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[Dalia Thail]

Hearthstone, Serafina

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Name: Serafina ( Raff ) Sol Hearthstone
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Race: Vampire


+||+-----------PERSONAL APPEARANCE--------------+||+
Appearance: Raff has a hourglass figure with long legs and well-proportioned limbs; The woman is fully aware of her physical assets and isn't shy about dressing herself to tastefully flatter these features. Raff makes it a point to look her best at all times, rarely wearing pants in favor of skirts or dresses, and even when she dresses in a suit for work her makeup, hair, and nails are perfectly manicured. A simple golden chain necklace will always grace her throat since it was her mothers.. It has sentimental value and she will often fiddle with it when she is lost in thought.
Hair: Brunette, Raff inherited her mother's wavy locks and she takes exceptional care of the dark strands.
Eyes: Cold, bright blue.. To be honest, she hates her eye color since she inherited the trait from her late father.
Height: 5'8" ( Given she often wears heels, she may seem about 6ft tall)
Weight: 132lbs


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Skills:

- Dancing is a skill she has worked hard to maintain and the woman dearly loves just about every kind of choreography. Ballet, due to her childhood lessons, is a favored form of expression when she has free time but honestly Raff has actually gotten into the habit of visiting nightclubs in the area to indulge in freestyle dancing as well.

- Formal etiquette and social protocols, including a ballroom dance education and a familiarity with politicking. From a high-end business meeting to a children's birthday party, this woman typically has a good grip on how to present herself and promote the events positively. Raff is also rather adept at manipulation for this reason and knows how to press softly upon effective pressure points to make rude or rowdy people mind their manners without dropping her pleasant façade.

- Business Management and intense problem solving skills were drilled into Raff from a very early age and, through very hard work and trial and errors, she learned how to approach work ( and other people of course ) with a serious and respectful attitude.


Abilities:

- Impressive self control: Born with a innate grace and natural affinity for agility the woman has built on these traits through gymnastics and ballet in her youth and parkour in her adult years. As a result her sense of balance, reflexes, and physical motion exude elegance and precision effortlessly. As for her temperance, once she has her 'game face' on at least, Raff is the embodiment of professionalism and few people can see the depths of her thoughts under her serene façade.

- Indomitable spirit: Though this is far from a supernatural power it is the source of this woman's unstoppable personality; Ultimately it doesn't matter if she is beaten, broken, betrayed, and left with hopeless odds... Raff will get back to her feet, dust off her clothes, and face whatever comes her way with her head held high and a counter-attack in mind.

- Perfect Rhythmic Ability: Typically described as a sensitivity to environmental sounds those with PRA can identify and imitate pitch with precision. While this is no doubt why she loves music so much it is also a subtle, useful ability that helps with her work. Few people realize it but the better she knows a person, and the more familiar she becomes with them, the easier it is for her to tell what emotions they are feeling due to the fluctuations in their voices. It can be very, very hard for people to lie to her if she knows them.

- Vampiric Traits: Still very raw in this new stage of her life Raff likewise has no one to teach her about her new talents... and frankly, though she hides it well, it has been a hellish dance across a minefield as the woman discovers what she can do. The most noticeable changes were right away, her sense amplifying dramatically and her night vision becoming eerily perfect. So far Raff has found that she can mesmerize ( through simultaneously maintaining eye-contact and touch ) people to briefly control them/ erase their memories, her physical strength has significantly increased which has been a special kind of stress for her, and the woman has moments of a sporadic increase in speed she can't seem to initiate at will yet. Each of these talents were discovered quite by accident and the woman is still learning to control them, without drawing attention to the fact that she is in fact now a vampire. Recently Raff has touched upon the ability to heal supernaturally fast, having cut her hand during a bar fight and noticing the wound mended itself with shocking speed, but this seems to be a instinctive skill and not one she can control. Sadly she has also noticed that alcohol doesn't seem to effect her as strongly, and the buzz doesn't last nearly as long when she does manage to get inebriated. Bright side... She has yet to suffer from hangovers so there is that at least.


Weaknesses:

- PTSD, resulting from a attack that almost took her life and ended in her taking the life of another person. Though Raff hides this condition as much as she can there is a distinct distance she tries to keep between herself and others physically that warns she can't handle sudden/surprise contact without it shaking her a little.
- Inability to Feed as a Vampire should, Raff cannot seem to stomach blood without becoming nauseated and she despises letting people see her in such a state.
- Her sense of Pride can result in isolationist behaviors, she cannot stand to let people see her weak moments.
- Her rational mind is (typically) dominate over her emotional state and, though she does feel things very deeply, the woman can seem cold when processing stressful or dangerous information. Especially when dealing with the emotional chaos of her recent attack, often avoiding the issue or sinking herself into work to distract herself from the negative memories.


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Weapons: Raff keeps a small yet potent taser on her person at all times, either hidden in a pocket or her purse depending on the outfit she is wearing that day.

Armor: For this woman Fashion is armor; Realistically though most of her clothing has some degree of toughness to the materials.

Equipment: A embroidered red silk kerchief bearing her initials, business cards, her phone, and a ring she always wears that has a tracking device implanted in it so her people can find her once she activates it.

Miscellaneous: Raff favors red hues, she works out/runs parkour often, and she admires strong willed people.


+||+---------------------------PERSONALITY-----------------------------------+||+



In a word; Tenacious. A living breathing enigma Raff is a woman that knows exactly what she wants from life and willingly walks through hell for it proudly; Yet for as confident as she herself is in her chosen path few other living souls can honestly claim to understand the innerworkings of this lady's mind or the depths of her personal ambitions due to how meticulously she keeps her 'Poker Face' up in public. Most see the façade she wants them to see and feel no need to dig deeper, judging her to be no more or less than a well-mannered socialite with a clever wit and elusive charm. To the public view she is a elegant, refined young lady that spearheads charity projects and represents her company with a respectful grace and reliable authority that suggests stability and trustworthiness to the general populace. The reality is that Raff is ruthless when situations demand it and the woman is viciously protective of what she considers to be hers; Raff is a born leader and even in dangerous situations she has shown herself capable of making rational decisions with a calm and experienced manner. Pressure doesn't break this woman, it only tempers her resolve, and even when afraid or in pain she does not express uncertainty or self-concern openly. Known to be bold, assertive, intelligent, persuasive, polite, and professional Raff can be quite difficult to sway once she has her mind set on something. Compassionate in a taciturn manner, dry witted when she can afford to drop her well-mannered mask, shrewd, stubborn as sin, and ever enduring in the face of hardships. This woman is quite adventurous in trying new things and she isn't afraid to roll her sleeves up to do hard labor, often missing sleep and meals in her almost obsessive drive to reach her goals. Raff is well aware that her name and her pedigree have value in her social circles and right or wrong in this corrupt world she has learned to wield both as a shield and blade in her subtle power struggles amongst the upper echelons of society. In high profile or casual situations, if she means to or not, Raff is constantly studying those around herself and memorizing the interactions. Birthdays, personal interests, personality traits; Knowing and caring for those she considers to be 'her people' is very important to her.. And it helps to know effective pressure points to press upon if she has to take a firmer approach with them. Loyalty that is earned is a big deal in Raff's mind, bonds holding far more influence over her than 'authority' or 'power', and if someone in her circle is in danger she'll go all out to help them, regardless of just what mischief they are pulling her into or who they piss off in the process. Not to say she won't punish her deviant comrade after for dragging her into a mess, of course, but still.. She'll do what needs to be done to protect them. What is more, the woman will willingly go toe-to-toe with her dear friends if it is for the sake of protecting them from themselves.. If they realize, or forgive her, or not Raff isn't the type to let those beloved to her run headfirst into a minefield and she'll stop them even if it means making them hate her in the process. At work most of her typical serene grace shifts into a feisty passion and staunch determination; Especially if the task on her mind excites her. A very important aspect of Raff's personality is displayed in how well she takes care of her appearance; One could mistake this habit for vanity but the truth is this is an act of self-expression for her. So much of her life growing up was strict, the only freedom and control she had was over her own body and she learned to take the best care of her self-image as possible. If asked directly for her help, Raff adores helping others look their best as well and she can be quite the fun shopping buddy.

