Only We May Judge (A dark magical girl interest check)

You were different, that's why you were being punished. Those are the words that the angelic statue had told you before it had nearly choked the life out of you. You remember your vision swimming, everything becoming much dimmer, questioning why this was happening to you. Just because you want to do something different, just because you don't want to go into the same company that your father had, the sane one that had drained away any semblance of life from him? You remember having nothing but regret for your life at that point, for not doing all of the things that he would wanted to do, but had been too afraid of going against the grain.

And then blistering relief, cool air rushing down your throat again, And the sight of a man in clothing that you had never seen worn before, a style that would have been unthinkable to see within the confines of the City. You remember him tearing apart the wooden angels taking you to a strange bar filled with odd creatures and odd people. and most of all you remember his words.

“The world might have abandoned you, but that means from this point on you can do whatever you want.”

Now I live a life of freedom and rebellion, warring against the factory and their manufactured angels, having sold my soul to a true demon. All in the hopes that one day others will not have to walk a path of hardship just to follow their dream.

__________________

Judges of the City is a play by post RP that has players take the role of characters that have been divorced from the city-wide control of a massive corporation simply known as the Factory. Almost every business within the city has ties to the Factory in one way or another, and everything from local government to religious organizations within the city also have ties with them, it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that the factory controls every aspect of life within the confines of the city.

And when someone disrupts the unity of the city or goes against the factory the city itself will become engulfed in a thick fog, which heralds the arrival of angels. beings of clockwork and fire that seek out any who disrupt social order in even the most minor way, and will either drag them back to the massive building on the outskirts of the city to be reprogrammed into ideal citizens or we executed on the spot and erased from the city's history.

There exists another choice for those targeted by the factory however, making a contract with a being known as a demon. In their own words they are those who decide on the judgment of humans, and see the Factory as an affront to their existence. Without free will, without the option to choose, there can be no good or evil, an existence of stasis that will cause the soul of a human to rot to nothing and cease to exist when they meet their end.

Once contracted with a human the demon will stay on earth tied to an object closely regarded by that person, or take the form of an animal that the person would find pleasing. When in dire straits the demon can tie its existence even closer to a human, which takes on two separate forms.

The first of these being Apotheosis, where the human takes on aspects of the demon but remains largely themselves with full access to the unique abilities carried by the demon. This could be anything from weapons and armor to control of magic that a human would not normally have.

The second is known as Submission, with a human allowing their consciousness to sink to a secondary role allowing the demon more control over their shared body, they take on more demonic traits and are used fully as a vessel of the Demons power. This form comes with a time constraint of around 5 minutes at maximum, however until that time ends there's no ability for the human to cancel the activation.

Whether what you do is right or wrong, only you are going to be able to judge.

Quick info

• It is impossible to leave the City by normal means, anytime one leaves the confines of the city for any reason they will simply find themselves turned back. If asked , the demons simply say this is one effect that the factory is having on the area but otherwise remain completely silent on the issue.

• The time period is modern, however technology itself is a limited resource for most people within the bounds of the city, most modern tech is either sold via Factory stores or Factory brands of the same product.Most pop culture that enters into the city is highly sanitized versions of what we might see in the real world, however those outside of the system have ways of getting around the blockades put up by the Factory.

• No one knows how the angels are made nor who runs the Factory, there's only been one assault on the Factory's main base within the Rebellion’s short history, and it ended with them forced retreat against a near endless army of clockwork angels.

• Demons come in all forms, some take the form of mythological creatures, and other demonic beings taken from studies of the occult throughout history.

Character Sheet

• Name:
• Age:
• Demon: (The name and description of characters contracted demon.)
• Apotheosis: (The abilities taken on when in this state)
• Submission: (The abilities taken on in this state)
• Weapons: (Those summoned by fusing with your demon or brought with the character)
• Personality:
• History: (Please include what they were targeted by the factory for.)
• Appearance: (Picture or description for all forms.)
• Etc: (Everything else)

Interest.

Interest!

