Post by sionnachbaineann on Dec 1, 2012 15:19:01 GMT -5
Basics: O'Flaherty, Marian. Regina.
Full Name: Marian Agatha Montrose O'Flaherty
Codename: Regina.
Nicknames: None.
Type: Original.
Gender: Female.
Species: Homo superior
Age: 17
Date of Birth: October 23.
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Current Residence: Westchester, New York
Loyalty: X-Student
Occupation: Student
Hair Colour: Red auburn.
Eye Colour: Gold.
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 162 lbs.
Body Type: Athletic
Typical Style: Traditional/custom.
Distinguishing Features: Her mutations, which see. Apart from those, she has long hair, which flows down to her waist. She normally arranges her bangs so that they arch over her brow and fall to either side of her face, melding into locks that fall in front of her ears, falling to below her chin.
Physical Mutations: Her irises are a bright golden yellow in colour, and her ears taper to a point. Most notably, however, she has a many faced, roughly spherical gemstone embedded in her flesh, normally in the upper centre of her forehead (but see her powers below). A deep blue in colour, it is normally dark but glows when she uses her powers. The substance of which it is composed it apparently unique, and extraordinarily hard.
Uniform: Marian's uniform is a pristine set of plastoid armour, stronger than steel, worn over synthetic leather/fibre clothing (padded andlined with silk to prevent chafing). The armour is a full plate suit with two exceptions. First, she wears no helmet. Second, the gauntlets cover the palms of her hands only with the synthetic leather, while her fingers are bare. The armour is white, with gilded metal edging on most of the plates.
A segmented gilded belt separates her fauld from her cuirass. Attached to the inside of the fauld's plates is a leather skirt, about ankle-length, and open at the front. Similarly, a light cloth cape is attached to the underside of her pauldrons. Both cape and skirt are white.
Personality: Marian is a lady. Kind and courteous, she is gentle in a more archaic sense of the word. Although not one to seek attention, she is friendly and not shy when in the company of others. She can also be gentle in the modern sense too, especially when dealing with the pain of others -- her nurturing instinct was brought out when she had to serve as surrogate mother for her six siblings. This kindness is not weakness however; she has a strong will and a clear mind, and is not easily taken advantage of.
Of course, she does have her flaws. Being strong-willed means that she is very stubborn. This is exacerbated by her quiet pride. She will discount out of hand any views contrary to her own, but will often do little more than to express her disagreement, as arguing is beneath her. Notably, while outwardly respectful of authority, she believes that she knows best, and it is very difficult to gain her true inward respect and obedience.
Her maternal instinct also has its darker side. She can be overly protective, and given her headstrong nature she is usually convinced this is for the best of those she is protecting. More frightening, however, is her ferocious reaction should someone -- or something -- she loves come under active attack.
Family:
- Henry William O'Flaherty; father; professor; murdered
- Joanna McIlhenny O'Flaherty, née Montrose; mother; hostess; murdered
- Aaron Louis Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 16
- Michael Charles Montrose O'Flaherty/Angelus; younger brother; student; 15
- Charlotte Anne Montrose O'Flaherty; younger sister; student; 13
- Susanna "Susie" Cecilia Montrose O'Flaherty; younger sister; student; 10
- Tiburtius "Mark" Marcus Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 10
- Christopher "Chris" Colmcille Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 6
- Horatio George Montrose; maternal uncle; lawyer; 47
- Vivian Victoria Montrose, née Chesterfield; maternal aunt; housewife; 42
- Vivian "Belle" Belinda Montrose; first cousin; student; 15
- Anthony Victor Montrose; first cousin; student; 11
History: The O'Flahertys of Boston were an old, wealthy, Catholic family, who immigrated to Massachusetts from Ireland during the nineteenth century. Their fortunes had their ups and downs over the centuries, but the present inhabitants of the family mansion were everything that one could desire of the upper class: rich, well-educated, and noble.
Marian was the eldest of seven children, and as such became something of a deputy for her parents. This suited her temperament well, being a cheerful but firm young lady. She excelled in the various domestic arts she was instructed in by her mother and the staff, and by her teenage years began to properly share in the authority exercised by her mother and the housekeeper.
This was, undoubtedly, aided by her powers. That Marian was a mutant was apparent from birth, due to the gemstone embedded in her forehead. At that point the size and shape of a marble, the doctor removed it out of concern, but was horrified to discover that upon so doing the healthy infant became lifeless. Quickly he restored it to the wound, which healed; the incident was known only to him and his assistants, Marian's parents, and later Marian herself. For she discovered she could remove the orb -- growing larger and manifesting facets in place of its original smooth surface -- at her own will. Her parents then warned her not to let it get too far from her.
Her powers did not really become known until she was old enough to talk, and send coherent telepathic messages to her parents, though they suspect that she had been communicating before that. Then, around age six, she began displaying telekinetic powers as well, though she only used them to move small items.
