Nocturne
Dec 5, 2017 17:52:10 GMT -6
Post by Lady Nocturne on Dec 5, 2017 17:52:10 GMT -6
NOCTURNE
Name:Victoria Dominique Kingsley
Alias:
Lady Nocturne
Age:
26
Affiliation:
Villain
Family:
- Lucas Dominic Kingsley III; father; 51
- Celeste Radcliffe Kingsley, née Hobbes; mother; 49
- Lucia Margaret Margate, née Kingsley; older sister; 27
- Lucas "Luc" Dominic Kingsley IV; little brother; 22
- Brian Stearns Margate; brother-in-law; 29
Faceclaim:
None
APPEARANCE
Having given up her humanity, Nocturne is now locked into her Nightlord form (barring shapeshifting). The Jewel has turned her into a foxwoman, complete with muzzle, ears, digitigrade legs, tail and fur. She is 6'2", well-built and lithe, with a reasonably voluptuous, amazonian figure. Her eyes are foxlike: golden, black-rimmed irises encasing slit pupils. They reflect light; and also glow when she is using her powers or her emotions are roused. Her feet are proper (if very large) fox paws; but her hands are human, except for the fur, delicate pads, and retractable black claws.
Her fur is pure white on her lower jaw, throat, chest and belly; brilliant red over most of the rest of her. Black fur creates elegant natural gloves and boots that come up to her elbows and lower thighs, respectively. On her muzzle, just behind her nose, are a pair of black markings, resembling fangs thrust down into the white fur. Her vulpine ears are black and the end of her long bushy tail, white. Her hair is also black; she wears it in a widow's peak from which arch two thick bangs that fall to her shoulders and frame her face. She combs the rest back, letting it fall straight, down to her mid-back. As draining energy rejuvenates her, her hide is usually glossy and without blemish.
Her supervillain "costume" reflects a somewhat Gothic theme. She wears a silken black two-piece outfit which leaves her abdomen, arms and legs bare. Over this she wears a black cape, the lower edge of which bears an elaborate design in gold, red and black -- golden roses with thorny tendrils framing a shape that changes each time she "dons" the costume (usually daggers, inverted hearts or teardrops). She also wears a skirt, which falls to just below her hocks. It is cut away from the front and also split up the back for her tail; it is likewise black and edged in gold, with the same designs as her cape along its bottom.
Over the cape she wears a decorative set of armoured collar and pauldrons, also black and edged in gold.. The latter curve up to flared points. The collar comes down to her collarbone, and projects up around her neck. In the front there is a relief of two resting foxes, facing inward; then two roses. Between them, projecting down, is set the Nightlord's Jewel in gold. It is large (3.5 inches tall), oval, many-faceted: at rest it is a deep purple, almost black, but when invoked it glows purple, then red.
Around her waist she wears a black leather belt, also decorated in gold: running foxes alternating with roses. Hanging from this on gilded chains are the sheath of her sword (left hip) and a small purse (right hip), which are also black leather and gold. Her sword is a rapier, with an intricate gilt basket hilt and quillons, black leather grip, and a three and a half foot blade.
Finally, she is literally crowned with a golden circlet, worn over her hair but under her bangs. On her brow it holds a black diamond, flanked to either side by an amethyst.
Since she has limited shapeshifting abilities, she can modify her body and assume a number of different forms, but a couple bear special mention. First is that she likes to shift her cape into wings: bat-like wings, red-furred limbs, red fingers, and black membranes. Second, she will don her old human form as a disguise for mingling. This is a human woman 5'11" tall, with fair skin, a similar build, athletic; her eyes are dark blue and her hair is the same, except that she has shorter bangs and a fringe over her forehead.
PERSONALITY
Victoria, Lady Nocturne, is an aristocrat of the night. She feels herself superior to mere humans, a feeling reinforced each time she feeds on them. And, indeed, the Nightlord's Jewel is influencing her thinking, making humans in her view nothing more than cattle and toys for her amusement. But her attitude is based on more than mere power. She is cultured, educated -- largely by her own doing --and she despises the world around her as coarse and shallow.
Her ultimate goal is to conquer the world and reshape it to match her vision of Gothic splendour and human subservience. Along the way, she will enjoy crushing the world's heroes beneath her claws -- or better yet, turning them to serve her. She craves the submission of others, and no surrender is more complete then coming under her banner. Of course, simply humiliating and killing her opponents works too.