Edited by JumpingFruit on Apr 22nd 2024 at 9:31:54 AM

Interest...!

You can see that I'm wearing my inspirations on my sleeve here, haha. <3

• Name: Netta Tartini
• Age: 14
• Demon: Lady Nightingaol is a famed opera singer from the land of demons, which is often called Hell by mortals. She was a hedonistic sinner in life who transformed into a demon by drawing power from the adulation of her fans, and now serves as an example for others who seek to follow her path. All of those undergoing torments in Hell are allowed a moment of respite when she performs for them, so they adore her, or so it is said. She has come to the mortal realm to find a protege and give the wonders of opera back to the masses. When in her resting form, she binds herself into the form of a dainty porcelain doll.
• Apotheosis:
  • Sonic Song: Netta's voice gains the power to blast heavy objects back or shatter them entirely. More durable objects require her to hold a specific note for a period of time, and she cannot begin another song soon after ending the previous one. Requires her to be facing the direction of her targets but is quite a reliable source of area-of-effect damage. By focusing on a specific target, she can sing a song that enchants them, causing them to approach her without care to other dangers, or root them to the spot. This is more effectively used for enemy control, but it won't work if they can't hear her.
  • Special Effects: Netta can summon ribbons to carry herself up to high places, or to spring up and bind her enemies. She can also attach them to herself and use them as cutting whips or as a blinding distraction to allow an easy escape. Additionally, she can summon a spotlight that focuses either on an enemy or an ally. If focused on an enemy, they will take more damage from her fellow Judges' attacks, and if focused on an ally, they will receive a boost to their abilities. However, the spotlight only lasts a few minutes and can only be used once per transformation.
• Submission: When Lady Nightingaol takes over, her voice affects all within a certain radius of her, regardless of friend or foe, making this a dangerous state to be in. Such is the Lady's allure, after all. But when collateral damage is not an issue, this becomes a powerful and useful form. Her dress expands to protect and armor Netta's body, and her ribbons turn into lashing chains that deal more damage and can reach further while doing so. It also cannot be said that her allies cannot benefit from this, as spotlights descend on everyone around. Thus, the main hazard to be braved here is her song.
• Weapons: An elaborate golden harpbow, which fires piercing notes of shrieking sonic energy, it is usually enough to get through the tough outer exteriors of angels, which more melee-focused Judges might have to bash extensively to get to the soft, fleshy interior. Once cracked in this manner, angelic armor becomes easier to break, as the harpbow is especially attuned to the frequency which causes it to shatter. It can spray shots in a wide arc, too, but this is telegraphed by a pause in Netta's song and a few seconds of buildup. The musical accompaniment it brings to combat is indeed exquisite.
• Personality: Netta is the golden girl of her school, who is not too different from all the other golden girls at her school, in fact. Outwardly urbane and the very model of the ideal of the utopic society she lives in, it would be hard to guess that she is actually a Judge. However, she is frustrated by the lack of remembrance for the previous victims of angels, which she seeks to remedy. She is willing to help other Judges blend in with the standards of the City, as she has extensive experience in doing so, and lend them a kindly listening ear, as they do for her during her nightly performances.
• History: Netta was born to an ideal family, in an ideal living quarter, in an ideal City. She went to an ideal school, became an ideal student, and strove to be the ideal daughter. Her only sin, however, was mourning her fellow students who became the victims of angels, as it was anathema to remember them after a specific period of time. Her repeated insistence that it was not right to forget those who were erased for small errors would bring her to the chopping block in time, only a short while after her crush was vaporized for his passion in music. Thus, she became a Judge to better preserve his and other victims' memories.
• Appearance: As demure as can be.◊
  • Apotheosis: The secret songstress' ensemble.◊
  • Submission: The back of the skirt elongates and flares out, becoming more ornate and impractical, but able to trip unwary opponents as Netta sweeps onto the performance stage. Her dress becomes more elaborate with more lace and ruffles as two chubby flying imps lower Lady Nightingaol's headdress onto her head and she sprouts two horns, which are smaller than her demonic sponsor's. The addition of an opaque veil over the headdress ensures that she can sing with all her might, without having to soil her sight with the carnage around her.
• Etc: N/A