Calculating, efficient, and rarely one to share her honest opinion Raff understands the power of words and typically keeps her cards close to her chest even when around her dearest friends. This does not mean the woman hesitates to talk of course, she is in fact rather easy to converse with, but it can be very difficult to actually pry information out of her that she isn't willing to share of her own volition. For such a workaholic the lady is comfortable with mellow or rustic settings and, when she thinks herself to be alone, her guard drops dramatically to reveal a tentatively loving soul behind her tough-as-nails exterior. Dancing is a passion of hers and Raff will happily indulge in this idle fun when she thinks no one is watching, at times becoming completely lost in the movements and oblivious to her surroundings. If someone can get past her mask they would find that Raff is actually quite easy going and empathetic despite how polished her normal behavior may be. Raised as she was Raff was taught rather mercilessly that she was not allowed to be 'weak' and any signs of gentleness or timidity were drilled out of her from young adulthood; As a result this woman suppresses these parts of herself instinctively and at times even actively combats the issues she considers to be 'irritating'... For example, the way she forces herself to ignore her discomfort around men despite how much this contact agitates her PTSD. Loneliness? Shame? Fear? Sadness? Those feelings were considered unimportant by her father and to this day she still struggles to admit it when these emotions cloud her thoughts, though she has made great strides with her personal therapist in accepting the sentiments as a part of herself in her adult life. Sadly when it comes to personal troubles, weak moments, and emotional matters she does still have trouble confiding in others about her problems.. Raff is a master at building walls and it is very difficult to let anyone close enough to see her vulnerable side. This, and the harrowing memories of her attack, is a large reason as to why she has stubbornly hidden the suffering this new development has caused her even as she struggles to come to terms with it and avoid pulling those dear to her into the chaos of this change in her life. Unintentionally or not she has been responsible for the death of someone else and, torn between the guilt it causes her and the fear of the situation itself, Raff is actually afraid that she could hurt someone else in such a way again. So, to avoid this, she keeps people at a small yet firm distance both emotionally and physically. Romance isn't a strong suit for her given her recent trauma and despite her casual flirting with others the woman doesn't harbor a sincere interest in shallow interactions; For someone that is stubborn and kind she 'can' be affectionate but she hates letting people see her more gentle side and resists expressing softer emotions until someone wears her barriers down. Raff can be a bit imperious at times, and more than a little bolshie if someone she deems unworthy tries to brow-beat or intimidate her, but she is a reasonable woman with a strong sense of camaraderie if not entirely one of faith and if approached in a logical manner she is much more likely to listen to those seeking her aid or attention. Regardless of her personal feelings about someone Raff is gifted at seeing the larger picture and will negotiate even with her foes if the request is polite; The woman is well aware that you don't have to 'get along' with people to 'get things done' and this attitude is a large reason as to why she is so very good at her job and maintains peerless respect in her business circles. If Raff ever actually refuses to work with someone... well, it is nearly impossible to change her mind so be wary.

Theme Song:
In Spirit: Rise - Katy Perry
In Life: Unstoppable - Sia
In Love: I Scare Myself - Beth Crowley.

+||+---------------------------BACKGROUND-----------------------------------+||+


The tale of how Charles Hearthstone found his long-lost daughter and saved her from the throws of poverty was quite the touching story to his social peers; Many praised him for being such a loyal father while others gushed at how noble he'd been despite the wretched actions of his late wife. Her mother ( whom he says ran off with her when she was just a baby) tragically passing away from illness, the girl herself weak and starving when he found her via a private investigator.. Oh yes, his posh friends and supporters were quite happy to take pity on Raff and absorbed her into their fold like a long lost daughter of their very own when she was presented to them on a gilded platter. Often on sleepless nights she laughs to herself, wondering how those rich hypocrites would react if they knew the truth of her 'deliverance' to her father's side. From a young age, poor yet happy with her admittedly ailing mother, Raff had learned how to get things done on the impoverished side of the streets so they could survive. Minor scams and a few honest jobs paid under the table passed her early years quickly and yet always when she came home with money her mother would look so sad, gently mentioning how young ladies shouldn't be forced to live in such a life. Her mother, Scharlotte Remia ( who had taken her maiden name when she ran from her husband), had been a delicate woman; Born of money and weak in spirit she was so unlike Raff herself who thrived in difficult situations.. But she was her mother and Raff loved her dearly for how hard the woman tried to give them a life despite her meek nature. Working herself to the bone for the sake of her daughter she would push Raff to join Ballet ( as, in her words, a lady needed lovely hobbies ) despite their modest living conditions and, surprisingly, the girl did attend the classes to make her mother happy. It had started out as a obligation, to ensure the precious money her mother spent didn't go to waste, but as time went on Raff genuinely started to enjoy the dance passionately. Unfortunately these classes were far from cheap and unknown to her the girl's mother had been working harder than her fragile body could handle, before long the woman started to suffer for the exertions. It was only when Scharlotte collapsed one night at supper when the girl was Fourteen that Raff realized that the jeweled pendant on her mother's necklace, which had been a family heirloom precious to the older woman, was gone.. and her mother admitted to pawning it for money a few nights prior. At first Raff was outraged, demanding to know why the woman wouldn't trust her to help work and make ends meet instead of resorting to such methods.. But the answer she received left her in tears as her mother chuckled tiredly and revealed her surprise. Scharlotte had set aside the money to put Raff through a well respected Performing Arts College nearby, because her child's happiness and future meant more to her than the pendant that represented her family history and she knew Raff was talented enough to be a professional dancer. It was a promise of a better life for her precious child, a way out of poverty, and if fate had been kinder Raff may well have lived that life.. making a way for herself and providing for her beloved mother with her dancing just as the woman had planned. It was only in the next year that this proved to be a passing dream, her mother's health declining steadily as the woman's body finally started to give out, and Raff chose to use the money meant for her future on taking care of her mother instead. Medical fees ate through the sum quickly and, though she felt guilt at lying, she swore to her mother that she hadn't touched the money to preserve the woman's peace of mind. The girl started working harder to keep up payments, even collaborating with other street kids on hustles and scams to rake in spare cash where she could despite knowing how risky it was and how much her mother would hate the behavior. Scharlotte Remia passed away Five days after Raff's Sixteenth birthday, leaving all of her belongings to her daughter in her Will which included a letter explaining their past that utterly shattered Raff's heart with the loss.. and enraged her with the truth.


