurei. Another mage at the beck and call of another royal. Dutybound to slaughter the enemies of the king lest his head be on the chopping block next - and he was very good at what he did, killing off the leaders of rebel groups and slaughtering elves by order, not because sometimes monsters are men too. Killing for the sake of killing.On the seventh day, Satra resolved himself to pick a cause he deemed just enough and fight for it fang and claw. His thought was that he’d somehow change, become better than he was and redeem himself, entirely discounting the work he’d already done to dismantle the stranglehold the Fhal'Tir had on Tata-Suki, which the port had been renamed to when news spread of the army’s retreat and the emptying of the Lord’s estate. He wanted to maintain an upward trajectory, right his wrongs by assisting in liberating southern Yuurei from the Fhal'Tir, freeing them from exorbident taxes, indentured servitude, verbal and physical abuses, among other things. He expects no thanks, no credit, not anything from anyone, and has made his peace with the fate that awaits him on this path.As far as the world state goes, his efforts don’t prove folly. In the end, Yuurei is able to reclaim much of its southern region, including more territory in the Mistwood Tangle. The Fhal'Tir are repelled further back into the Diremark, nearer the Heart, and efforts to clear that section of the forest of widows and other monster infestations go underway, as well as the formation of a handful of settlements. This helps to stabilize the forest and reduce the effects of the Mad Empress’ Curse on the elves; Communcation would then sit at a standstill, but the Fhal'Tir wouldn’t again make an advance on Yuurei, leaving them to reclaim more of the Mistwood Tangle and instead focusing their efforts on the Volleni rebels at the southern end of the Diremark.
LIKES
Catching avulisks, gas adder meat, fishing, sailing, keeping the local younglings entertained with foreign games and displays of magic, robbing other pirates blind, bloodwine, dragon’s breath, traveling, foreign foods, the odd puff of noxium, talking, music, strange magical trinkets, gambling, fighting, dancing, etc.
DISLIKES Unearned arrogance, whinging and whining, excuses, Fhal'Tiran occupation, Fhal'Tiran madness, needless suffering, scarbuncles, pickled anything, sirens, drowners, royalty, most of the gods of all pantheons, that he can’t use utility magic, adulterers, porridge, people who defy their own principles, boring conversation, sleepless nights, early mornings, etc. PERSONALITY Satra is principled, despite his faults and some of the horrible things he’s done. He believes, generally, in the good of the world, or at least whatever’s left in it, and does his best to be a part of that good as well as to protect it. He’s not perfect, guilty of as many crimes as anyone else, but his heart is usually in the right place - he means well, but his execution isn’t always grand. Not everything goes as planned and he’s not exactly respectful on the battlefield, happy to not waste time and decimate the enemy. He helps people where he can, generous with what he has in terms of money, time, and effort, genuinely trying to help in his travels. He firmly believes the 'little people’ are forgotten by all, even each other, so someone’s gotta do something to fill in the gaps. That being said, charitable and good as he likes to be, he’s far, far from perfect and has made many mistakes in his life, of which he feels much guilt for. Still, he persists, attaching himself to moral causes in an attempt to right his wrongs, uncertain of how much he’d done before he lost his memories yet verily so of after. He’s a bit solemn if you catch him at the right time, and tends to be very serious despite his personable airs.