This caused a certain amount of stress for her parents. Having a mutant child was not readily acceptable in those days, and they paid for it in their social status -- and in losing some of their household staff. Nonetheless they persevered, with good humour and faith, and Marian learned to do likewise. Up through seventh grade, she attended a private Catholic school, and often had to face the ridicule of her peers and the hostility of her teachers.
After her seventh year, her parents, unhappy with the school, decided to teach her and her siblings at home. Those were the happiest years of her life, and that was when she truly began to blossom. Apart from her mutation, and a deep fascination with martial arts which her parents indulged, she was growing into a perfect young lady. Her perseverance and that of her parents even began to pay off, and as her sixteenth birthday approached she began attending social and charitable functions with her mother.
She had been registered long since, when Kelly first got his bill passed. Her parent disapproved of the MRA, but as loyal Americans they submitted. That, however, was not enough for some. Threats had trickled in for years; by now, they knew to ignore them. Except -- this time, the Purifiers made good on the threats.
One evening in late fall, five Purifiers broke into the house. They shot Mrs. O'Flaherty, and chased Mr. O'Flaherty to the front parlour. There he was killed, which Marian. That, and the imminent threat to her life and those of her siblings, induced a hitherto unknown ability in her -- shifting her form into one more suited for combat. Utilising her new abilities, she literally tore the three attackers in the parlour apart.
The other two escaped; one through Marian's mercy when she discovered he was a servant there who had lost his desire to kill when he found his son protecting Aaron. Shortly afterwards, she discovered that her telepathy was not gone, as she had thought, but changed to a form of empathy when she was confronted with Michael's own manifestation, brought on by the trauma of seeing his father's body. He had seemingly lost his mind to animal grief and fear, but she managed to calm him and restore him to lucidity.
She did not in fact shift back for several days. The other children, after initially being frightened of her, found her new furry form comforting -- the youngest especially snuggling close to her at night. Indeed, ironically it was only Michael who showed reserve around her after that first night. She, for her part, had much to do, and found her empathic powers to be a great help in keeping everyone calm. Eventually, however, she noticed that she was devouring all the food in the house, and she was rather shy of appearing in this animalistic guise before the police and the public. So, finally, she forced herself to set some time aside, and with concentration she was able to revert to her "human" shape.
It was too late to hide the new mutation from the public, though. Her picture -- both normal and "combat" as she tentatively called the new form -- was already all over the country, joining those of other young mutants who had lost their lives or their loved ones to the Purifiers. The media crawled all over the house; meanwhile she had to deal with the police investigation and charges of murder. There was also the question of custody; she was the oldest child, but not old enough to be legally responsible for her family.
After a month all was settled, for the moment. Thanks to her family's high profile, and the changing treatment of the media, she was able to post bail and remain out of prison. She was even allowed to move with her siblings to the house of her mother's brother in Salem; Horatio and his wife were to be their guardians. They were just in time for Christmas; under the circumstances, the holiday was happy and offered a bit of hope to the new orphans.
Marian, however, had marked a change in her brother Michael. Or rather, an increase in a trait the family had always recognized but dismissed. His mood was always more upbeat around the time of the full Moon; but now in was verging on the hypomanic, while becoming noticeably dejected during the new Moon. He also was transforming during the three nights of the full Moon, although only she noticed. Until, that is, December 30, when a pair of feathered back wings erupted from his shoulders while he screamed in pain.
She also had to shift, to keep him under control. When the Moon set he returned to normal, but she remained in her alternate form for the next two days. As she foreboded, each night of the full Moon he shifted, and she had to exert her powers to keep him calm. The ordeal was draining for all of them, but especially unsettling for the Montroses. Having seven more children added to their home was already a strain; dealing with the two mutants was starting to be more than they could handle.
The next two full Moons passed, and Michael seemed to be able to keep himself under control. The Montroses, however, had other worries: now they were receiving death threats. They had sent the other orphans to school with their children, but the threat forced them to keep Marian and Michael at home. This did little to help Michael's mental condition. As the next full Moon approached, he became increasingly irritable. Then, harassed by his cousin, he transformed during the day.
He might have seriously hurt Anthony had not Marian intervened. Even so, it was becoming clear that the Montrose household could not deal with the two. Then, on the first day of the full Moon, Michael ran away. He was found that night, by the police, and pumped full of tranquilisers. Marian was distraught, and the two adults were at their wits' end.
Soon thereafter, the X-Men intervened. The Montroses were only too glad to have the problem taken off their hands. Marian was reluctant to be parted from the other children, but she had to agree it was for the best. So, the two mutants moved to the X-Mansion. For Marian, many trials loom, including the actual legal trial she faces. The Bureau of Mutant Affairs, since its inception, has taken charge of her case, appointing her a famous pro-mutant lawyer from the West Coast, but she has only met him once and her date in court is in June.
