Sebastian the Ochre

From Egs Mayhem

Revision as of 15:44, 5 July 2008

Brief Description

Sebastian is my character for Swift Nebulons' Free-Form Fantasy RP. He is an old & powerful wizard, who likes to manipulate things for his own benefits. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, but prefers to operate either through gullible saps or his conjured Etherials.

Sebastian has recently has been recruited to serve as an agent of an Entity known as He Who Watches. This Entity has some issues with the EGS Defence Force. In return for service, Sebastian received a warning about an approaching army & two powerful new spells, that take up a whole book each. He communicates with He Who Watches with a magical scroll.

Physical Description

Sebastian is over a century old & looks it. Picture Herbert from Family Guy, but dressed in an ochre coloured robe, completely white eyes & an ebony walking stick instead of a Zimmer frame.

Personality

A bad tempered old man with power. He's a natural curmudgeon who is smarter than most people and isn't afraid to let other people know it. Also he is incredibly amoral & calculating, always looking out for himself.

However, he is wise & erudite. He can also be charming when he feels the need, though he would rarely lower himself to use false charm to get what he wants. Not when verbal bullying works so well. But, if he truly meant someone he could respect, then they would see a very different side of him.

Powers

Physically, he is a VERY old man. He is only alive due to magic. Also, his senses are similarly impaired, though again magic is used to compensate. As a result, he can't hear anything that doesn't come from a living source, has a very weak sense of touch, and no sense of smell or taste.

Magically is another matter. He uses a magic system very similar to El Goonish Shive & knows many spells. In fact, his spell selection is so great that he has multiple spell books. In addition, he knows many esoteric skills, techniques & secrets, plus has access to, and the ability to enchant, Items Of Power. Unfortunately, away from his home much of this is either invalid or inaccessible.

What he can do can be categorized into three groups.

• Spells: These are relatively quick effects that are powered by Sebastian's Spiritual Energy.
• Rituals: These take longer to perform and/or need material components or similar. Additionally, not all require the expenditure of spirit energy or even magical ability.
• Items: This is an item of power that Sebastian possesses.

The powers that he has demonstrated will be listed here. The list will grow.

Spells

• Astral Projection: Sebastian's equivalent of the fairy doll spell. The difference is Sebastian's mind exists purely in the Spiritual Plane while this spell is active. However, he can manifest an Illusionary Form to communicate with the physical world. Also, his body doesn't glow when the spell is active, nor can it remain standing, but it can sit.
• Battle Form: This spell shifts Sebastian into a form more suited for combat. The appearance is vaguely demonic, with ochre coloured scales, talons on the end of the fingers & toes, fangs, forward pointing horns & a spine-covered tail. In addition, this form grants increased strength & agility. However, one thing it can't do is reverse the ageing process. This fact, coupled with its high cost to cast, means it hasn't been used in some time.
• Illusion Mastery: This is Sebastian's first mastery, thus his greatest magically ability. However, he takes care not to overuse this & definitively doesn't advertise, letting everyone believe that telekinesis is his focus. There is really no limit to what Sebastian's Illusions can do. They can even act on their own if imbued with an aspect of his personality. However, there are restrictions. All Illusions must remain within Sebastian's sensory range, though this can be extended magically. Also, as the Illusions are phantasms formed from bent light, any physical contact will dispel them. Finally, Sebastian can't make himself invisible with this spell.
• Inventory: Despite his physical weakness, he can can carry many items, like a RPG Console Character. However, he can only carry something that he is physically capable of carrying.
• Portals: Though a spell, this incantation can only be used in conjunction with Scrying, ie, a portal can only be made to an area being scryed. The portal itself is either the reflective surface being used or, with double the cost in Spirit Energy, a magical projection from the surface that is a little bigger.
• Power Display: This isn't a spell per se, more a natural ability of all Magic Users. Sebastian can focus his Spiritual Energy, similar to Nanase with her Chi, which increases the amount he has readily available & puts on a impressive display. Think Gandalf from the LotR film when Bilbo accused him of being a thief, or Gladriel when she was offered the ring by Frodo.
• Sense Magic: This spell allows Sebastian to detect the presence of magic, determine its strength & analyse its nature. This spell has an impressive range & can either detect all around him or have its area focused to increase its range even more. The two analytical functions work by concentrating on the magical presence after its detected.
• Shift Single Physical Feature: Sebastian can change one of his physical traits, but only within normal human parameters. For example, hair, eyes & skin are all valid options, but growing wings or gills isn't. Also, gender shifts are too great a change for this spell, though he can make himself a few years younger. (Like it makes a difference at his age). Again, as Sebastian isn't a shapeshifter, any other change will overrides, not stack with, this spell.
• Telekinetic Mastery: Sebastian has a whole spell book devoted to what he can do with this. He has enough control to thread a needle & enough power to lift 1000 lbs without effort. He can also use this spell offensively, by throwing objects, grabbing and crushing, or by firing a beam of condensed force that has the speed & strength of a Barrett rifle. He can also send out a semi-circle of force, similar in effect to a 'Soul Fury' (tm) attack. Also, this is how Sebastian flies. It can also be used to passively reduce the impact of attacks & collisions, but not very efficiently. However, there is only so much this spell can do at once. For example, if Sebastian is both flying & restraining someone, then there will be less force to protect him.