Edited by JumpingFruit on May 5th 2024 at 2:08:44 AM

Name: Ophiuchus, (Uses Amelie Ebner in the city)

Age: 23

Demon: Mammon, a womanly figure wearing a red dress with intricate colour patterns and, lace detailing. Their face hidden behind a mask made of gold and silver with two long thin slits for their eyes, evoking the shape of predatory bird’s head. their hair is not visible as it's covered by a veil tied to an intricate gem laden headpiece that looks like a halo, strands of small pearls hung as to mimic hair.[1]

Apotheosis: Ophi’s ability is that she can permanenly manifest any object of her choosing, if she has the monetary means to do so using fund either in physical bills, or via her bank acount. Even supernatural things can be either done or made through this exchange, though there is a special separate tax for this that may include unconventional requirements. Submission: During submission the limits of her ability are removed. Making her able to use anything that is owned by her to be viable tender. Anything she would try to manifest in this state is also discounted. The tax on creating magical is also severely lessened.

Weapons:A detailed sword cane, that turns into a sword when in Apotheosis. One intricately detailed revolver, a gift from Mammon, it's ammunition never runs out though it has to be reloaded using a matching speedloader. The bullets are blessed by Mammon herself causing a saphire flame to erupt around the area hit.[2]

Personality: Ophi doesn’t really have much of a personality, everything that is there is hidden by a layer of botched Factory reprograming, though there are some quirks that hint at deeper emotions, such as detachement when causing harm. Whether these quirks are remenants of Amelie, or the demons influence is likely only known between Ophi and Mammon.

History: Amelie Ebner was an orphan, influenced by the factory’s drive for profit the children had to work to pay back the Orphanage for taking care of them. This wore on Amelie, keeping herself and the others at the orphanage alive through criminal activities did help, but in the end her position as leader of this improvised gang had made her a target of Angels as a disruptive element. When the fog had rolled in, and the angels were nearing. Amelie didn’t fear for her life, instead she felt a burning hatred for the things that came to take her away instead of the administration. She took one of the makeshift bombs the other orphans had made. She wasn’t going to give up the chance to hurt those behind everything. Amelie went with the angels willingly, smuggling the bomb all the way into a reprograming centre. Once inside she had started the timer and lost it when the Angels were distracted. In the end the timer was too long, and it had only exploded after the brainwashing had started. Still, it was enough of a distraction for Mammon to swoop in get what remained of Amelie out, before the angels swarmed the area. Amelie finding no connection with her name was given the name Ophiuchus in exchange for becoming Mammons Judge and working as their agent in the city.

Appearance: Ophi is paler then usual with a doll like complexion. Her expensive round glasses match nicely with a thick braid of white hair, and her gold marked eyes. In her casual life she usually wears turtleneck sweaters, while tending the bar she wears a multitude of costumes, her favourite being a musketeer outfit. A version of which appears as her Apotheosis outfit [3]

Submission: Might change it for a more suitable pic later, this will work for now [4]

Etc: Most Judges and demons are afraid of Mammon, and some for her judge, as no one has made a Judge contract with Mammon before. Ophi and Mammon both speaks using Gold text

Theme:

Edited by Faelisya on May 2nd 2024 at 3:12:39 PM

Name: Taylor C. (Unknown surname), she refuses to give out her last name (that's what she insists... now if that's true is another story...)

NOT KNOWN IRP UNTIL OTHERWISE CHANGED: Her full name is: Taylor Colette H. Rose. Yea, no one is sure what the H stands for or if it's just an initial. Taylor refuses to specify. Yes, her name is unusually long. Though it might be possible even Taylor herself has no idea what the H actually stands for...

Age: 20s, refuses to specify further.