Classification: Gamma
Powers:
- Star Jewel: The object that Marian has named the "Star Jewel" is a blue crystal, a many-faceted globe roughly an inch and a half in diameter. It is composed of a unique organically-derived substance, harder than diamond, and grows together with the rest of Marian's body. The true seat of her consciousness, it gives life to her body and regulates her abilities. Normally embedded in her flesh, with only the upper fourth of its surface showing, the Jewel has the capacity to convert her organs into itself and revert them to normal, without disrupting their functions (with the exception of her digestive and respiratory systems), allowing it to pass through her body.
The Jewel absorbs all forms of external energy, barring kinetic. This includes psychic energy; to telepaths and others, there appears to be a barrier around her mind (which appears as a blue veil on the astral plane), which, if an attempt is made to penetrate it, will drain the energy of the aggressor (it does not drain ambient astral energy). This is converted and stored within its lattices, and is used in her transformed state.
There is a limit to the amount of energy the Jewel can absorb. However it is unlikely to be reached barring abnormal circumstances (being placed in a star or coming under sustained assault from an Omega telepath). Moe likely, though still remote, is the possibility of her running out of energy. To do that, at present, she would have to remain in her "battle form" two to three straight weeks. As her reserves drain, the jewel will start absorbing energy from her own body, making her tired and perpetually hungry.
Marian can remove the Jewel at will, though it takes all her attention. Not being used to the separation, Marian will be slightly disoriented as long as it is outside of her flesh. This would increase the further it is from her body, and at two yards her body would become comatose. Marian, as the Jewel, remains aware, but only of the presence of people and animals -- she has no sensory awareness as the Jewel. While she retains her telepathy, her range is very limited, and functions best if the Jewel is held. She cannot move herself as the Jewel, and will fall dormant if she is left by herself for several days, to reawaken if someone touches her. Her body, meanwhile, will remain in suspended animation for a month, after which it dies.
The Jewel, however, has a lifespan of its own. This is to be measured in centuries. Finally it will begin to age, and become brittle, its energy absorption becoming incomplete, and finally the spark of life will leave it. Until then, any body to which it is attached will share in its longevity, though not in its indestructibility. Should her body be killed, the Star Jewel will fall out of the corpse as it rots. The Jewel can also be cut from a body, living or dead -- though it can be difficult to do while she is awake, since Marian can shift it from its normal position on her forehead. (For her to do so, however, requires near-total concentration.) Removing it by violence leaves a gaping wound, which does not happen if she removes the stone herself.
However it is removed, the Jewel can be placed into another body to animate it -- or, if already tenanted, share it. To accomplish this, someone other than Marian must push the Jewel into the new host's flesh, a very difficult process. In order to actually merge into a new host, the Jewel has to use her transformative properties on the host, otherwise it will be rejected a s alien DNA. This process takes several days to weeks, and during that time the area around the jewel will be swollen, red and painful as though infected. Once Marian, the Jewel treats the new body as its own, and it may undergo further changes if Marian becomes the dominant personality -- she could completely possess the new body, even kill the original being if she desired it and has a stronger will than the host.
- Psychic: Marian is possessed of telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Although in actuality quite powerful, she can currently perform at a very low level due to her lack of training and the barrier formed by the Star Jewel, which will sorely limit her potential until she can learn to control it. For now, she can project her thoughts and some feeling to others, and detect minds and read surface thoughts if she tries, in a 1200 foot radius. Her telekinesis can move objects of up to a pound within a hundred foot radius. She is currently capable of moving five such objects at a time (but cannot move a single object of equivalent weight of said multiple objects).
- Form Shift: Utilising the energy stored in the Star Jewel, Marian can shift from her "normal" form to what she has termed her "combat" or "battle form". This entails both a drastic change to her physical form (which still somewhat embarrasses her with strangers) and a boost to all her abilities, both physical and mental. She can technically shift at will, although normally it is very difficult, requiring several minutes and intense concentration. She will shift to it involuntarily when feeling threatened or very angry; such a shift will require only a few seconds. Returning to her normal form can only be done with effort. Either way, while transforming she is engulfed in a blue aura from her jewel.
First, in her "battle form" she takes on the appearance of a fox. She has a sharp, slender muzzle; her ears sit higher on her head; and her eyes have slit pupils. She is sheathed in short fur, patterned thus: bright red on her upper face, the bridge of her muzzle, back, limbs and tail; creamy chin, cheeks, throat, chest, and belly. Her limbs have sleeves up to her elbows and ankles, the same dark red as her hair (which she retains). Her tail is 4'2" long, the fur much thicker than the rest of her body, and has a white tip offset by a band of black. Her ears are black on the outside, white inside. Her muzzle is marked by a triple claw pattern, pointing down and curving towards her nose. Finally, she has a digitigrade stance, and retractible claws on her hands (her feet have non-retractible claws). The shift also affects whatever she is wearing, altering its structure to accommodate her new body.