Nocturne is a practical and intelligent leader; very confident, but not hubristic. She is also surprisingly empathetic. She has clear rules, she rewards success generously, and is rather lenient when punishing mistakes. And, while the purpose of servants is to serve and so she will sacrifice them if needed, she will not do so lightly.
In dealing with enemies, she usually opts for shock and awe, seeking to intimidate and dominate. However, when the time is right, she can be charming, seductive, sly; either way, she enjoys manipulating an opponent's emotions and beliefs to either weaken them or sway them to her side.
She herself is generally calm, often slightly amused or condescending about her opponent's attempts to defeat her, whether verbally or physically. Even when angry or frustrated, she rarely loses her temper; it just drives her to be crueller. There are a few things, however, that can really get under her skin. She hates being dismissed, especially when her sanity is called into question. Far worse, however, she has no tolerance for betrayal. Having someone turn against her can provoke truly blinding rage, and she go to all lengths to destroy the offender.
She also cannot bear true defeat. She's fine to retreat and regroup; but truly being beaten, especially by an opponent she considers inferior, would be intolerable for her. As with betrayal, the only way she could assuage her festering resentment is to annihilate the party responsible.
Much as she enjoys minions and thralls, she also values actual friends. (Not that she has many.) When not out doing villainous things, Nocturne still enjoys the high life, with an added thrill now that she is only pretending to be human. She's also developing an interest in video games, during her forced time indoors (strategy games are her forte). Not surprisingly, she loves nature, and still spends a fair bit of time in the park. All of these activities would be more fun if she had someone to share them with.
She also really loves animals -- most animals, anyway. Apart from being forced to stay inside during daylight, her chiefest regret is that so many animals are now afraid of her. But there are some she dislikes -- bats, for instance, she finds annoying and icky. And she loathes dogs. Dogs are very unsafe around her. And linking her (or foxes, which one could correctly guess are her favourites) to dogs in any way is another way to get her very mad
And of course, nothing surpasses her love for her new form. For her power. One could almost say she is addicted to the Jewel she wears, but it doesn't just make her feel good -- it does in fact make her stronger. But even when wearing it weakens her, as it does during the day, she refuses to remove it. Nothing could ever induce her to part with the object that makes her what she is. Heaven help anyone who tries to take it from her -- and have mercy on anyone who succeeds.
POWERS/SKILLS
Foxmorph
Nocturne's power comes chiefly from the Jewel, but it has already changed her to the point where she is more powerful than the average human even without it. As a foxmorph, she has enhanced senses of hearing and smell, as well as good low-light vision. (In addition to the more obvious benefits here, her sense of smell helps her to judge people's emotions.) She has superhuman agility; her strength and endurance are comparable to those of humans at their peak.
Also she has gained a sensitivity to magical and psionic phenomena, able to tell when such is ambient or actively being used; and how closely aligned it is with her own powers of darkness and night.
Nightlord's Jewel
A magic crystal imbued with the powers of darkness, the Nightlord's Jewel robs its wearer of humanity in exchange for power. This power follows consistent themes, but it does change based on the user's personality (for instance, normally it would give the power to shapeshift into a bat, but as Victoria dislikes bats she does not have this power). The Jewel's powers grow slowly over time as it bonds with its wearer and drains the energy of the living.
- Energy Vampirism: The Nightlord's Jewel drains the life and magical energy of people in order to maintain its power and the powers it gives its host. This requires a sapient (or magical) target, and it can only be done if the victim has been weakened or is otherwise submissive. Those slain by the host are automatically drained. The draining itself can kill the victim, but it can also be partial. Partially draining someone locks them in a submissive relationship with the Jewel and its master, a bond which it takes a great effort of will to break.
(This does not give her body sustenance. She still needs to eat and drink like a normal person.)
- Rejuvenation: While she lacks the ability to heal herself at will or strong regeneration, draining energy restores her youth and health -- healing injuries, curing illness or poison, and erasing the detriments of age. She could theoretically live forever as long as she has victims to drain.
- Shapeshifting: A key facet of the Jewel's gifts is the ability to shapeshift into various forms. First, anyone who claims the Jewel gains a new, more powerful (and more beautiful) form of their own -- their Nightlord form, which in Nocturne's case is an anthropomorphic fox, which becomes their permanent base form. Second, it gives them the ability to manifest wings, claws and fangs at will in any form that does not already possess them. And lastly, it grants the ability to assume a range of animal forms; their previous human form, albeit more physically fit and attractive; and one to several special forms. An anthropomorphic form can also be assumed for any animal -- including the special ones.