Demon: Lolth, spider-phoenix-??? thing like demon (The demon herself is not quite sure what creature she is supposed to be, just a mix of various creatures with spider being the most obvious... which is what Lolth insists is true). Everyone just calls her a spider. Lolth's role in the underworld is to send ANYTHING between demons and different locations. Her binded form is that of a spider-shaped creature that for all intents and purposes, passes as a normal (if unusually large) VENOMOUS spider.

Lolth was once human until she became a demon in the underworld. Fueled by the desire of knowledge and having connections and well... knowing stuff, this resulted in her spiderish appearance. She has the power to create, destroy, and manipulate connections. Information is a secondary side effect (might as well make it useful), but not her main thing. Lolth wants to make all sorts of connections to the human world... and a human is one way to go about it as far as she's concerned. Despite her powers, she firmly believes that freedom of choice is ALSO part of connections.

Lolth looks MOSTLY like a spider but also has been seen with the following (but not all of the above at the same time or form or... she has shown these at least once.): A pair of phoenix-like wings, a snake tail, a scorpion tail and/or pinchers, a humanoid form once (?!), and the list goes on and on and on...

Calling Lolth a spider is just so much easier! It is said that Lolth's words are... not entirely reliable at times.

Apotheosis:

Threads: The ability to shoot sturdy silk-like threads from any part of the body (in theory). In practice, her (Taylor) hands and feet are used and sometimes her mouth. These threads are very useful. She can reel herself/other things attached to the silk closer or further away as she wishes.

Mystery Demon thing: No one is quite sure what Lolth is... so she can do anything a spider can do (including nonmortal ones, like Lolth herself). And a side of whatever else Lolth is... which is a mystery in its own right. The hard part is knowing what parts those are exactly. These are small things that are weak on their own but easily combine with what she already has... and Taylor has no idea what she will or will not get. It can change at random intervals.

Submission:

Power of connections: This is Lolth's thing. She naturally can make silk-like threads and has the physical traits of a spider. This includes (nearly) all connections... good or bad. With a dose of demon morals and logic... it can end really good or REALLY badly (or both!) for allies nearby. But enemies will always suffer. Connections that Lolth can manipulate, create, destroy, and on and on...

Mystery phycology: No one is sure what exactly Lolth is. This gives her a diverse toolkit depending on what form she's in... but each tool is very weak on its own. Lolth is smart, and thus exploits her ever-changing list of tools far better than a human can.

Weapons:

Taylor: Normal knives and a crossbow with ammo. Why a crossbow? Guns are loud! Also, arrows are easier to connect with threads. Other tools/weapons she would bring on an as needed basis are also covered here.

Demon: A bladed lance that is taller than Taylor is, the blade itself is 6' long with the rest of it being handle (Total length: 7'4"). The guard on the lance is a simple circular shape, designed to stop blades and enemies from sliding up to the user. Narrow and sharp, the tip is sharp yet the blade itself is tough enough to go through armor tip first with enough force and correct placement. On the end of the handle is a simple ring shape (VERY sturdy) that doubles as the pummel, to attach thread to and is round in shape (ideal for hitting stuff as well).

And if that's not enough, there are 4 smaller blades that attach to each limb (forearms for arms, thighs for legs). Each one has a ring shaped pommel to fit thread of course. The blades look like smaller versions of the bladed lance with less handle each. The ones on the arms are bigger and one arm blade can be 2 handed if needed. The leg ones are smaller (Too big and moving around is awkward) and can be hand held by handles (1 handed sized) if needed. Despite being smaller, these can still go through armor in theory... if aimed at the right places and with enough attempts! She can use all four blades like grappling hooks to travel around. If any blade's thread is disconnected, the blade will return to Taylor/Lolth without the thread.

And of course, they (both ladies) can make smaller blades to be thrown/used for stabbing... Lolth really likes stabbing things OK!? The thing is, these blades can be coated in poison. Be it of human origin (Taylor's end) or demonic spider venom. (Yes, with the rings on the end to attach thread to in case that was not obvious enough)

There are more blades of various sizes (The demon has plenty of these), but 5 is apparently the practical limit on Taylor's end and ideal for her height.