Second, she has certain abilities which derive ipso facto from her vulpine form. These are increased auditory and olfactory capacities, stronger than those of a normal red fox due to the corresponding organs being larger. She has excellent low-light vision and a greatly enhanced ability to track moving objects; her vision is not otherwise affected.
Her claws and teeth give her natural weaponry, while her hide gives her about the same protection as soft leather armour. Her grace and agility (already strong) are increased slightly but noticeably, and she is instinctively comfortable with the form. She does also have a foxy odour, but her scent glands are vestigial, so it is not overpowering.
In addition she gains a psionic ability exclusive to this form: zoempathy. a type of empathy allowing her to influence the emotions and instincts of mammals, marsupials and birds within her 1200 foot range. On her end, the emotions projected can be either instinctive (usually inspiring fear in foes and protectiveness/aggression in allies) or conscious, as when she calms her brother. She can sense emotions within this range -- they drown out her ability to sense rational minds, at the moment. So, while she technically still has her telepathy, her zoempathy drowns it out; she is unaware of it, and cannot use it.
Note that while humans are affected by this ability, the effect is normally so weak as to be negligible; in order for it to "work" they must already be in a heightened emotional state or otherwise have their rationality compromised.
Third are the physical abilities actually deriving from the energy influx from the Jewel. She gains 20% in muscle strength, and has beyond peak human agility. Her claws and teeth exhibit the same strength as superior steel, and her hide toughens to more resemble hardened leather. Her stamina is also greatly increased.
As well, Marian gains a strong healing factor, although it is not truly regenerative -- she heals very fast, but she cannot regrow lost limbs or organs. Serious injuries may also require additional treatment; i.e., bones will likely need to be set to heal properly (incidentally, this will happen in a matter of hours, so it has to be attended to fast).
Finally, her psychic abilities are also boosted by the Crystal. The effective range of her telepathy and zoempathy is increased to 1800 feet. There is also a slight increase in their effective power. Her telekinesis, on the other hand, is vastly increased to the extent that she can lift 20 pounds, either in one item or split among up to seven different objects. Her telekinetic range expands to 150 feet.
The differences between abilities inherent to her vulpine form and those deriving from empowerment from the Crystal must be emphasised. Marian herself believes them to be the same, and currently the empowerment only comes in her alopecanthropic state, but the two are not necessarily connected. Theoretically she could empower herself in her human form, and she could run out of energy in her vulpine form and those lose the enhanced abilities.
Nota bene: Marian is quite a powerful psychic, but due to her lack of training has no conception of how to utilise her powers. She is also hampered by her barrier.
Skills:
- Archery: Marian is an excellent shot with a bow.
- Domestic Arts: Marian is a good seamstress and cook, and would be capable of maintaining a small residence or overseeing a large one.
- Horsemanship: Although she was not able to practice as much as she might have liked, Marian is competent to ride a horse, although she knows little about their care.
- Martial Arts: Regina has, due to her drive to defend herself and others, studied several martial arts. Although she can only be considered an amateur, she ahs some knowledge of bare-handed, sword (both rapier and jian), knife and staff/spear combat. Her preferred weapons are the sword and glaive.
- Other: Having had a varied education and a keen interest in many creative arts, Marian could be considered something of a Renaissance lady; she has some minor skill in music (she can pluck a melody from a piano, as well as sing), sketching, painting, and writing.
Weaponry: Apart from training equipment, Marian's weapon -- a bow -- remains at her home. She does not normally carry arms around the institute, nor wish to.
Role Play Sample: She began to kneel by her fallen escort. When the voice addressed her, however, she rose swiftly. Looking around, she observed the nightmarish hounds emerging from the shadows, and inhaled to steady her nerves. She knew she was in a dangerous situation, but she was prepared to defend herself and the other student.
"And if I decline your offer?"[/color] she asked, fixing her eyes on the glowing red gaze of the aggressor. Unconsciously she flexed her fingers, as though unsheathing claws that did not -- yet -- exist. "I cannot imagine accepting anything from someone who attacks first, unprovoked. Who are you, and what do you want of me?"[/color]
She was fairly certain he was not a Purifier. Had he been, she would likely already be dead. Besides that, he was probably a mutant, and she could not imagine those bigots using a mutant. The man was still threatening her, though. Just not enough, apparently, to trigger my defenses. She would have to hope that he continued that way -- or that, if he did attack, her metamorphosis would be enough to defend herself.
Your Name: Vulpes Incultus, Fox or Flammifleure.
Other Characters: Foxcraft, Cynthia, Magneto, Johnson, and Sannosuke.