Every shred of their formal paperwork listed the name 'Hearthstone' and after years of elusive answers from her mother on the topic in the letter it explained 'why' that was so. Her mother, sweet weak Scharlotte, had been the victim of an arranged marriage between two very wealthy families.. and ended up with a very abusive husband. For the many years they had been married the man had pushed and berated her mother for not giving him a son, the day she found out she was pregnant the man had actually seemed to gentle towards her... right up until they discovered Raff's gender. Finding out his firstborn was to be a girl her father snapped, venting his frustrations upon his wife by isolating her in a remote estate and demanding she not contact him until she birthed the 'breeder baby' and could bear him a true heir. Unable to cope with the idea of her daughter living under the control of such a cruel man and knowing her own family would never support the shame of a divorce smearing their good name the woman had taken her newborn daughter and ran, living off her pawned jewelry until they ended up in the run down apartments they would call home throughout Raff's childhood. Apparently the man had been content to let them run, never searching for his wayward wife nor the 'girl' that had disappointed him for not being born a boy. To him, her mother's note explained, Raff would only have been raised as a tool to marry off to another rich family. Having lived that life herself Scharlotte's written apology begged Raff to understand why she'd put her child through such a hard life, swearing that even the hardest of times on the streets had been bearable because her daughter was free and strong and brave. It honestly filled Raff with dread to think how awful her mother's life had been... and how much she'd given up despite that for the sake of protecting her daughter from a gilded cage. Unfortunately, being a minor, the law stepped in and sought out her next of kin for custody; Her father didn't even come himself to pick her up, his suited goon simply handing over the required paperwork to the officers watching her and taking her packed belongings to the car before returning to man-handle the girl herself into the vehicle. It was a long drive and not a single word was spoken, Raff silent in defiance and the man quite in indifference, and when they finally arrived at the gated estate the girl barely had time to absorb the alien sight of such a huge house before a woman was yanking her out of the car and dragging her inside while yammering about 'making her presentable' for the Master. Pushed into a large shower room she was scrubbed head to toe by nameless women, ushered into another room and forcibly dressed in some ridiculous outfit that had Raff cringing, and by the time her world stopped spinning and she could gather her wits she'd been pushed through a large wooden doorframe that opened into what looked like a polished office; The heavy oak door shutting behind her with barely a click as the deafening silence of the room was only interrupted by the scribbles of a pen on paper. A man sat behind a massive desk, his head never lifting to even look at her as a voice full of bored authority rumbled from his chest and he outlined their situation coldly. All debts, including her mother's funeral arrangements, had been settled.. Raff, nor anyone else, would not be allowed to attend as Scharlotte was put to rest on her maiden family's estate as a final punishment to the woman for daring to run from her life. His wife's name was to never be spoken in his presence again and his daughter was to be ready for her flight in the morning because he was sending her to boarding school until she could be 'useful'. All through this conversation the man never stopped his work, that irritating pen scratching the papers in front of him like nails on chalkboard, and with every word that dropped out of his arrogant mouth Raff's temper crackled. By the time he'd mentioned sending her away her body had moved on its own towards him, the soft taps of her new shoes muffled by his extravagant rug as she rounded his desk quietly. What happened next shocked both of them; Raff snapping the fountain pen from his hands and yanking the arm of his chair to force him her direction as she slammed the slender writing tool into the backrest just inches from his left ear which imbedded it into the rich material with a vicious ripping sound. It was the first time he really looked at her, his matching blue stare finding hers with bewildered anger, and the girl honestly felt disgust for her own eye color as she realized she'd inherited from this petty goblin of a man. In the same tone of voice, calmly mocking his own tirade to his face, the girl explained how things were really going to go; She was going to do whatever lessons he required to be his heir, female or not, and he was going to teach her everything she needed to know to survive in this new environment while giving her the respect such a role deserved.. Or that pen was going to find a new resting place and she'd take her chances with the legal system as a minor with homicide charges. It was a bluff, the girl was many things but a killer wasn't one of them even in the state of grieving she was in.. But even as he shrewdly recognized this her Father actually seemed amused by the sheer audacity she'd displayed in threatening him because it cemented that there was enough of his blood in her to potentially make her 'more than just a tool' as he'd initially thought to use her as. Surprisingly the man agreed to her demands with a smirk, pointing out again that if Raff disappointed him he would place her in a boarding school and forget about her again until she was old enough to be married off. True to his word the following months and years were hellish. Raff had to dedicate her life as his heir, casting aside her life and her old friends in the slums to be the posh and proper young lady his social peers expected a girl of her class to be. The etiquette training was almost cruel, her schooling overwhelming as she studied business and economics with dance and musical instructions on the side, but true to her nature and proving her resilience the girl thrived under the pressure. Years passed, she became exactly the lady her father wanted of her, and though the pair never loved or even liked each other they did come to a somewhat respectable understanding. In public they played the happy family, waltzing to tune of the Ton Society's expectations like a loving and loyal father and daughter... Outside of that the pair barely spoke beyond a professional sense. It could have continued on this way even to this day if the man hadn't let his guard drop, thinking he'd firmly tamed and trained his wayward spawn as her behavior and success brought him praise and admiration from his peers.. Not a single person beyond her household saw what was happening behind her serene smiles. Over the years Raff had gotten to know and even care for the staff working in her home, the maids and butlers becoming close as kin to her while she worked herself to the bone to meet her father's lofty standards, and in these early years she learned that she wasn't the only person under their roof to hate the man. With their help and their blessings Raff slowly took more and more control of life in the house, smoothly and quietly pushing her father into more of a figure-head even in his own business as she likewise reached out to disgruntled Board Members and planted the seeds of mutiny in their minds. Never showing her hand, always playing the loyal daughter, everyone but those in her home honestly believed her Father's resignation speech as he elegantly stepped down from his position and passed on the power of his seat to his Daughter.. Word for word reciting the very letter she'd forced him to memorize the night before as she gently laid out the mountain of blackmail she had against him on his desk. Eclipsing his place, both in the home and outside of it, Raff did to him what he had done to her mother all those years ago.. Finally getting her revenge by locking him in a gilded cage and putting him on a modest stipend, with loyal bodyguards to keep an eye on him. Never once, after the pen incident of course, did she physically harm the man.. but mentally she utterly crushed him, stripping his pride away as she took his power and wealthy so easily from his grasp that no one even realized she'd forced him into a corner. Aware of just how firmly in her palm he was the man seemed content to quietly living out what was left of his life in a comfortable yet humble home, playing at 'retirement' while wisely keeping his mouth shut about his daughter's ruthless coup, but the man was very much his daughter's father and recently he played the hand he'd been holding; Raff almost lost her life to a 'kidnapping attempt', the entire thing orchestrated by her dear old dad to punish her for defying him. The man later clarified that he'd never meant for her to be ( seriously ) harmed but... he had grossly underestimated Raff's fight or flight instincts and the situation had spiraled out of control as soon as it had started. Leaving the office late, as she was prone to do, Raff had been grabbed in the parking garage and after being bound, blinded, and gagged she was taken to a warehouse where the thugs were told to hold her until her 'beloved papa' could swoop in and pay the ransom they demanded for her safety. The mistake came when, thinking her some well-mannered socialite too scared to put up a fight, the hired men didn't secure her to anything and just left her in a folding chair. Obviously, able to at least hear what was going on, she was able to gather who had hired them by their excited bantering and her temper got the better of her. Raff had stood up, feeling her way to a wall and then a doorway, before one of the men realized she was escaping... He grabbed her, she head-butted backwards to break his nose, and the pair stumbled back into the room and fell; Raff was cushioned by the man's body but the man himself collided with the folding chair and after a sickening thud she could feel his body shake with the force of the enraged growl that rumbled in his chest. The grip on her body tightened painfully, inhumanly.. and then all she could feel was a ripping pain from her shoulder; Raff actually choking back a scream as agony and a burning sensation prickled her flesh around the man's spiteful bite. Wrenching her shoulder up, though it did dig his fangers deeper in doing so, Raff managed to jam her fingers into his eyes in a blind and desperate fumble... only to realize the man had fallen eerily still in their struggle. The arms that held her had dead weighted, the painful teeth imbedded in her shoulder seemed lodged in place rather than clenched, and the male didn't react as her nails raked the exposed skin of his face. Panic spiked as understanding dawned on the woman and slowly Raff rubbed her face against the man's chest to work the blindfold off... unintentionally spreading his blood across her own face before her nose prodded something sharp and she jerked back away from it instinctively. Raff's movements had worked well enough to free one eye and, blinking rapidly, she felt horror blossom in the pit of her stomach as she registered what her nose had hit. It wasn't some gaudy necklace or button on his shirt...The jagged pieces of that silly folding chair protruded from his chest like a vicious spike that only missed her own body by inches. He'd been dying as they struggled... and she mistook his ungodly strength as a dying man's energy. A death she had caused, albeit in self defense...

It was sheer force of will that moved Raff in the events that followed, her heart shredded by the weight of her sin but her hands steady with resolve as she pried his jaws off of her shoulder and wiggled free of his oddly still-tight grasp. Escaping after that was strangely simple, no one else seemed to notice or care as the bloody woman stumbled out of the warehouse and into the city's nightlife. Taking a stranger's phone she dialed the loyal butlers of her estate and once they picked her up they took her home.. knowing full well she couldn't afford to be seen at a hospital the staff did their best to clean her wound and hide the incident by saying she was simply down with a cold to anyone that asked about her absence. It took days for Raff to wake up after her Chauffeur had carried her out of the dirty city streets and bundled her into the back of a decoy car; When she finally awoke again something fundamental about her had shifted in a way even she couldn't recognize. Raff's throat felt raw, parched, no matter how much she drank and as the days passed sunlight slowly became more and more painful as the cravings worsened. Perhaps it was dumb luck that it was a delivery man, not one of her own people, that suffered the brunt of her breaking point... The woman wouldn't have been able to forgive herself if someone on her staff had died instead of the poor stranger that had brought her a delivery that evening as her new instincts took over and her mind blanked. When Raff snapped out of her daze the first thing she noticed was how nice she felt, how refreshed and relaxed her body had become in such a seemingly short time. The second thing she noticed was the corpse of her delivery man slouching from her arms as her teeth slid from his throat like a warm knife through butter. Raff had bit him.. just like the man had bitten her during her kidnapping. The only difference was Raff had survived and unknowingly tasted her attacker's blood in her struggles to get her blindfold off..