Personality: Pragmatic above all else (including morally). Her morals are unusual, but she's not aiming to be heroic OR villainous on purpose. Arguably an antihero in general, she considers all of the given options and picks the best one to fit the situation. EXTERMELY paranoid and trusts no one fully. This applies to everyone equally, even her own demon (said demon does not take offence to that, and applauds this attitude)!

She will make allies when it will benefit her. Whos she trusts to some degree depends, but she knows when betrayal will end badly for her (without lots of planning and backup plans).

Her backup plans have backup plans, she's always prepared for the worst regarding everyone else. Highly intelligent and knows how to survive a world where everything is trying to kill you and then some. With the experience to backup hiding her unusual status.

History: Taylor once had a normal life by factory standards. A job that she would have had for the rest of her life, a home, and so on. Under this façade, was someone who knew how flawed the system was and was clever enough to avoid exposing herself. This lasted a pretty long time.

She just wanted to know the truth and to decide her own path in life. That's it. Before becoming a judge, she was very good at hiding it from everyone else. Until she accidently gave it away (or did someone else betray her? She's not sure to this day, and decided to be more cautious). The factory... took great offence to say the least. This naturally drew the attention of Lolth, who took a great interest in her. Lolth was very honest about what being a judge meant, good and bad. Taylor accepted.

To this day, very few people know of Taylor's Judge status, yet alone her full identity. At least, this is what Taylor would reveal if she had to.

Appearance: 6'4" and looks rather tough rather than feminine. She's not ripped like bodybuilders, but more like stout strength with unexpected speed. Has short black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. Wears covering black/very dark clothing and practical shoes.

Her apotheosis form consists of practical full armor that covers her entire body minus the lower half of her face (The helmet can be adjusted up and down accordingly. and can cover her entire face if she so chooses, but prefers half covered). A hooded dark red cloak comes with it, and the fabric of the cloak is tough. This allows the cloak to offer another level of protection (made from the demon's silk after all!). All of the fabric is made from Lolth's silk, so even the clothing provides protection! There's a skirt-like thing that is best described as being knee length with a silt on the front left that goes up to her hip (There's no skin showing due to armor + clothing under armor!). The fabric is various shades of dark red that looks practical and good at the same time.

There's even a ninja-like mask (comes with the armor set) to cover the lower half of her face if she so wishes to but without armor as well.

Her submission form looks... nearly exactly the same as her apotheosis form but with more demonic/mystery features that Lolth has at the time sticking out of the armor in a way that does not interfere with the armor.

Etc: This woman is crazy prepared. So is her demon. Both agree on a few things despite their shared paranoia and crazy preparedness.

Taylor uses Lolth's silk to make some of her own clothes just because of how useful and comfy it is. But the silk is hard to dye in any color except black. Which is fine with Taylor. This doubles as one of many paranoia measures she takes. (Lolth finds this worth doing because any connection to the human world is a good one, even if it's small)

NOTE: Taylor talks in gray text, Lolth in red.

Edited by sci300768 on May 5th 2024 at 8:49:19 AM

Jumping Fruit welcome to the Judges.

sci300768 welcome to the Judges.