Full Name: Marian Agatha Montrose O'Flaherty
Codename: Regina.
Nicknames: None.
Type: Original.
Gender: Female.
Species: Homo superior
Age: 17
Date of Birth: October 23.
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Current Residence: Westchester, New York
Loyalty: X-Student
Occupation: Student
Hair Colour: Red auburn.
Eye Colour: Gold.
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 162 lbs.
Body Type: Athletic
Typical Style: Traditional/custom.
Distinguishing Features: Her mutations, which see. Apart from those, she has long hair, which flows down to her waist. She normally arranges her bangs so that they arch over her brow and fall to either side of her face, melding into locks that fall in front of her ears, falling to below her chin.
Physical Mutations: Her irises are a bright golden yellow in colour, and her ears taper to a point. Most notably, however, she has a many faced, roughly spherical gemstone embedded in her flesh, normally in the upper centre of her forehead (but see her powers below). A deep blue in colour, it is normally dark but glows when she uses her powers. The substance of which it is composed it apparently unique, and extraordinarily hard.
Uniform: Marian's uniform is a pristine set of plastoid armour, stronger than steel, worn over synthetic leather/fibre clothing (padded andlined with silk to prevent chafing). The armour is a full plate suit with two exceptions. First, she wears no helmet. Second, the gauntlets cover the palms of her hands only with the synthetic leather, while her fingers are bare. The armour is white, with gilded metal edging on most of the plates.
A segmented gilded belt separates her fauld from her cuirass. Attached to the inside of the fauld's plates is a leather skirt, about ankle-length, and open at the front. Similarly, a light cloth cape is attached to the underside of her pauldrons. Both cape and skirt are white.
Personality: Marian is a lady. Kind and courteous, she is gentle in a more archaic sense of the word. Although not one to seek attention, she is friendly and not shy when in the company of others. She can also be gentle in the modern sense too, especially when dealing with the pain of others -- her nurturing instinct was brought out when she had to serve as surrogate mother for her six siblings. This kindness is not weakness however; she has a strong will and a clear mind, and is not easily taken advantage of.
Of course, she does have her flaws. Being strong-willed means that she is very stubborn. This is exacerbated by her quiet pride. She will discount out of hand any views contrary to her own, but will often do little more than to express her disagreement, as arguing is beneath her. Notably, while outwardly respectful of authority, she believes that she knows best, and it is very difficult to gain her true inward respect and obedience.
Her maternal instinct also has its darker side. She can be overly protective, and given her headstrong nature she is usually convinced this is for the best of those she is protecting. More frightening, however, is her ferocious reaction should someone -- or something -- she loves come under active attack.
Family:
- Henry William O'Flaherty; father; professor; murdered
- Joanna McIlhenny O'Flaherty, née Montrose; mother; hostess; murdered
- Aaron Louis Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 16
- Michael Charles Montrose O'Flaherty/Angelus; younger brother; student; 15
- Charlotte Anne Montrose O'Flaherty; younger sister; student; 13
- Susanna "Susie" Cecilia Montrose O'Flaherty; younger sister; student; 10
- Tiburtius "Mark" Marcus Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 10
- Christopher "Chris" Colmcille Montrose O'Flaherty; younger brother; student; 6
- Horatio George Montrose; maternal uncle; lawyer; 47
- Vivian Victoria Montrose, née Chesterfield; maternal aunt; housewife; 42
- Vivian "Belle" Belinda Montrose; first cousin; student; 15
- Anthony Victor Montrose; first cousin; student; 11
History: The O'Flahertys of Boston were an old, wealthy, Catholic family, who immigrated to Massachusetts from Ireland during the nineteenth century. Their fortunes had their ups and downs over the centuries, but the present inhabitants of the family mansion were everything that one could desire of the upper class: rich, well-educated, and noble.
Marian was the eldest of seven children, and as such became something of a deputy for her parents. This suited her temperament well, being a cheerful but firm young lady. She excelled in the various domestic arts she was instructed in by her mother and the staff, and by her teenage years began to properly share in the authority exercised by her mother and the housekeeper.
This was, undoubtedly, aided by her powers. That Marian was a mutant was apparent from birth, due to the gemstone embedded in her forehead. At that point the size and shape of a marble, the doctor removed it out of concern, but was horrified to discover that upon so doing the healthy infant became lifeless. Quickly he restored it to the wound, which healed; the incident was known only to him and his assistants, Marian's parents, and later Marian herself. For she discovered she could remove the orb -- growing larger and manifesting facets in place of its original smooth surface -- at her own will. Her parents then warned her not to let it get too far from her.
Her powers did not really become known until she was old enough to talk, and send coherent telepathic messages to her parents, though they suspect that she had been communicating before that. Then, around age six, she began displaying telekinetic powers as well, though she only used them to move small items.