Rituals

• Bind 'Golem' Etherial: Sebastian can summon & bind many Spirit Entities. This Ritual brings forth a powerful, yet lesser, spirit that has to inhabit a physical object/substance to effect the physical world. However, the resulting amalgam is quite strong & intelligent. Sebastian can only maintain one of these at a time & must remain in his Ritual Circle or risk losing control.
• Bind 'Lesser' Etherials: Sebastian can summon & bind many Spirit Entities. This ritual brings forth up to seven lesser spirits. These spirits are weak & not even sentient, but easy to summon & control. First special candles, one per spirit, must be prepared. Then, they must be lit within a Lunar Month to summon the spirit. The form of the spirit is determined at the preparation stage. Also, Sebastian must remain within his Ritual Circle to control them, otherwise they do nothing, but can see through there eyes while doing so. Unfortunately, they can never speak or make any other form of vocal sound.
• Blade Venom: Sebastian can temporarily imbue any bladed or piercing implement with the ability to excrete a magical toxin. This toxin has the following effects: against shapeshifters it acts like Lespuko Venom; against Magic Users it hampers their magical abilities; & against spiritual/magical creatures it acts as a painful neurotoxin. If the victim falls under multiple categories then the effects stack. The enchantment lasts up to a day, but the toxin can be removed from someone's system before that by the usual methods.
• Channel Pouriston: One of the spell books given to Sebastian by He Who Watches. Pouriston is a malignant Entity with an affinity for Fire, Rage, and Pain. However, it is NOT demonic. It is also highly intelligent, and very powerful. This dangerous & complex spell allows Pouriston to enter the the present reality, but under conditions. Most of the casting time is stating these conditions. However, it in no way compels Pouriston to accept the invitation. Alternatively, the spell can be used to safely communicate with Pouriston without allowing it access to reality. However, it does not compel truth in any way. Using this spell requires no spirit energy, regardless of form.
• Commune with Beasts: This Ritual allows Sebastian to talk with any warm blooded natural animal. However, he has no command over them.
• Elemental Resistance: Sebastian can, with a lengthy & expensive ritual, enchant his body to protect him from one source of harm. This can be anything except physical attacks or something like magic, which is too generic. However, it could be fire, lightning, etc. To do so requires a representation of the source to be guarded against. The protection lasts up to a day & Sebastian can only have one active at a time.
• Greater Shapeshifting: Sebastian can, with a lengthy & expensive ritual, transform himself into an animal, an anthro animal, change his gender, change his appearance, or some combination. However, each specific form must be researched individually, which takes about as long as it does to manually code a new form for a CMD from scratch. Also, in addition to generic expensive components, which equal the cost of a CMD per shot, samples that connect to the form desired must be attained. These too are expended with the casting. The Forms last up to a month, but can be dismissed at any point. Finally, Sebastian is limited by the fact he isn't a natural shapeshifter in what is possible with this Ritual.
• Regenerative Trance: By entering a meditative state, similar to the one used to increase the recovery of Spiritual Power, Sebastian can speed up his bodies naturally healing by a factor of 3. This is normally done within a Ward or similar, but that is required. In addition, this method prevents the formation of scars & similar.
• Scrying: This ritual requires a specially prepared reflective surface. Currently, Sebastian is using an Orichalcum backed hand mirror. Also, the accuracy of this magic is very low & requires a great deal of time & concentration to enact & maintain, unless some form of link is established to the location first. Otherwise, Sebastian can choose a direction & distance to look in & hope what he wants is there.
• Summon Assistant: One of the spell books given to Sebastian by He Who Watches. This complex spell allows him to mystically search the Realms of Mayhem for people that are likely to agree to work for the caster, & then bargain with there subconscious. It also allows the caster to bring them to him, after they have agreed, at which point they become aware of the terms of agreement. The spell can also return them, if necessary. This spell requires large amounts of spiritual energy, and is draining in other ways, too.
• Wards: He can inscribe mystical circles for various purposes. Some of these require energy, others don't, depending on the effect desired. None of these wards can effect something that is purely physical.

Items Of Power

• Bands of Dominion: Sebastian possesses three of these jewel studded platinum headbands. See the Circlet of Mastery for their effect & their history.
• Circlet of Mastery: This is a simple copper headband. When worn, the user can telepathically control or influence any wearer of a Band of Dominion. This involves mastery them in a battle of wills. Also, if complete control is assured, the user can even use the vessels perceptions & similar. However, these psychic battles can be detrimental to the mental health of either participant. Both types of Circlets were created by an enemy Wizard defeated by Sebastian's order. Sebastian claimed the Circlets as his prize.
• Ebony Walking Stick: His Wizard's Staff. A focus of his power. It can do many things. One of the powers it possesses is full invisibility. Any form of detection that involves something interacting with him, such as normal sight, ultrasound, ect, doesn't work. However, it doesn't mask Sebastian's natural sounds, smell, etc, so he can still be detected that way.
• Eye Charms: These hand sized disks, made out of semi precious metals & gems, are completely featureless on one side & possess a eye design on the other. They act as locator beacons for Sebastian's Scrying & don't need to have the eyes side facing the target, though that does make it easier. However, they have to be completely undamaged & can't be buried. Finally, Sebastian is capable of crafting & enchanting these himself.
• Robe of Eternus Weavings: Sebastian's robe is made from a special material. This material is completely indestructible against anything non-magical. However, it otherwise functions as cloth in all ways.
• Shifter's Wand: This green wooden wand, crafted by a colleague of Sebastian back on his own world, allows Sebastian shapeshifting magics to be used as a beam. Everything else about the invocations remains the same.
• The Monocle of Masterful Visions: A creation of Sebastian's long dead mentor, handed down to the pupil one many years ago. When worn, it allows the wearer to use one of the following: to see magic; to see in the dark; telescopic vision; or close-up magnification. The user changes functions via thought.

Mary Sue Rating

34:

30+ Fanfiction authors beware - Mary's on the loose. There's still a chance you can save this character with some TLC, though. Role-players and original fiction characters, you should also strongly consider giving your character a work over.