In Nocturne's case, the animals she can turn into are: cat, fox, rat, wolf, and owl. Each shape can have either a normal coloration, or be pure black. Her special forms are those of a black unicorn, and a dragon (not much bigger than the unicorn) Regardless of form, she has the same abilities -- her strength for instance neither increases or decreases, and she can still talk.
The Jewel can also create and modify apparel as appropriate. However there are limits to this -- it cannot change fabric to metal, or vice versa, nor can it make material disappear, only rearrange it. It can however change its own form, although it must be a purple jewel worn somewhere on the user's person.
- Superhuman Strength: Nocturne can currently lift about 1.5 tons -- up to 2 if she really exerts herself.
- Superhuman Stamina: As long as the Jewel has energy to burn, Nocturne will not tire.
- Superhuman Agility: The Jewel takes her vulpine reflexes up to eleven, enablign her to gracefully jump long distances, balance on a fence, dodge bullets, and do other amazing feats.
- Superhuman Endurance: Nocturne can take a great many hits and keep going. She is resistant to mundane weapons, and less powerful weapons -- knives, pipes, chains, human fists -- cannot hurt her at all. She quickly heals minor cuts and bruises. She is also resistant to most poisons and diseases.
- Superhuman Senses: Like her agility, her naturally sharp senses as a foxmorph are further augmented by the Jewel. Her sight is not affected by darkness at all.
- Natural Weapons: Her claws and fangs, (and horn and hooves in her unicorn form) are very strong, able to damage all but the toughest materials.
- Flight: When her wings are manifested, she can use them to fly.
- Energy Infusion: The ability to imbue her body or any weapon she is holding with the Jewel's malefic power, increasing the force of her attacks and giving them a magical component capable of dealing damage to magical/spiritual opponents.
- Energy Blast: Nocturne can channel the energy of the Jewel into beams of destructive energy, most comfortably fired from her fingers or the Jewel itself. (Although this too varies by form; in her animal forms she'd shoot them from her eyes; as a unicorn, from her horn; and as a dragon, as "fire" from her mouth.)
- Magical Resistance: The Jewel also affords her resistance to most magical, psionic and spirit energy attacks, as its energy courses through her. This is especially true of abilities based on darkness, night, moonlight et cetera, as these are her purview. However, she is more susceptible to light-based magic, and to certain spells and powers meant to combat creatures of darkness.
- Animal Empathy: Nocturne can also sense, mentally communicate with, and to an extent influence certain nocturnal beasts and birds; mostly predators but also rodents and bats. This extends to people with animal traits. (But only when those traits are manifested.)
- Fascination: The jewel imparts a supernatural edge to her native powers of fascination, making it easier for her to attract, influence and dominate the weak-willed. (This is meant for NPCs, unless someone wants their character entranced by Nocturne.) She can also, if she makes an effort, use it to calm animals who would otherwise be spooked by her supernatural malevolence.
- Monster Dominion: She has much greater power over "creatures of the night": essentially any powered or supernatural individual with a connexion to the night or an aspect of night like the Moon. It is not complete, but such creatures -- like vampires or werewolves -- will feel a compulsion to obey her and an awed aversion to attacking her.
- Weather Control: Nocturne has a limited ability to control weather effects. Currently, this means being able to summon (and disperse) mist and cloud, and call up breezes.
- Transformation and Bonding: The final major power of the Jewel: it can transform others as its does its host, though to a lesser extent, making them into servants for its master. The recipient of the transformation must be willing (at least at this stage of the Jewel's power). The results of the transformation vary according to the wishes of both Nocturne and the recipient, as well as the recipient's inner nature. They gain their own special abilities and the same weaknesses as Nocturne (see below).
People so changed gain a psychic link with Nocturne and, depending on their willower and their relationship with her, become more-or-less subservient to her. She can also paralyse them or wrack them with pain if they defy her. It is possible for them to reject her and the Jewel; doing so is a grueling battle of wills against her and the Jewel's influence; if successful, they are left exhausted but free of Nocturne. They retain their new forms. They are afflicted with a lingering aversion to sunlight; but they mat grow out of this, as well as retain or develop other powers.
(This power, unlike life draining, also works on animals, to a limited extent.)
- Curses of the Night: The ability to turn people to vampires (Curse of Blood) or werebeasts (Curse of the Moon). This can only be done while Nocturne is draining their energy. In the case of vampires, she must have already done so twice before; while in the case of werebeasts the Moon must be full.