• Name: Setsuna Kagura
• Age: 20
• Demon: Ka-Ki, legendary oni of flame. After their service to the great summoner Fujiwara was complete they returned to the land of Yomi, one small part of the greater underworld. Bold and strong, reckless and untamed, vicious and cruel. They are everything the legends said, yet their code of honor keeps them in check. Strength is their passion, but after Fujiwara forced into them service they've become hungry for freedom. Even after being freed it has remained an obsession, one they would share with others. The only thing greater than their love for freedom is their stomach. Takes the form of Mr.Bunbun when not in use.
• Apotheosis:
  • Raging Demon: In Apotheosis, Setsuna is strong and tough, enough to lift a large truck with ease. But it comes with a cost. In this form she is easy to anger, wearing her rage on her sleeve. The angrier she is the stronger she gets, but her darker impulses are harder to control.
  • Great Conflagration: Setsuna can harness the power of flame, channeling it through her weapon. Setting it aflame is the simplest application, but pounding it on the ground can cause small flaming geysers to erupt where she so chooses. The angrier she is, the more destructive her flames become and the harder they are to control.
  • Gnawing Hunger: If Setsuna's hurt she can partially heal herself through consuming flesh. Animals will do, but she won't consume other humans. Even so, the temptation becomes stronger as her rage or desperation increases and she's afraid what she'll do if she loses it completely.
• Submission: Submission takes Setsuna's abilities to their logical extreme. Ridiculously strong and tough, she can lif small buildings with their bare hands and taking bazookas to the face without a scratch. Her searing flames can burn city blocks with ease and their endless hunger restores them completely when appeased. This dramatic enhancement is offset by sheer rage. In such a state it becomes impossible to tell friend from foe. Everyone either becomes a meal or enemy to be overcome. Their fury becomes infectious, sending whole crowds or those around then into a raging whirlwind. The saving grace is it's easier for them to burn out, but it doesn't make them less dangerous.
• Weapons: Club of Indignation. In Setsuna's human form it's a baseball bat, but as a Judge it's a club so jagged and massive that only Setsuna or Ka-Ki can wield it. It's the club that allows them to channel the flame of judgement. In Setsuna's Submission state the club becomes even bigger and more deadly.
• Personality: Setsuna is bubbly, sweet, and somewhat demure. She adores cute things and has a developed sense of fashion, but can be overly nervous and ridiculously apologetic. She often catches herself saying ‘sorry’ or asking others for approval, even if she doesn’t need to. But buried underneath everything else, she has a ferocious temper. She’s tried her best to bottle it up and everything that comes with it, but it only goes so far. With that temper comes a love of fighting, brawling, and other aggressive tendencies, her father's influence coming to the fore.
• Her years of abuse have also led to her being easily persuaded. She has little confidence or self-worth, agreeing to others demands and suggestions if it pleases them. She has her limits, but if you treat her nicely, she'll do almost anything you say. But there's only so much she can take.
• History: Setsuna wasn't born in the best neighborhood. Her mother came from the better part of town, but her father was raised in the slums and his parents often gave him the short end of the stick. When his daughter was born, he couldn't help but love her, but as the years passed, that love faded. Her mother saw a sweet, bubbly girl, but her father saw a weakling infant that wouldn't last a second out of the crib. Or that's what he told himself.
  • She was an easy target. Every time she did something he saw as weak, he’d berate her or slap her before telling her it was for her own good. Her mother soon got wind, but she quickly disappeared under 'mysterious circumstances.' She did her best to endure, but after so many years of abuse there was only so much she could take.
  • It was during a trip to a restaurant that she snapped. After being told she was completely worthless and the reason her mother left, she grabbed a knife and stabbed him in the chest, shouting at the top of her lungs in rage. Before the angels could whisk her off she was pulled away, sinking into an abyss of darkness of flame. It spat her back out in the slums, far away from where she'd done the deed, but her trip wasn't uneventful. In that abyss she made a deal with Ka-Ki. He didn't ask much. Simply allow herself to serve as his vessel, indulge in her worst impulses and direct her rage at those who deserved it. In exchange, she'd escape the consequences of her actions. What did she have to lose?
• Appearance:
  • Human, 5'8◊
  • Apotheosis, 7'0.◊
  • Submission, 8'2.◊
• Etc: Setsuna adores cute and cuddly things and has a terrific fashion sense. Her dream was becoming a dollmaker or fashionista, but now that she's on the run she's not sure it's possible. Has her stuffed bunny Mr.Bunbun to keep her calm. She has a taste and high tolerance for alcohol, but it's embarrassing to admit. Since she's underage it's technically illegal, but compared to killing angels it's a less risky form of rebellion.

