Draco Laskarsis
GOD IS DEAD, AND I HAVE KILLED HIM.
I KILLED WITH THE THINGS THEY GAVE TO US BUT LACKED THE POWER TO GROW.I KILLED HER WITH CULTURE HARNESSED INTO A MIRACLE: INTO MAGIC.
CLAIM YOURSELF THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE ALL YOU WISH, IT IS WE WHO TURN THE WHEEL OF A TRILLION HEARTS. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MANY DOMAINS YOU RULE OVER, WE ARE THE CREATORS WHO GIVE REALITY SIGNIFICANCE, AND THUS POWER.LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION OF LOVE! ALL HAIL THE ERA OF THE MORTAL!
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A Primer, for the UnenlightenedThe context provided is fundamental to Draco, Banafsaj, and all of the other members of the Ninth Tail. The Great Revolution of Love may be ancient history, but it defines how and why they choose to exist in every moment.
It has been millennia since Black Moon spoke these words after she pulled an obsidian revolver from her chest and pulled the trigger, marking the beginning of the overthrowing of the gods and the Great Revolution of Love. That time has long passed. All hail the New Era. The mortal understanding of magic has reached a revolutionary pinnacle. Now interpreted as the dormant power residing within the twofold mortal elements of their understanding of the world on a logical level (science) and emotional level (art and culture) and studied on a universal level, mortal society has found the strength to overthrow the deities that once ruled over them. Fireballs and telekinesis are no longer derived from arcane incantations, but synthesized emotions, understandings of identity, phrases rooted in the languages of past and present, and choreographed movements like dances.
In the wake of the revolution, the Union was founded, a loose coalition of thousands of dimensions in the greater multiverse united through a singular purpose: provide people with the power to pursue happiness and purpose through magical enlightenment. Of course there was conflict, there was strife. Suffering is just a constant of mortal existence, but through the Union progress was made at rates never seen before. In a sea of countless universes, it shone like a glass shard amidst a beach at the shore of an infinite ocean. That was, until the fragments were discovered. It was like the gods still hated them. Like they had one last contrived moral dilemma conveniently shaped into a magical macguffin just to spite the freed.
After the revolution, expeditionary parties noticed one unusual constant across the dimensions. White fragments that flickered and danced manifested in truly random places by chance. Each held the same magical signature, the same physical form, and the same inertness if unrefined. But through trial and error, these anomalies in the fabric of reality were discovered to be refinable into something wearable, conveniently fit on the head of most humanoid mortals. Crowns for royalty, crowns that when worn, gave their bearer a supernatural level of wisdom, intellect, and charisma impossible to replicate through any magic or divine intervention. Beacons of truth in a time filled with so much hope yet still plagued with uncertain direction.
Was this the next step for civilization like magic? This time, the response was not universal.
And so mortal society found itself in a universal war not with gods, but with themselves.
There are two key factions in the Transcients' War. The Stalwarts, whose multidimensional fighting force is managed by PARMA (also known as the Needle), look to recover and safeguard all fragments and prevent such an arrogant ascension to a power that so little is known about. The Crowns are just a way to reverse the flow of the Great Revolution of Love and return the world to one of gods and non-gods. The Heralds, whose multidimensional fighting force is managed by PARMA (also known as the Needle), seek to use all available fragments to lead mortal society another step away from suffering. We fear progress naturally, and that just perpetuates our struggle. Mortal society must learn to embrace these new things to work towards a reclamation of purpose in the face of painful absurdity.
This is not a war fought merely in the inner and middle rings of the Union's incorporated dimensions, but far outside of it as well. Specially conditioned soldiers blessed with the very specific combination of psychological traits needed to easily navigate dimensions without the titanic infrastructure of portals hunt down fragments and each other far, far from home.
Hence why we find a group of twenty-four soldiers lost somewhere unfamiliar...