This caused a certain amount of stress for her parents. Having a mutant child was not readily acceptable in those days, and they paid for it in their social status -- and in losing some of their household staff. Nonetheless they persevered, with good humour and faith, and Marian learned to do likewise. Up through seventh grade, she attended a private Catholic school, and often had to face the ridicule of her peers and the hostility of her teachers.
After her seventh year, her parents, unhappy with the school, decided to teach her and her siblings at home. Those were the happiest years of her life, and that was when she truly began to blossom. Apart from her mutation, and a deep fascination with martial arts which her parents indulged, she was growing into a perfect young lady. Her perseverance and that of her parents even began to pay off, and as her sixteenth birthday approached she began attending social and charitable functions with her mother.
She had been registered long since, when Kelly first got his bill passed. Her parent disapproved of the MRA, but as loyal Americans they submitted. That, however, was not enough for some. Threats had trickled in for years; by now, they knew to ignore them. Except -- this time, the Purifiers made good on the threats.
One evening in late fall, five Purifiers broke into the house. They shot Mrs. O'Flaherty, and chased Mr. O'Flaherty to the front parlour. There he was killed, which Marian. That, and the imminent threat to her life and those of her siblings, induced a hitherto unknown ability in her -- shifting her form into one more suited for combat. Utilising her new abilities, she literally tore the three attackers in the parlour apart.
The other two escaped; one through Marian's mercy when she discovered he was a servant there who had lost his desire to kill when he found his son protecting Aaron. Shortly afterwards, she discovered that her telepathy was not gone, as she had thought, but changed to a form of empathy when she was confronted with Michael's own manifestation, brought on by the trauma of seeing his father's body. He had seemingly lost his mind to animal grief and fear, but she managed to calm him and restore him to lucidity.
She did not in fact shift back for several days. The other children, after initially being frightened of her, found her new furry form comforting -- the youngest especially snuggling close to her at night. Indeed, ironically it was only Michael who showed reserve around her after that first night. She, for her part, had much to do, and found her empathic powers to be a great help in keeping everyone calm. Eventually, however, she noticed that she was devouring all the food in the house, and she was rather shy of appearing in this animalistic guise before the police and the public. So, finally, she forced herself to set some time aside, and with concentration she was able to revert to her "human" shape.
It was too late to hide the new mutation from the public, though. Her picture -- both normal and "combat" as she tentatively called the new form -- was already all over the country, joining those of other young mutants who had lost their lives or their loved ones to the Purifiers. The media crawled all over the house; meanwhile she had to deal with the police investigation and charges of murder. There was also the question of custody; she was the oldest child, but not old enough to be legally responsible for her family.
After a month all was settled, for the moment. Thanks to her family's high profile, and the changing treatment of the media, she was able to post bail and remain out of prison. She was even allowed to move with her siblings to the house of her mother's brother in Salem; Horatio and his wife were to be their guardians. They were just in time for Christmas; under the circumstances, the holiday was happy and offered a bit of hope to the new orphans.
Marian, however, had marked a change in her brother Michael. Or rather, an increase in a trait the family had always recognized but dismissed. His mood was always more upbeat around the time of the full Moon; but now in was verging on the hypomanic, while becoming noticeably dejected during the new Moon. He also was transforming during the three nights of the full Moon, although only she noticed. Until, that is, December 30, when a pair of feathered back wings erupted from his shoulders while he screamed in pain.
She also had to shift, to keep him under control. When the Moon set he returned to normal, but she remained in her alternate form for the next two days. As she foreboded, each night of the full Moon he shifted, and she had to exert her powers to keep him calm. The ordeal was draining for all of them, but especially unsettling for the Montroses. Having seven more children added to their home was already a strain; dealing with the two mutants was starting to be more than they could handle.
The next two full Moons passed, and Michael seemed to be able to keep himself under control. The Montroses, however, had other worries: now they were receiving death threats. They had sent the other orphans to school with their children, but the threat forced them to keep Marian and Michael at home. This did little to help Michael's mental condition. As the next full Moon approached, he became increasingly irritable. Then, harassed by his cousin, he transformed during the day.
He might have seriously hurt Anthony had not Marian intervened. Even so, it was becoming clear that the Montrose household could not deal with the two. Then, on the first day of the full Moon, Michael ran away. He was found that night, by the police, and pumped full of tranquilisers. Marian was distraught, and the two adults were at their wits' end.
Soon thereafter, the X-Men intervened. The Montroses were only too glad to have the problem taken off their hands. Marian was reluctant to be parted from the other children, but she had to agree it was for the best. So, the two mutants moved to the X-Mansion. For Marian, many trials loom, including the actual legal trial she faces. The Bureau of Mutant Affairs, since its inception, has taken charge of her case, appointing her a famous pro-mutant lawyer from the West Coast, but she has only met him once and her date in court is in June.