Edited by kkhohoho on Apr 27th 2024 at 11:10:23 AM

• Name: Jules Regan
• Age: 29
• Demon: Focalor, a 'temporarily disgraced' demon with command over the wind and sea (unfortunately, we are not anywhere near the ocean so it's mostly just the wind). He is fairly restrained in appearance compared to other demons, bearing a human affect only raised above the mundane by a pair of eagle wings in proportion to his frame. His disguise is a simple city bird, though the attentive may note that this supposed pigeon's plumage is a scaled-down and adapted version of an eagle's.
• Apotheosis: Jules has never properly attempted to explore their powers in this state. They have no desire to utilize it in battle and can't see any useful utility to Focalor's implicitly human-slaying prowess.
• Submission:
  • Flight: The eagle-wings sprout, large and strong enough to bear Jules' relinquished body to the skies like a member of the Host.
  • Fathomless: A simple one, if it's capable of drowning then its capable of drowning even in the shallowest (natural) source of water while in Focalor's presence.
  • Thousand Cutting Winds: Also known as "the Weeb Thing". Focalor concentrates, lining up the ambient winds into an imminent storm of razor-sharp gusts. And then, to cue the winds Focalor opens the lock on the sword, draws it half an inch out and then slams it back in again. The sword itself is never fully drawn, but the visual combined with the cutting winds gives this technique its nickname.
• Weapons: Jules only carries one weapon, a mundane one meant for Focalor's use. This mall ninja quality katana has been put into a sheath with a surprisingly complicated locking mechanism... That Jules themself doesn't know how to open. That's by Jules' design; Focalor knows the gesture on the tactile pad that opens the latch and Jules does not, a measure of safety to prevent this blade being used outside of Submission state.
• Personality: Jules likes to proclaim that they are an outgoing person with strong ideals. They try very hard to be actively doing good in the world: Repairing broken tech for people, being the listening ear when they wish to outline problems, providing looted or purchased medicine to those hurting and of course when the Angels come out... Actually that's when things get tricky; Jules almost entirely refuses to participate in combat personally, always choosing to surrender control to Focalor through Submission for as long as possible. When asked to explain, they mutter things about 'not being a doctor but following the oath' and 'no judgements' but can never give a full explanation for what looks to outsiders like cowardice.
• History: Jules is pretty sure it wasn't the gender thing. If anything merely letting pronouns wash off their back without ever sticking as a descriptor was more efficient and less disruptive than say, insisting on any given set out of a sense that it mattered. Nah if anything drew the attention of the Angels, it was the matter of [] being really into taking things apart, seeing how they worked and putting them back together as good as they were when they left the Factory: some recycling here, some assembly of parts there, a circumventing of the firewall and whoops there's the fog, the pain of being attacked by Angels and the offer from a fallen one to bring succor.
• Appearance:
  • As a human, skin scuffed with grease from the work, hair a once-undercut left to mess given how hard it is to visit a hairdressers nowadays, eyes dull the color of certain kinds of mud. An old fishing vest with pockets overfull with cools and useful bits, a form-fitting top cut to expose much of the back, an ankle-length skirt that flourishes with every turn. Eccentricity pours forth, neither one way or the other but some tangled web of secret third things.
  • Ascending into Apotheosis, they are the wrecked ships Focalor leaves behind as rigging-wings of wood and sailcloth burst from the spine. Hair cascades down a sudden stunning blue, drowned tears flow unbidden from cloudy eyes. A rare form to see, and one Jules finds uncomfortable to assume.
  • In Submission to Focalor, the change is simple and clear. The wings of the griffin, those eagle-plumaged things, unfurl so easily from the back of the outfit as a single sheet of sailcloth forms a makeshifted toga. Short hair a field of burnt umber patched with black, eyes a glare like cannonfire flashes. You'd be forgiven for thinking an angel was amongst you; Focalor never fully shed symbols of authority even as the promise rang false.
• Etc:
  • Jules thinks the Factory can be redeemed. Oh sure, the Angels are bad and the control over the city and its people it exerts is bad, but at the core the Factory's stock and trade is a frankly stunning variety of useful consumer products and effective distribution to those people. They hope that ultimately someone or something is enforcing the chains on the city and that with a change of ownership and the mothballing of everything that oppresses, the Factory can continue on as an immaculate engine of production for the good of everyone. Focalor is... Cagey about that belief, but the idea of potentially being responsible for redeeming what even the heavens say is irredeemable (as he himself was after his thousand year wait) is attractive (and hey, if he is still damned after all that, then maybe he can build his own Angelic Host in defiance of the heavens).