Equipment
Her equipment consists of the Nightlord's Jewel and her rapier.
Mundane Skills
- Hand-to-Hand: In addition to basic, instinctual knowledge of how to use her natural weapons, Nocturne has also trained extensively in more conventional martial arts, notably fencing with her rapier.
- Leadership: Nocturne is decisive and charismatic leader, as well as empathetic, able to read people, connect to them, and get them to do what she wants.
- Strategy: Nocturne is both a good planner and a shrewd tactician, able to adjust as needed to changing situations. She is also quite good at manipulating people and situations.
- Education: Nocturne studied at one of the best universities in America, and is widely read on her own account. Her specialties are political theory and European history. She also has some more esoteric knowledge, a singular benefit of Miskatonic. As part of her interest in European history, Nocturne also studied its languages, and can speak moderately well in French, German and Italian, as well as Latin; and is capable of reading Ancient Greek. She is currently teaching herself Chinese characters as well.
- Music: Nocturne has always loved to sing, and since returning to Jump picked up the flute as well. She is now quite accomplished in both vocal and flute music, and is in the market for an organ teacher.
WEAKNESSES
- Nightlord's Hauteur: Nocturne has such disdain for others, especially normal humans, that it makes relating to them in a normal way difficult.
- Acute Senses: The Jewel shelters her to an extent from the negative side of having such powerful ears and nose, although even with it she is more susceptive to sound- and odour-based attacks. Without it, she would not be able to bear very loud or high-pitched noises, or disagreeable smells.
- Day: At dawn, the Nightlord's Jewel loses its power, stripping Nocturne of all abilities derived from it.
- Sunlight: As long as she wears the Jewel, sunlight makes Nocturne ill -- weak, nauseous, dizzy. Extended exposure could result in aches, chills, fever, and vomiting. Even without the Jewel she's bonded to it enough that sunlight makes her light-headed. (Note this has to be actual sunlight; it's a magical weakness, not susceptibility to any physical, replicable property of sunlight. Sunlight derived through magic would work, however.)
- Animal Antipathy: Animals that she does not have a connexion to react with fear and hostility when she is near.
- The Jewel: As the source of her power, the Jewel presents a weak spot. It cannot be destroyed, but it could be taken from her. Should she lose it, she loses all the powers it grant, as well as be weakened from the shock of having it removed. Also, it must always be visible; so its presence on her is a giveaway to her true identity regardless of the form she takes.
- Endless Thirst: While Nocturne does not need to feed on others, the Jewel is never satisfied, and she herself is addicted to the euphoria and feeling of power that comes from draining her victims. She has to feed about once a night, and she can get a little irrational if she's denied too long. (And of course if she does not replenish it eventually the crystal's gifts will fade.)
- Low Ebb: The Jewel is certainly a powerful artifact, but its powers are limited by the energy it contains. Currently, it in fact has very little energy. While Nocturne is diligent in feeding it, she uses a lot of energy too, so that the net gain is minimal. So she has to be careful not to over-extend herself in any one battle. (And it will take years, at least, before she appreciably grows in power.)
- Concentration: Many of Nocturne's powers are not quick to use. Bonding with and transforming others, draining their energy, and her own transformations require her to focus her mind on the Jewel to release its power. If she isn't given a few seconds and space to clear her mind and concentrate, she cannot perform these actions.
- Short Range: Draining others (and the transformation and bonding process) also requires that the target be in close range, within three feet; and preferably not moving. Unless someone really is helpless, or seriously not trying, it's easy to dodge.
HISTORY
Victoria Kingsley was born to a moderately wealthy family in Jump City's posher district. Materially, she never wanted for anything. She was not exactly spiled however. For hwile her parents appreciated the finer things in life they believed in moderation and in making their children earn their rewards. Besides, most of her parents' affection, and such time as they had apart form their careers, was lavished on her older sister Celeste.
The same was true in school. Not that they directly competed there, being in different grades, but Victoria was constantly reminded of how wonderful her sister was. It wasn't long before she hated her sister. Celeste herself was indifferent; she was not a bad girl and didn't flaunt her supposed superiority (much), but she was too caught up in the adulation to really care what her little sister thought.
She had a much better relationship with her little brother. In fact, Luc was not only the sole member of her family she felt affection for, he was pretty much her only friend growing up. Even the fact that her father soon came to favour his son even over Celeste (he was convinced he needed a son to inherit his position as CEO), that did not break up the friendship -- Luc looked to his sister as a sympathetic refuge from his father's expectations.