Classification: Gamma
Powers:
- Star Jewel: The object that Marian has named the "Star Jewel" is a blue crystal, a many-faceted globe roughly an inch and a half in diameter. It is composed of a unique organically-derived substance, harder than diamond, and grows together with the rest of Marian's body. The true seat of her consciousness, it gives life to her body and regulates her abilities. Normally embedded in her flesh, with only the upper fourth of its surface showing, the Jewel has the capacity to convert her organs into itself and revert them to normal, without disrupting their functions (with the exception of her digestive and respiratory systems), allowing it to pass through her body.
The Jewel absorbs all forms of external energy, barring kinetic. This includes psychic energy; to telepaths and others, there appears to be a barrier around her mind (which appears as a blue veil on the astral plane), which, if an attempt is made to penetrate it, will drain the energy of the aggressor (it does not drain ambient astral energy). This is converted and stored within its lattices, and is used in her transformed state.
There is a limit to the amount of energy the Jewel can absorb. However it is unlikely to be reached barring abnormal circumstances (being placed in a star or coming under sustained assault from an Omega telepath). Moe likely, though still remote, is the possibility of her running out of energy. To do that, at present, she would have to remain in her "battle form" two to three straight weeks. As her reserves drain, the jewel will start absorbing energy from her own body, making her tired and perpetually hungry.
Marian can remove the Jewel at will, though it takes all her attention. Not being used to the separation, Marian will be slightly disoriented as long as it is outside of her flesh. This would increase the further it is from her body, and at two yards her body would become comatose. Marian, as the Jewel, remains aware, but only of the presence of people and animals -- she has no sensory awareness as the Jewel. While she retains her telepathy, her range is very limited, and functions best if the Jewel is held. She cannot move herself as the Jewel, and will fall dormant if she is left by herself for several days, to reawaken if someone touches her. Her body, meanwhile, will remain in suspended animation for a month, after which it dies.
The Jewel, however, has a lifespan of its own. This is to be measured in centuries. Finally it will begin to age, and become brittle, its energy absorption becoming incomplete, and finally the spark of life will leave it. Until then, any body to which it is attached will share in its longevity, though not in its indestructibility. Should her body be killed, the Star Jewel will fall out of the corpse as it rots. The Jewel can also be cut from a body, living or dead -- though it can be difficult to do while she is awake, since Marian can shift it from its normal position on her forehead. (For her to do so, however, requires near-total concentration.) Removing it by violence leaves a gaping wound, which does not happen if she removes the stone herself.
However it is removed, the Jewel can be placed into another body to animate it -- or, if already tenanted, share it. To accomplish this, someone other than Marian must push the Jewel into the new host's flesh, a very difficult process. In order to actually merge into a new host, the Jewel has to use her transformative properties on the host, otherwise it will be rejected a s alien DNA. This process takes several days to weeks, and during that time the area around the jewel will be swollen, red and painful as though infected. Once Marian, the Jewel treats the new body as its own, and it may undergo further changes if Marian becomes the dominant personality -- she could completely possess the new body, even kill the original being if she desired it and has a stronger will than the host.
- Psychic: Marian is possessed of telepathic and telekinetic abilities. Although in actuality quite powerful, she can currently perform at a very low level due to her lack of training and the barrier formed by the Star Jewel, which will sorely limit her potential until she can learn to control it. For now, she can project her thoughts and some feeling to others, and detect minds and read surface thoughts if she tries, in a 1200 foot radius. Her telekinesis can move objects of up to a pound within a hundred foot radius. She is currently capable of moving five such objects at a time (but cannot move a single object of equivalent weight of said multiple objects).
- Form Shift: Utilising the energy stored in the Star Jewel, Marian can shift from her "normal" form to what she has termed her "combat" or "battle form". This entails both a drastic change to her physical form (which still somewhat embarrasses her with strangers) and a boost to all her abilities, both physical and mental. She can technically shift at will, although normally it is very difficult, requiring several minutes and intense concentration. She will shift to it involuntarily when feeling threatened or very angry; such a shift will require only a few seconds. Returning to her normal form can only be done with effort. Either way, while transforming she is engulfed in a blue aura from her jewel.
First, in her "battle form" she takes on the appearance of a fox. She has a sharp, slender muzzle; her ears sit higher on her head; and her eyes have slit pupils. She is sheathed in short fur, patterned thus: bright red on her upper face, the bridge of her muzzle, back, limbs and tail; creamy chin, cheeks, throat, chest, and belly. Her limbs have sleeves up to her elbows and ankles, the same dark red as her hair (which she retains). Her tail is 4'2" long, the fur much thicker than the rest of her body, and has a white tip offset by a band of black. Her ears are black on the outside, white inside. Her muzzle is marked by a triple claw pattern, pointing down and curving towards her nose. Finally, she has a digitigrade stance, and retractible claws on her hands (her feet have non-retractible claws). The shift also affects whatever she is wearing, altering its structure to accommodate her new body.