Edited by Pentigan on May 3rd 2024 at 12:20:38 AM

Interest.

• Name: Cedric De Los Santos

• Age: 21

• Demon: Ashlesh, a primordial demon of joy originally sealed away by other gods under the seventh layer of underworld beneath a glimmering lake. He doesn’t have much of an appearance, usually taking the form of an orb of water encircled by seven hands, but can appear as a youthful Indian man with a slightly blue tint to his skin. Being a demon of joy, he feeds off of any form of happiness, especially bliss and obsession. Being free, he wishes to consume as much joy as possible.

• Appearance: A tall boy with reddish hair and light brown skin, and somewhat messy hair that he keeps cleanly combed.

• Apotheosis:
  • Exultant Veil: Cedric shrouds himself in water, becoming intangible, incredibly fast, and can even become like water. He can also shoot out tendrils of water from himself. when in this state, his voice overlaps with that of Ashlesh’s and becomes incredibly joyous.
  • Coup de Grace: Cedric’s whip Felicity grows to immense size, allowing him to swing it around and reach great lengths. It’s simple, but effective.
  • Euphoric Torrent: Sends out geysers of water from his hands, which can vary in size and strength. If he tries hard enough, he can even make it look like a water show.

• Submission:
  • Cedric surrenders himself to pure bliss, becoming overcome by Ashlesh and is given massive power, having increased strength, agility, jumping power, and control over any source of water. He is coated in a watery veil and gains seven pairs of arms. During this state he can feel nothing but happiness, and is incredibly boisterous and bloodthirsty. At this point it is almost impossible to get him to stop fighting an enemy, and he will actively seek them out. His earnestness can even drive him to the point of exhaustion.
• Weapons:
  • He doesn’t have much, except a length of rope with a firm sphere of wood at one end that he named Ted. With Ashlesh’s power however, it becomes Felicity, a whip-sword of sorts that can turn into one or the other when needed. He keeps it slung over his shoulder, usually.
• Personality:
  • Cedric is somewhat bookish, enjoying a good book on anything, so long as it interests him. Despite this, he has a chip on his shoulder and loves fighting a little too much. He can go from quietly reading a book to punching someone’s teeth out in seconds, and it’s why some people tend to avoid him. He does have a pretty friendly personality despite it, and is a nice person to those who are nice to him. He enjoys snacking, saying “busting heads works up an appetite!” He’s also pretty sarcastic and a bit of a joker.
• History: Cedric wasn’t exactly rich, wasn’t exactly poor, but he and his family got by, even when his dad ghosted him and his mother. In spite of this, they got on pretty well, good enough for his mother to send Cedric to a wealthy school, which is where the bullying started. Between being called “poor” and “bastard,” Cedric became increasingly hot-tempered, even when he turned to literature to calm him down. Eventually, he started getting into fights with other students, with injuries of varying degrees, becoming all the more ostracized for it.
  • Eventually, he began lashing out against school staff, socking the principal himself in the face when he tried to break up a fight. It was then that the fog surrounded him and whisked him away, but instead of meeting some horrible fate, he found himself under a lake, where a demon offered immense power and eternal joy if Cedric became his host. Better than dying, he thought, and Cedric readily accepted. He never liked what happened to the people who disappeared anyway, so it would be nice to sock the bastards in the face.
• ETC: His favorite meal of the day is breakfast, and he really enjoys cereal, waffles, and pancakes. He likes many foods in general.

Edited by J99908 on Apr 28th 2024 at 5:14:15 AM

All accepted.

Enjoy the scene