Victoria herself was left o her own devices. Alienated from her parents' world, she buried herself in books, and fantasy. This mingled with a desire to escape -- to trascend the bonds of her humanity and the miserable world she lived in.
Then she went to college.
As was customary for their family, she went to the university of their ancestral hometown in Miskatonic, Massachusetts. There, a new world opened to her, in more ways than one. To begin with, her sister was not attending Miskatonic, having elected to attend a California college with her friends. For another, Victoria made friends of her own in Miskatonic. Among them was a young man, Brant Calrendon, who was studying in the University's medical school. He was also deeply interested in the University's collection of occult texts, and introduced Victoria to the possibilities that magic might offer.
Magic, however, was plainly dangerous. And Victoria, while she craved power, was not an overly mystical person. So while she was interested, she did not pursue practical application of what she learned. However, she did conceive then the idea of pursuing power for its own sake, in the hopes that one day she could find something that would free her from humanity and put the world at her feet. So she began to take fencing lessons and courses in business management and political science -- figuring it would all be useful for someone running a criminal syndicate.
She got a bachelor's degree in European history, and might have stayed on to get a master's degree, but her parents didn't want to keep spending money on her. So she came home. Her father, feeling a bit remorseful for his neglect, got her a job as a manager (he ran a chain of clothing stores). Victoria needed money, so she took it, although she quickly came to loathe the position. She also began writing articles for historical magazines, and in her spare time developing an alternate history novel friends had encouraged her towards in college.
Three years passed painfully slowly for her. Highlights were moving into her own apartment, and finding a fencing instructor who would teach her true combat swordplay (and buying her beloved rapier). Less exciting was when her brother left for his stint at Miskatonic (no getting out of it for the family heir).
At last, though, the waiting ending. She had been corresponding regularly with Brant, now Dr. Clarendon. He had also acquired another name -- Dr. Corvus -- and was collecting magical items, not necessarily legally. She was rather jealous, but she had lived on his promise that he would send her anything that might interest her. And so he did.
The package contained a fairly large purple jewel, cut so its edges seemed almost smooth. It was set in a gold necklace. There was also a golden circlet, set with three smaller gems. She was breathtaken at the beauty alone, but that was nothing compared to when she read Dr. Corvus' enclosed letter.
The jewel was an ancient, legendary artifact: the Nightlord's Jewel, said to give dominion over the creatures of darkness at the cost of one's own humanity. (The circlet was just an accessory that went with it.) The Jewel's history was obscure and conflicting, but Brant was certain it could deliver on its promise -- and on the threat. He had no interest in such things, but thought perhaps Victoria might want it.
Did she ever! She put it on immediately, and performed the ritual to claim it as her own as soon as the Sun set. Power flowed through her. Changed her. She quite literally saw her humanity vanish before her eyes, and she loved it. Then she felt it. The hunger, the thirst -- she knew from the letter what the Jewel required, but she would have known anyway. She went hunting.
At first she was somewhat frightened. Hesitant, almost. She had never killed before. But the Jewel impelled her; and, standing over the shriveled bodies of the three muggers, she could only could only feel amazing. powerful. Superior.
When morning came, she shifted back to her human body, but even that was changed subtly, the little blemishes and imperfects smoothed away. More to the point, though, she felt sick, as though the flu had snuck up and hit her over the head. Pulling the blinds and curtains on all her windows helped. She could have taken off the gem, the letter had warned her this would likely happen. But there was no way she was ever taking the Jewel off again.
That evening, she called her father and told him she was quitting her job, saying that she was going to earn her own living as a historian and writer. But she did little writing over the next month. Every night, she hunted. Every night, she felt slightly more powerful. Every morning, she felt a little sicker.
And with every hunt, she felt less hesitation and more euphoria. She found she did not have to reap all a person's spirit energy, and on subsequent nights found her previous victims far more compliant to her will. She experimented with her powers, trying out everything the letter outlined. She familiarised herself with her forms, even accepting a date offer from a guy she knew in high school (it didn't end well -- for him). Then finally the dawn came when she did not change back.
There was no going back now. Not that she wanted to. The human Victoria Kingsley was no more. Now it was time for Nocturne to assert her claim as ruler of the night. And someday, ruler of the world.
Roleplayer's Name
Flammifleure or Flam
How you found us
Returning member (I honestly don't remember -- somebody from the site told me)