Second, she has certain abilities which derive ipso facto from her vulpine form. These are increased auditory and olfactory capacities, stronger than those of a normal red fox due to the corresponding organs being larger. She has excellent low-light vision and a greatly enhanced ability to track moving objects; her vision is not otherwise affected.
Her claws and teeth give her natural weaponry, while her hide gives her about the same protection as soft leather armour. Her grace and agility (already strong) are increased slightly but noticeably, and she is instinctively comfortable with the form. She does also have a foxy odour, but her scent glands are vestigial, so it is not overpowering.
In addition she gains a psionic ability exclusive to this form: zoempathy. a type of empathy allowing her to influence the emotions and instincts of mammals, marsupials and birds within her 1200 foot range. On her end, the emotions projected can be either instinctive (usually inspiring fear in foes and protectiveness/aggression in allies) or conscious, as when she calms her brother. She can sense emotions within this range -- they drown out her ability to sense rational minds, at the moment. So, while she technically still has her telepathy, her zoempathy drowns it out; she is unaware of it, and cannot use it.
Note that while humans are affected by this ability, the effect is normally so weak as to be negligible; in order for it to "work" they must already be in a heightened emotional state or otherwise have their rationality compromised.
Third are the physical abilities actually deriving from the energy influx from the Jewel. She gains 20% in muscle strength, and has beyond peak human agility. Her claws and teeth exhibit the same strength as superior steel, and her hide toughens to more resemble hardened leather. Her stamina is also greatly increased.
As well, Marian gains a strong healing factor, although it is not truly regenerative -- she heals very fast, but she cannot regrow lost limbs or organs. Serious injuries may also require additional treatment; i.e., bones will likely need to be set to heal properly (incidentally, this will happen in a matter of hours, so it has to be attended to fast).
Finally, her psychic abilities are also boosted by the Crystal. The effective range of her telepathy and zoempathy is increased to 1800 feet. There is also a slight increase in their effective power. Her telekinesis, on the other hand, is vastly increased to the extent that she can lift 20 pounds, either in one item or split among up to seven different objects. Her telekinetic range expands to 150 feet.
The differences between abilities inherent to her vulpine form and those deriving from empowerment from the Crystal must be emphasised. Marian herself believes them to be the same, and currently the empowerment only comes in her alopecanthropic state, but the two are not necessarily connected. Theoretically she could empower herself in her human form, and she could run out of energy in her vulpine form and those lose the enhanced abilities.
Nota bene: Marian is quite a powerful psychic, but due to her lack of training has no conception of how to utilise her powers. She is also hampered by her barrier.
Skills:
- Archery: Marian is an excellent shot with a bow.
- Domestic Arts: Marian is a good seamstress and cook, and would be capable of maintaining a small residence or overseeing a large one.
- Horsemanship: Although she was not able to practice as much as she might have liked, Marian is competent to ride a horse, although she knows little about their care.
- Martial Arts: Regina has, due to her drive to defend herself and others, studied several martial arts. Although she can only be considered an amateur, she ahs some knowledge of bare-handed, sword (both rapier and jian), knife and staff/spear combat. Her preferred weapons are the sword and glaive.
- Other: Having had a varied education and a keen interest in many creative arts, Marian could be considered something of a Renaissance lady; she has some minor skill in music (she can pluck a melody from a piano, as well as sing), sketching, painting, and writing.
Weaponry: Apart from training equipment, Marian's weapon -- a bow -- remains at her home. She does not normally carry arms around the institute, nor wish to.
Role Play Sample: She began to kneel by her fallen escort. When the voice addressed her, however, she rose swiftly. Looking around, she observed the nightmarish hounds emerging from the shadows, and inhaled to steady her nerves. She knew she was in a dangerous situation, but she was prepared to defend herself and the other student.
"And if I decline your offer?"[/color] she asked, fixing her eyes on the glowing red gaze of the aggressor. Unconsciously she flexed her fingers, as though unsheathing claws that did not -- yet -- exist. "I cannot imagine accepting anything from someone who attacks first, unprovoked. Who are you, and what do you want of me?"[/color]
She was fairly certain he was not a Purifier. Had he been, she would likely already be dead. Besides that, he was probably a mutant, and she could not imagine those bigots using a mutant. The man was still threatening her, though. Just not enough, apparently, to trigger my defenses. She would have to hope that he continued that way -- or that, if he did attack, her metamorphosis would be enough to defend herself.
Your Name: Vulpes Incultus, Fox or Flammifleure.
Other Characters: Foxcraft, Cynthia, Magneto, Johnson, and Sannosuke.