Accepting the fact that one has become a vampire is not actually as charming or simple as pop culture would have one believe. If not for the support and affection of her house staff members Raff may well have lost her mind at the monstrous changes that had claimed her life and even know, months later, she is only able to keep down the blood of her servants who donate their essences willingly in the form of wineglasses or blood bags. No one beyond the walls of her home know of her new... condition... nor the fact that Raff was kidnapped at the behest of her father; The man himself passing away from a induced heart attack in his private estate after Raff confirmed it had been his plot that harmed her. Investigating just who her father had hired proved to be a unsettling affair as, returning to the site of her abduction and incarceration, Raff discovered the body of her assailant was long gone. Given what she knows now about the nature of her attacker the woman harbors suspicions that he didn't actually die in their scuffle but, knowing so little about vampires, she can't say for sure if he could survive such grievous wounds or not or even why a creature such as himself would take on such a job to start with. Alas, with no answers to be gained and far too much evidence to risk Raff had the warehouse and surrounding buildings torn down in the name of 'Urban Redevelopment' and funded the establishment of a public library on the plot. To maintain the image of a grieving daughter, as her father had 'tragically' passed away after all, Raff has taken leave from her work temporarily to better adjust to her new situation.. and to figure out how to come to terms with what she has to do now to survive.  

[Dalia Thail]

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Quote:

Serafina Hearthstone ❃
~ Raff ~

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

I Think. " I Speak." I Act.

❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃❃

 

[Dalia Thail]

Blackbell, Jaqueline

+||+---------BASIC INFORMATION---------+||+
Name: Jaqueline Annette Blackbell
(Jack for short.)
Work Alias: Blackjack.
Hunter's Rank: Huntsman
Hunter's Sect: Sabre, though she often works closely with the Rooks.
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Race: Human


+||+-----------PERSONAL APPEARANCE--------------+||+
Appearance: Perpetually exhausted.
Hair: Pale Blonde
Eyes: Pale Gold
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 127lbs


+||+----------------CHARACTER INFORMATION--------------------+||+

Skills:

- Clerical Duties: Jack spends much if not all of her time looking after the inner workings of the Hunter's territory when she is at headquarters. Paperwork, business management, expense reports, employee care, contract research... If someone so much as looks at one of 'her people' the wrong way she'll confiscate the body part ruthlessly. As her Hunter comrades often say.. Mind your tongue, or Jack will take it. Most can think she is kidding of course but to anyone that works with the woman they know exactly how literal she can be about charging interlopers an arm and a leg for bothering her.

- Networking. This is a cute way to say Jack is very, very skilled at gathering information both through legal and not-so-legal means. Jack will charm, bully, torture, bribe, and blackmail her targets without shame or hesitation; The end result will always justify the means in her mind and she is quite good at keeping her spiderweb of information/informants organized.

- Fixer. Jack is adept at 'cleaning up' unfortunate and undesirable situations.. Silencing witnesses, literally repairing buildings, buying off officials, you name it and she'll generally have her fingers in just about any scandal that has been swept under the rug for her Organization.


Abilities:

- Combat: Flexible through training and dedicated to the constant improvement of her abilities Jack is a fluid motion of violence when she fights, her style centered around stealth and hit-and-run tactics to get the job done as efficiently as possible. Fond of poisons and paralytics she'll often coat her weapons in questionable substances and she excels at subterfuge so be wary.. the blade you see isn't the one she's planning on striking with. While the woman 'can' hold her own in fights, typically redirecting or dodging foes attacks to wear them down before fighting back, she doesn't actually like brute force in her Hunts if she can help it. Assassination is far more her style and it is safe to assume that if she lets herself be seen by a target... there is a reason for it and they typically won't like it.

- Species Identification: As one might expect from a intel professional Jack goes out of her way to study and memorize information about Freaks to better advise her comrades on their missions. New species fascinate her and she actively hunts/captures beings that need to be properly cataloged in their archives. If she ever looks excited on a Hunt... her targets should run because they won't die quickly if she catches them.

- Enhancement Magic: As if this ability were some bright, fluffy skill... No, this 'magic' is as brutal as the world itself and frankly it hurts like hell once Jack uses it. Physical reinforcement, the arcane ability to move faster and hit harder than a fair number of supernatural creatures could ever predict from a Human. The issue is that this magic, though certainly helpful in her work, is extremely draining on her body and it isn't uncommon for Jack to pass out for hours or even days after her Hunts when she has to use this skill. When 'enhanced' the woman can Flicker (moving faster than most creatures can see), Lift about eight times her own body weight, and mentally process information fast enough to utilize her ramped up reflexes effectively. Admittedly she will use this ability for her paperwork to a small degree, lending to her almost eternal state of exhaustion, but it isn't something Coffee and sweets can't fix.


Weaknesses:

- Children. To just about everyone else Jack is a Spider. Manipulative, vicious, professional, ruthless, and cold.. But to Human ( and a lesser degree, freak ) children? For kids Jack becomes at least a little of the woman she had once been; Loving, nurturing, patient, and playful. All of the factors and statistics fly out the window if a child is at risk and, regardless of how much it will hurt her, Jack will do anything she can to protect them.

- Her people. This is to a lesser degree than children in general, without question, but Jack does do her best to take care of the people under her Organization's protection even if she doesn't show it. To keep them safe? She has and will continue to get her hands filthy doing whatever it takes to protect 'her people' if they thank her or not. In her mind there is no Hunter left behind and every single time they lose one of their comrades it shreds her heart.. not that she'll ever show it of course. Instead she buckles down to focus on taking care of the victim's family members, doing what she 'can' do while dealing with her grief in her own way.

- Physical Abilities. Lithe as she is, and quite mortal to boot, Jack is at quite the disadvantage if she can't use her Enhancement Magic in a fight. Worse, perhaps, is the fact that even if she 'does' use her magic it wrecks her body and leaves her quite helpless for a good while afterward. Jack doesn't have accelerated healing so she has to be careful, regardless of the fact that she's a masochist she has to mind the amount of physical damage she takes. Getting hurt during a Hunt excites her and this can lead things to getting messy so.. yes, caution is best.

- Coffee, and to a lesser degree alcohol. Jack will absolutely melt for good Coffee and, if upset, this is the best ticket most people can use to pacify her. The alcohol is more to let herself unwind a little.


- Her Magic: Imagine a balloon inflating, stretching and stressing itself to expand. Now imagine that balloon is muscle and the 'air' filtering into it forcefully is magic instead. Every single time Jack uses her 'Enhancement' magic she is simply absorbing the ambient magic of nature into her body and forcing it quite literally to soak into her tissue.. During this yes, her physical and mental abilities accelerate and she becomes ridiculously durable. But... afterward? Jack never really learned how to cycle her magic back out in a healthy way so when she 'drops' her focus all of that energy rips itself out of her physical frame rather abruptly. It is painful and even if that is something she likes it still leeches whatever natural energy the woman prior to that point making her lethargic.

+||+---------------------------CHARACTER LOADOUT-----------------------------------+||+

Weapons: For the sake of protection and efficiency she'll carry two knives, one tucked at her ankle and one in her pocket, and she'll keep a spool of razor wire in her left sleeve for assassination purposes. ,

Armor: Guile. To hurt her you have to catch her and frankly... Few outsiders realize she is a threat until they feel the bite of her razor wire on their throats. Physically she doesn't have much in the way of protection, bulky materials would hinder her movement or alert her targets to danger.

Equipment: At any time she'll have Lock-picking tools on her person, a few containers of select poisons, Two knives, Razor Wire, an earring in her right ear that serves as a tracking device for her comrades, and a simple Crested ring that features three little gemstones imbedded in the center of a clover motif. A Topaz, an Emerald, and a Sapphire. On the inside of the Ring three names are inscribed; Virgil, Elenore, and Mathew. Jack will never, ever let this ring out of her sight.

Miscellaneous: The ring is her keepsake from her lost children, for obvious reasons she will never take it off. The knives are a feint of sorts, meant to keep the focus of her foes and get them close so she can sink a poisoned blade into their blindside. Do not mistake her fighting style to mean she cannot wield daggers well; Jack trains every single day to keep her skills sharp. She just prefers to take her targets alive if she can, it yields more information and she can always kill them after the interrogation. Her alias, Blackjack, is a play on the old card game.. This woman is very skilled at knowing when to push her luck or when to back off and watch the cards.


+||+---------------------------PERSONALITY-----------------------------------+||+


For Jack there is one simple truth in the world: Morals are sweet lies that comfort no one. Nothing matters more to her than the well being and happiness of her people and, frankly, there is very little she wouldn't do to reach her goals so be very wary when dealing with this woman. Unless she is speaking to one of her Hunters or to Children Jack will lie, steal, cheat, beg, weep, flatter, and betray as much as she feels she needs to for her true endgame to be realized and it can be ridiculously hard for people to predict or manipulate her effectively due to her adaptive nature. The funniest part of this ( to her at least ) is that Jack doesn't actually try to hide what she wants... she just lies so often and tells truths with such a off-handed charm that it is nearly impossible for people to gage which of her comments are real or fabrication. The reality is that Jack will crawl through any hell for her work and she gets results with ruthless efficiency; It is just best people don't ask 'how' she got her work done so they can sleep better in ignorance. Most would describe Jack as efficient, almost brutally so when the situation demands it. Hard working, serious in her responsibilities, a bit impatient in personal matters, temperamental to most, and prone to taking calculated personal risks if it means getting her work done. Putting herself in harms way? She won't blink or hesitate to make that leap.. for the right reasons, that is. Unlike a number of her comrades Jack doesn't feel a sense of humanistic optimism behind her service. Humans are not innocent in her mind, far from it, but they are 'hers' and good or bad she'll always hold them in a higher regard than the Freaks outside their gates. Still it is no secret that she'd rather be training or reading a book than humoring the self-important chatter of 'guests' and though she remains professional when on the clock the woman doesn't pretend to be social. So, one may ask, what does motivate the woman to stay in line? To keep fighting and following orders? Simple. Loyalty and love. Before being a Hunter Jack was a Mother, warped though it may seem the woman still takes steps to look after her 'family' however she can. This includes keeping the Headquarters pristine, the pantries stocked, and creature comforts close at hand for her comrades.

The truth is Jack is headstrong, often unwilling to explain herself, cold, coy when it serves her needs, a masochist, and very much the type to lie without missing a beat. Oh sure, she has her good points.. it is just a little hard for strangers to see them under her quick-witted shell and abrasive sarcasm towards anyone she doesn't consider a comrade. She couldn't care less what people think of her, doing what she likes when she feels it is alright to do so.. But she will rarely challenge orders from her superior and she'll viciously enforce them if anyone else dares to rebel.. Mess with someone under her care and she won't leave enough evidence of your existence to fill a shot glass. While not quite 'proud' there is a resilience to Jack that hints at the inner strength of her character. At her core this woman is very much a 'ride or die' personality for the right people and, no matter how much she deceives and betrays, to her true comrades there is no question she'd sacrifice herself to fulfill her work. The only thing she would never risk is the safety of those in her care, that weakness is a leash that keeps her somewhat agreeable and cautious in her tasks. In spite of her rather obvious 'I Bite' vibe that most can pick up on, she does display random acts of empathy and kindness.. Brief and awkward as they may seem. This is a personal effort on her part, the woman actively reminding herself to 'try' and see the good in others often at the behest of her rare friends. It is a struggle for her and, if pointed out or teased even light heartedly for it, her temper will kick in with a vengeance and she'll shut down hard. Once, long ago, Jack was actually a very gentle woman; It is funny to think that once she'd struggled to even kill bugs without crying.. It is rare but at times little glimmers of who she was will shine through, typically with children or wounded comrades, but Jack doesn't flaunt this behavior and will actively dismiss anyone pointing it out. Oddly enough she still doesn't like to kill insects, typically scooping the little beasts up and releasing them outside without much thought. As noted, no doubt due to her magic and the twisted environment she survived, Jack has realized she is quite a masochist.. when it comes to physical pain at least. Using her own magic has become a double edged sword in a number of ways but the most unexpected is that, as the pain floods her system afterward, so does pleasure and the woman has to be careful not to let this distract her from her work.

Theme Song:
In Spirit: Redemption - Besomorph & Coopex

In Life: Middle Finger - Bohnes

In Love: Bullet Proof - La Roux

+||+---------------------------BACKGROUND-----------------------------------+||+

It is a bit strange to admit that, had her victims been 'Human', Jack would easily qualify as a serial killer by most standards. That was 'before' of course, now that she is employed her title is actually 'Hunter' rather than 'Killer' but they feel the same to her regardless and the only thing that has really changed over the years is Jack herself. Perhaps it would be best to start at the beginning? After all, all good stories start.. Once upon a time.

There was a beautiful, if humble, village in the forests of post-apocalyptic France. Humans, Supernatural beings, and nature existed peacefully enough and in this lovely little town Jaqueline was born the eldest daughter of a farming family. With her father tending to the fields and her mother looking after the animals it fell to Jaqueline to look after her four little siblings; Cooking, sewing, schooling, and just about any side chores she could pick up became her daily routine. It wasn't a bad life.. In fact, when she reached the age of sixteen she was well prepared to start a family of her own with her childhood companion from the next farm over. Joshua.. The man she'd later call Husband had easily been her best and only friend in that little village and the pair hadn't hesitated for a moment when their families proposed a marriage between them. It wasn't... love.. for them. At least not that passionate and soul-searing love people talk about, but it was an affection born of trust and friendship and through that bond the pair would quickly have three children of their own in the following years. Life was simple but happy. Work filled the days, laughter spread readily and often around their table, and neighbors often visited to share their joyful cheer. Why then, born and embraced in such a fairytale like life, did Jaqueline become what she became? That, dear readers, is where our story takes a unfortunate turn and harsh reality invaded our dreamer's realm. One night, after a warm meal and a playful game of 'who can stall before bed longer' between her children, Jaqueline awoke to the urgent shaking against her shoulder.. the rough, calloused hands of her husband trembling in a way she'd never seen before as he jostled her awake and held a finger to his lips firmly. Opening her mouth to ask 'what' her words died on her lips as the sound of screams and vicious jeers swelled from outside their little home. Raids were not unheard of, towns around the area faced a constant threat of Bandits, and yet... something about this night didn't feel like that sort of threat. There was a tension in the air, the stink of smoke and a sense of anticipation that had the hairs on Jaqueline's nape standing on end. They were in danger...

Quietly but swiftly Jaqueline and Joshua split up, each doing as they'd rehearsed so many times before as they readied their home by closing the windows and carefully blocking the door. Waking her children, eldest to youngest, Jaqueline ushered her two toddlers into the hidden cellar under their dinner table and gently handed her infant son to her eldest boy. " I'm right here, remember not to make a sound okay?" As if that would help... If she'd known back then how futile and laughable their efforts had been Jack may well have chosen the mercy of ending their lives herself... If only to spare them the pain of what was to come for all of them. Virgil was only five as he held his baby brother and stared up at her with those big golden eyes, Elenore with her rosy cheeks and bright green eyes was only three as she sat obediently and drew in the dirt with her finger, and Mathew.. Barely a year old and already his deep blue eyes were twinkling with the potential mischief of his father. None of them cried, though clearly they were afraid they nodded and trusted her as Jaqueline sealed their hiding place and dragged the heavy table back over it with a little rug to hide the hinges of their haven. It felt like she barely took two steps before the front door splintered open, her head turning in time to see a fist before the world went black and her husband's agonized wails filled the last of her thoughts before sleep took her.

When Jack awoke next it was to find herself tied to a post in her front yard; Bite marks stinging her arms and throat even as the smoke of her burning home choked her and blurred her vision. Joshua was dead.. In her heart she knew it, even before she found the tatters of his shirt wrapped around a chunk of torso in the pile of body parts to her left. Jaqueline had made him that shirt just before his last birthday.. Tears prickled her eyes but Jack didn't let them fall, her broken heart swiftly clinging to the hope that at least their children would be safe in their cellar. The fire wouldn't touch them, they'd built a escape hatch down the hill and the kids knew to run to the neighbors-- " Momma!" " Virgil?!" Snapping her head up, panicked to hear her baby's warped voice so close with such carnage, Jack still wakes up with nightmares from the sight that greeted her in that moment. Back then Jack really didn't understand how such evil could exist in the world and yet never in her long years afterward could she dare explain what those monsters had done to her babies. Her neighbors, those she had grown up with and shared so many beautiful memories with, were standing in a loose crowd in her yard with her children held tightly in their midst. These men and women had been like family to her, supernatural or no they had just been 'people' she loved dearly and yet... There was no kindness or love in the eyes of those gathered before her. There was apparently a new Bandit group in the area that hated Humans and, as her neighbors explained softly, reality sank in for Jack as to what had really happened the night before. It hadn't been raiders that killed her mortal neighbors and husband the night before.. It had been the rest of the town, eager to avoid conflict with the growing band of Human hating beasts outside of their village. Apparently they had been promised safety if they exterminated the 'human filth' from their folds and the only reason Jack herself hadn't died with her husband was because they needed her alive to lure out her hiding children. " It was us or you, please understand we don't have a choice." In a shallow attempt at mercy, not wanting to 'make her suffer more', one of her neighbors stepped forward and struck Jaqueline in the chest with a ungodly force meant to stop her heart. It was a gesture she'd seen him use on livestock to 'end things' swiftly for them.. and then William, the man she once swore wouldn't harm a hair on a child's head, did the same thing to her children with a grimace on his face. They thought she was dead, that she wouldn't see the cruelty of their actions and lies, and if not for the magic blooming in her chest Jack knew she very well would have passed away from that blow as they'd meant her to but.. At the time she startled all of them by ripping herself out of her bindings and screaming, begging them to at least spare her children and offering herself in their place. Her magic at the time was raw, born of her desperation and sadly fleeting in her distraught state. The moment Jack managed to free herself, her feet touching the ground as if to close the distance between herself and the remains of her children, the world itself turned on its head and for the second time consciousness fled her as her magic flickered out and her body roared in pain. This time when she awoke the woman found herself in a cage in a dank cavern corner. It occurred to her on some level that this new development wasn't good and yet understandably, in the depths of her grief, Jack didn't try to investigate or fight her situation as she waited for death. Her best friend/husband was dead. Her children were... were... It had been quick. If nothing else, there was a morbid comfort in knowing they didn't suffer and yet the glaring tear in her soul at the loss of her little ones left her numb to her own fate. It took a few days, creatures came to poke at her in her captivity and yet once they realized she wasn't reactive they soon lost interest and left her to her misery. Food held no appeal, water less so, and without a doubt she would have died from starvation or dehydration if not for the rough handling of her new captors as they quite literally forced food and water down her throat. Over time snippets of conversation came to her, breaking through the cracks in her anguished mind, and steadily the pieces of what had happened to her connected. After her magic manifested those pathetic neighbors decided to sell her to the Bandits instead of killing her; Apparently a Human was trash but a MAGE Human had value. They couldn't explain what her magic was, as she'd only just displayed it once and none of them understood what had happened at the time, so the Bandits resold her to a slave trader without much thought and... here she now sat, isolated in a holding cell until they could gage what her innate magic was and what value it would give her as product. Jack tried multiple times to die, either by antagonizing her captors or by simply ending it herself, and yet every single time they denied her wish with flippant dismissal. Jack was just a Human having a tantrum to them and they assumed she'd settle down. The bastards were not wrong, but they were not entirely 'right' either..

Unable to exercise her own desire to die her energy started to shift towards those that kept her from it; In the deep well of her pain something else had taken root, something twisted and entirely too nasty to claim as the Jaqueline that had once resided in the woman's body. All that was left was soul-wrenching numbness... and resolve. If Humans were so hated then wasn't it fine to be a little bit of a monster herself? Who was there left to be humane for, with her husband butchered and her babies dead? In this dark savage place Jack learned to lie, refining herself to the expectations of her 'masters' and even earning their praises as time passed and she seemed to truly acclimate to her new life. The masters taught her to use her magic, tossing her into fighting rings to hone her abilities, and honestly...? Jack thrived. Not just because she started to enjoyed it, certainly not because she'd forgotten what had happened, but rather because every single fight she fought helped her get closer to her end goal. It didn't hurt that most of her foes were not human, there was a distinct relief in the knowledge she was eradicating other monsters in their fighting pits. As one might expect, being human and quite a slender one at that, Jack didn't win every fight... and the punishments that followed her failures were brutal but expected. Jack was twenty one when her children and husband were murdered and she was twenty six when her slave masters made the crucial mistake to believe her to be tamed. Molded by their demands Jack wasn't that sweet farm girl anymore; The woman had become refined and vicious and she absorbed their corrupt culture with startling enthusiasm. Fighting, plotting, scheming... The only person she never bit or disobeyed was her Master and the woman soon fell into the belief that Jack was the loyal dog she'd always wanted. The time spent in the Fae's home was surprisingly peaceful and despite herself she did become attached to anther human slave on the property, a young boy that had far more spunk than brains. This youth helped Jack regain a small sense of her humanity, not nearly enough to stop her plans of course but... enough to know where her priorities lied rather than the bloody destruction she had originally intended. That Master was a daughter of a Fae clan and through her Jack learned the value of phrases and half truths. Sadly... The woman overestimated herself and the moment she dropped her guard Jack slit her throat without hesitation. With ease the human then tactfully placed the evidence of this damning deed on the woman's unconscious lover, casually releasing the other Human slaves including her little friend before returning to her role as a 'loyal dog' as she reported the crime dutifully to her late Mistress's elder brother. The Fae male was understandably enraged and frankly, freak or no, Jack actually might have felt sorry for the framed man if she had the emotional bandwidth to care at the time. The loss of the slaves was barely an afterthought, Jack knew she had done for them all she could and the rest was up to them if they survived or not. For her perceived loyalty the elder Fae male granted her freedom from her enslavement and, surprisingly, offered her a job working for him. A fool would have taken their freedom and fled but.. Jack new better. This was another test, as the Fae so loved to do, and if she tried to leave he would make sure she didn't get far. So Jack took his job offer with gratitude, sincerely relieved to keep a foothold as she continued working towards her true goal. Jack served his household for another two years until, just after leaving for a business trip, he and his entire security team ( Jack included ) were declared dead in a horrible automotive accident. Setting that one up had been difficult and yet, free now under the pretense of death and tying up her lose ends with a neat little Fae-blood stained bow, Jack was finally able to focus on what really mattered to her.

It took another year, Jack twenty nine at this point, to find her way back to her village. What was left of it, anyway. Apparently their choice to murder the Humans in their town didn't save them after all; The scattered bones and ruined buildings told her tale of slaughter that had killed the village not long after her own abduction by the slavers. Was this justice? No.. The world was cruel and this was just another bad joke. These monsters couldn't save themselves from each other even at the expense of Jack's family. That night so long ago had cost every human in the town their lives, her parents and siblings included, and yet it hadn't even spared these stupid beasts from their own fate at the hands of the Bandits. For the first time since that last night in her house Jack felt herself really laugh; The sound oddly haunting as she stood in the town square and doubled over in a fit of absolute morbid amusement. They'd died anyway, after all those years she'd spent thinking of the best way to choke them out or poison the water wells... Their bones were already bleaching on the cobblestones. Kicking the remains of a rotting food stand over the woman finally made the trek up the old hill to where her house had sat; Jack kneeling on the wild grass that had claimed their yard as she studied the crude stone marker that had been placed in her ruined doorway. A mass grave of all the humans they'd killed, apparently.. So here rested her siblings, parents, lover, and children. For a brief moment she was tempted once again to join them, to just lay down and let time claim what was left of her family, but ultimately that notion was fleeting. Jack's life in captivity and her discovery of what had happened here had hardened her resolve in a way nothing else could and, where once she had yearned only for death's release, now the woman understood how meaningless that would be. Another set of bones in this ghost town wouldn't change anything.. but a living set of hands could get a lot of work done and there were more people out there who needed protecting from these self destructive and petty beasts.

Hunting soon became Jack's reason for breathing and kept the memories of her loss at bay. In the following years she simply drifted from town to town, stalking and killing any Freak that posed a risk to the humans around them regardless of if they were innocent or guilty because ultimately she knew it wasn't a question of 'if' they were bad, only 'when' they would show it. It really didn't matter if the Humans thanked her or hated her for it; In her heart she knew they simply didn't understand the danger they were in so how could they understand her actions? The only consistency of her travels was that, once a year, Jack would return to the graves of her children on the eve of their deaths and clean up their tombstone gently. It was on one such evening that a Hunter came to visit her, a boy she'd helped escape from the Fae's estate so long ago, and it would be a lie to say she didn't feel a sense of relief to know he'd made it to freedom after all. The lad silently helped clean up the gravestone and he gave her space to pay her respects before simply asking her to come with him to the Human city called Bastion. The boy didn't ask anything about her past after their paths split, he didn't make promises or demands, all he said was that he wanted her help protecting his home and that was all it took for Jack to follow him. Becoming a formal Hunter was tedious but... compared to the peace and joy she gets to see on the faces of children around the city her own annoyance faded rather quickly. Jack has made her new home in Bastion and, though certainly still reclusive and pessimistic, she has decided to protect this place to her dying breath.  

[Dalia Thail]

Editing _---------------

King, Vivian

+||+---------BASIC INFORMATION---------+||+
Name: Vivian Alicia King
(Viv for short.)
Age: Around 300 or so years, give or take a decade.
Gender: Female
Race: People call her kind 'Sniffers', Viv doesn't care to correct outsiders so she lets it slide.


+||+-----------PERSONAL APPEARANCE--------------+||+
Appearance: --------
Hair: Silky Black with Red highlights, it reaches her thighs when unbound.
Eyes: Vibrant Pink
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 117lbs


+||+----------------CHARACTER INFORMATION--------------------+||+

Skills:

- Odd Jobs: Though sheltered from the more dangerous corners of The Club by her tribe members and the rest of the staff Viv is very good at helping in the areas she is allowed to roam; She helps bus tables, clean, run errands, and just about anything else that keeps her out of direct attention of customers yet allows her to interact with the other staff members. Viv is intimately familiar with every passage, nook, and corner of this building and she does her part to make sure things run smoothly like a helpful little wraith behind the scenes.

- Learned Traits: A adoptive child of the darker side of life she has developed a knack for getting into and out of troublesome situations. Learning how to pick locks, eavesdrop for information, and even pull harmless pranks to spread chaos and confusion to better her odds of getting her hands on what she is after Viv can be quite the little pest if she gets riled up. Unseen by most when she wants to be she can gather intelligence like a fly on the wall, so intimately familiar with how to 'hide' her presence by mimicking those around herself that few ever really notice her at all.

Social Awareness: Though a bit at odds with social interactions on a personal level Viv did learn a great deal about them as a outsider looking in. It typically doesn't take her long to learn about the dynamics and relationships of those around herself and, thanks to her own tribe's warmth towards her, she is actually quite good at understanding body language in other people which helps her figure out how to interact with people as she gets to know them.


Abilities:

- Blood Memory: An ability passes from Mother to child, females of this species can retain 'records' of encountered memory signatures and pass that instinctive recognition to their children. It is a little hard to say 'how' the children recognize which signature belongs to which species but it is a valued and precious gift from matriarchs to their offspring. Theory stands that this is just constant exposure of a advanced type of Empathic transmission between mothers and their unborn babies but, given the few numbers left of her tribe and low reproduction rate it is hard to confirm or deny the notion.

- Species Identification: Viv can identify any species for what they are regardless of how they try to hide or deny it. For obvious reasons her people don't share 'how' they do this but it is a intrinsic part of their beings. This skill isn't a choice, they recognize others as naturally as other species breathe and for Viv this goes a step deeper than most realize .Through training from her father Viv can actively manipulate her own energy/life force to mimic that of other races. Vampires feel her as a Vampire herself, Demons likewise recognize her as kin, even Angels have fallen for her chameleon cloak and the woman uses this skill to avoid or hide like a tree in a forest. There are limits to this skill, it relies on her being awake and focused so if for some reason she is startled or knocked out her energy signature returns to normal. It also drains her stamina over time but, as experienced as she is with this talent, she can keep her disguise up for as long as she can last without sleeping... so far that limit is five days before she collapses in exhaustion.

- Essence tracking: Viv can follow energy residue to track anything she has met before, or that she has inherited memories of, and this tracing relies on all of her senses to do it. Viv can taste, smell, see, hear, and feel the energy of other beings. Following the trails in people's wake is wildly easy for her people so it can be hard to hide from them. Teleporting targets can be tricky... But not impossible to deal with.

- Empathic transmission: She can share memories or 'scents' with other creatures by making physical contact with her recipient. This is a weaker version of her Blood Memory and a skill that all of her people have naturally; this is actually how they communicate with each other and it is a sign of trust to do so with outsiders. Languages mean little with this ability because they are reading the soul, there are no barriers or lies between those sharing with this skill. Males of her species 'can' to some degree control what they show and share through the bond but females typically cannot. If Viv 'speaks' to someone she can't filter anything which makes her extremely hesitant to use this ability with anyone but her close family. For the sake of her people's patron, the Lady Cassarria, Viv will use this skill to extract information from 'outsider' people when asked.. Just as she can't hide her own thoughts and feelings from others in this state they likewise can't hide theirs from her either. Once she takes the knowledge desired from them she in turn shares it with her Lady, a show of absolute trust and loyalty any of her tribe would express to their Patron. With this skill she could actually help a female of a differing species carry a Sniffer's child to term, using her own ability to 'teach' the mother and child to bond properly.. Viv has only done this a few times for her clanmates and their chosen Mates and it is very taxing on the girl.

- Venom: If she exposes something or someone to her venom she can seal their magic/abilities for a set amount of time. This toxin is generated from glands under her tongue, though when in a desperate situation the woman will use her teeth to tear the skin of her foes and give her saliva-spread venom a open wound to enter her target's bloodstream. The stronger they are the faster this venom wears off and to be cautious Viv will typically make her escape as soon as she can rather than test how long the effects last on her attacker. Humans and Fae creatures typically become paralyzed along with the nullification, other races are simply slowed.. Unfortunately for Viv all of her victims share one particular reaction to her venom and she doesn't like it at all. Due to her mother's bloodline Viv inherited a rather annoying deviation of her people's toxin and it is just another reason as to 'why' her people try to keep her away from outsiders: Her venom stimulates intense pleasure in her victims even as it locks them down. For obvious reasons, unless her lady asks her to use it on someone, Viv goes out of her way not to expose people to her venom casually.



Weaknesses:

- Her nature: Viv is a rather timid soul and she isn't good at asking for things that she wants; It can also be very difficult for her to say 'no' to someone she likes and this can get her into trouble. Her last prank, at the pressure of one of her cousins, landed her on dish washing duty for a solid week because she wouldn't admit who put her up to it in the first place. Viv is quite young for her species and she can be rather naive at times.

- Her Duty. Viv may be young but she understands what is expected of her as one of the few females of her people. There is a weight to her role that binds her like a shackle, her love of her people chaining her to the responsibility of continuing their kind with her future children. In her mind she doesn't have the right or a reason to refuse this path and... for one so young... this expectation placed upon her is a burden she bears in silence.

- Her tribe/coworkers. Viv does do her best to take care of the people under her Mistress's protection even if she doesn't show it. To keep them safe? Even if she is terrified the girl will put herself at risk if it means saving someone she likes. It is true that she isn't brave enough to stand up and fight in stressful situations but... she does her best to help where she can.

- Physical Abilities. Unlike the males of her species the females are actually quite a bit weaker and slower by comparison. Viv may train daily and stay in top shape but she'll never come close to the natural strength of her male relatives or even a number of 'outsider' species.

- Sweets. Viv will absolutely melt for good desserts and, if upset, this is the best ticket most people can use to pacify her. If someone dares to take her goodies without permission? They had better be ready for the pranks that follow as she exacts a elusive yet consistent vengeance upon them.


+||+---------------------------CHARACTER LOADOUT-----------------------------------+||+

Weapons: At the order of her elders Viv keeps a ring on her person at all times, one that contains a hidden spike coated in paralyzing poison. Beyond this Viv can actually fight pretty well, though she doesn't have much 'battle experience' per say, and her style centers around kicking techniques so she wears steel toed boots to protect her feet and add a little force behind her attacks.

Armor: As sheltered as she's been by her people Viv has never really had a reason to wear armor but, as per her father's training, she does know how to put on and secure protective vests if needed.

Equipment: Viv will always have some sort of candy in her pockets, typically caramels but occasionally chocolates, and she will always have a simple silver ring on her right middle finger. The girl will almost always have a lockpicking set and a small notebook in her back pocket where she jots down anything she finds interesting occurring in the building.

Miscellaneous: The ring was a gift from her Lady and, though far from a harmless piece, Viv cherishes it.


+||+---------------------------PERSONALITY-----------------------------------+||+


Shy and skittish in the company of new people and yet strong willed in her resolve to get things done. Viv is fun-loving, mischievous, clever, and prone to acting on her curiosity or impulses for better or worse. At times accused of being fickle she does have her quirks, her impish temper slow to ignite but passionate when riled and very slow to fade much to the resignation of those dear to her. When pushed to the point that she feels the need to act she steels her spine and stands tall, shaking perhaps but determined to hold her ground come what may. She isn't above holding a grudge and she is slow to change her mind about people or let them into her heart. This is the result of lasting trust issues inspired by her past, on some level she is always waiting for the inevitable ulterior motives of those around her to come to light and reveal what people want from her. It is very important to note that even though she believes people use each other, and perhaps is a bit critical of strangers trying to win her trust, the woman doesn't view this as a negative trait in people. In the end everyone wants something and she is no different; Companionship, satisfying work, booze, a lively banter with a dear friend.. Viv is aware she doesn't have the right to criticize the wants of others, only how those 'wants' affect her personally. Viv can also be a bit greedy, she instinctively hordes shiny objects and treasures.. and it can get a bit heated when someone or something tries to take them away. Oddly, this shifts a bit when she is romantically interested in someone and the woman starts to give these precious items to her partner as shows of affection. It is quite silly, but it is a pure expression of her love. If she gets serious about a relationship she commits fully, sincere and even a little aggressively playful once comfortable with the dynamic. Sadly, given the fact that she is one of the only females in her tribe and heavily protected by her kin, casual romances are not really an option for her and anyone that tries had better have the will to fight through her stubborn guardians. Truth be told Vivian has never really allowed herself to think of having a romantic partner; It has long been explained to her that their kind is dying out and what the Elders expect of her to counter that. Why dream of finding love when in reality she was duty-bound to marry whomever the Elders decided upon? Her people raised her with love and care and Viv has long understood that she would have to return that sentiment by submitting to their expectations even if that knowledge scares her to some degree. Though an adult by her people's standards she is still very young for one of her kind and, if one had to draw a comparison, her mental state is relatable to that of a Eighteen-to-Twenty year old human's. To know that, to some degree, the future of her kind sits on her shoulders.. Viv struggles with the weight of her responsibilities quietly.

Intelligent and fast-thinking she has a sharp wit about her, showing advanced problem-solving skills and a affinity for the art of keeping secrets when desperate to do so. The distinction in her mind of 'not wanting to lie' is balanced with the knowledge that 'she doesn't have to share what she knows' when asked invasive questions.. and to keep the trust of a dear friend? She'll take some information to the grave willingly. Despite her typical equivocation to avoid making promises or sharing too much information she can still be a bit naïve at times and with her playful nature she can be distracted rather easily. She loves to make people smile and laugh (from a safe distance), almost seeming to be drawn to the act of playing the fool for her friends sake and doing to very well at it, but only a true fool would believe her air-headed antics or underestimate just how determined she can be. Viv, much to her own frustration, has a rather large degree of empathy for those around herself that often motivates her to see things from their perspective. The woman is as stubborn as she is rebellious in the face of oppression and though she may not openly confront those that challenge her the woman isn't above taking calculated steps to undercut her foes efficiently. Few of her coworkers notice or appreciate the fact that Viv goes to great pains for their sakes, she doesn't like to flaunt the time and effort she invests in maintaining the safety of The Club and its employees or the extra steps she takes to make their jobs easier. Viv is typically the first person awake, the last one asleep, and the one that will pick up chores others forget just to make sure no one gets over-stressed. This woman knows every employee by face and name, their hobbies, flaws, habits... It is safe to assume that even if they've only spoken once or twice she makes it a point to know them, even if they don't actually know her in return. In her own way Viv loves her people and those in her care, she just expresses it through actions rather than words and she is so timid she will normally bolt before anyone can thank her for her aid. Thanks to her upbringing and the suffocating protective layer of her Tribe Viv doesn't interact much with 'Outsiders' or guests in The Club, she'll help clean tables or run background errands in her free time but she is very careful not to become the center of anyone's attention if she can help it. Most of the time, when she isn't skulking or working, Viv is training or reading as both are hobbies she greatly enjoys. Typically she'll find a high perch in some odd corner and spend hours getting lost in the pages of well-worn books she's found or bought over the years.


Theme Song:
In Spirit:See Who I Am - Within Temptation
In Life: Fight Song - Rachel Platten
In Love: The Dark - Beth Crowley

+||+---------------------------BACKGROUND-----------------------------------+||+

One would think that, being one of the few females left of her species, Viv would be quite spoiled in her sheltered existence amongst the Sniffers. Sadly... that isn't the life Viv has lived up to this point. While it is true that Vivian is protected and hidden from the outside world her life is a gilded cage; Her family loves her and she loves them in return but because of their suffocating need to keep her safe Viv has developed a intense fear of the outside world beyond their lair in The Club. Her parents both passed when she was quite young, her mother dying in childbirth along with her baby brother and her father soon followed them unable to fight his grief at losing his mate and child. Viv's father had tried to 'take her with him' at the end, she can still remember his broken rambling as he explained himself in those final moments, and if not for her lady Cassarria's sudden intervention it is very likely Viv would have died well before ever reaching adulthood. Though she was very young at the time the event left a strong impression on her and to this day she still has nightmares but she won't admit it; The girl firmly avoid the memories and choosing instead to think about how lucky she is to still be here despite it all. Out of respect her tribe mates don't talk about her parents, her father and his choices are a distinct mark of shame for their people that they have tried hard to erase from Viv's memory and she loves them for that... but a part of her has always childishly wondered 'why' her father had done what he did. Why wasn't she good enough for him to stay with her? Why had he wanted to leave her when she missed her mother so much too? What could she ever do to repay Cassarria for protecting her that night so long ago? Growing up as a child of the tribe, surrounded by 'family' but alone, Vivian retreated into herself for quite a long time and it was only when she reached adulthood that she actively started trying to speak to people beyond her tribe's folds. What inspired that change? Vivian, alone with her books, realized she was lonely.. and she wanted to change. The girl wanted to be stronger, to be brave enough to tell her family she wanted to stand with them not behind them while they served and protected their Lady Patron. It was less a declaration that left her lips and more of a stammer when Viv finally worked herself up to approach Cassarria about it in person; The girl was barely holding herself together as she stood her ground on shaking legs and asked to work in The Club with her peers rather than hiding away like they wanted her to. The Elders were in a uproar over it, arguing that she was too young and still too fragile to face the world, and yet.. Trembling though she was Viv didn't retreat as her older cousins stood behind her and supported her request. It was a miracle that the elders finally approved and immediately they started pushing her to learn self defense, saying they would only let her out of sight if they knew she could protect herself amongst the 'outsiders' that lurked beyond their walls. It took eighty years of social education, schooling, and combat training before she finally gained the approval of the Elders and was allowed to stand with her peers as a employee; Vivian has been at her post in The Club for almost fifteen years now and she has never lost her enthusiasm for the work. It is still hard for her to fully engage with outsiders and, admittedly, most of her cousins actively try to keep her from doing so which makes it even harder for her to get out of her shell but the girl is still trying her best to change.