After a successful incursion on the God-Eater's Crossroads to retrieve a fragment due to failed negotiations, twenty-four soldiers found themselves captured and placed under an unusual contract. Despite their transgressions against her lands, the nine-tailed goddess decided to be merciful and offer them a deal as a result of either her sheer boredom or massive capacity for kindness (possibly both). In exchange for never leaving the confines of her dimension (and the ones surrounding it, which are conveniently quite a few) without express permission, and thus never returning to the war until the God-Eater felt like it, they would be allowed to live and continue to make their military expertise useful as a special division who would keep her Crossroads safe. Yes, she could technically just do the defending herself, but where's the fun and character development in that?
Tafari Ayelde, the unofficial leader of this group of soldiers shook on that deal rather begrudgingly. As the years passed and the promise of escape seemed increasingly unlikely, the soldiers began to focus on continuing the mission of the Union in their new environment. More funding and recruits came in to bolster their forces. They began to conduct humanitarian aid missions to assist magical communities in crisis. Subdivisions were created for the express purpose of educating the residents of the Crossroads in new magic (exactly why the God-Eater allowed this sort of magic that directly challenged her rule is still not well understood). The war somehow became a distant memory. Five years later, it was almost like a new Union had emerged leagues away from its origin. A little seed slowly grows, thrusting its branches into adjacent worlds.
Even with an infinitesimal fraction of the power of the original Union and relatively small influence when put up against monolithic organizations like TITAN and the Crossroads, their mission is the same as it ever was and has been: enlighten the uneducated and protect the practice of magic wherever they can. And find funding, of course.
The Bifrost Terminal, slowly waking from its slumber, is another opportunity to extend that will. |
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One of the original twenty-four capture soldiers of the Crossroads incursion and founding members of the Ninth Tail, Draco Laskaris is the former Director of Magic of the Ninth Tail and current Director of Expeditionary Actions. A genius when it comes to the utilization of magic with a wide variety of skills, specializing in countermagics, the occult, and spiritual communion as a result of being the mother (not in a metaphorical sense, yes he was pregnant, it is rather complicated) of his bound daemon and daughter, Leviathan.
Although he initially passed up Cain's invite to the terminal, new reports on a supermassive magical pulse resonating from the peak of Mount Pathena suddenly shifted this issue from a footnote in a board meeting to one of the most critical opportunities for the Ninth Tail's intervention.
But the storms are kicking in, and Draco finds himself forced to take the trek on foot along with an expeditionary team. It works, but it's a slow option that may not get him to the terminal in time to see it through.
Draco is getting nervous. Whatever is going on at the terminal is powerful, and thus dangerous if left unchecked and unregulated. There are eight groups of people remaining at the top of that mountain, with their own agendas and morals. An alternative route must be found as soon as possible. The teleporter is fixable, but not without a week's worth of undivided focus. It could be bypassed, but how? There might be some sort of path through the storm as well. That doesn't seem any more likely than the teleporter either.
By the time that happens a travesty could have already occurred that would doom the population to an abusive use of power, a sort of crime he is intimately familiar with. Control of the situation has been cast to the hands of fate, not his own. Not something that will settle easily with him. But all he can do is continue to climb.
Table of ContentsBackstorySee A Primer for the Unenlightened for context.
Documents are classified to avoid defamation of this individual. Concerning yourself extensively with this individual's background is subject to punishment. |
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Personality
Honest and Humble - Analytical and Creative - Altruistic and Caring - Cautious and Shy - Reserved and Kind-Hearted // Participative Leadership
With a straight spine, slighted smile, and hands folded below his waist, Draco puts forth the image of a composed and almost servant-like figure when met face-to-face. His words are sparse, subtle, yet honest. They are primarily to provide insight and commentary though, so others may have the necessary information to take the lead. Such mannerisms extend beyond just social situations though. Draco is known, almost notorious among his fellow soldiers for never being sure of any possible statements he puts forth (even if he is the most educated on a topic in a room).
Underneath that demure face lies an intellect of unparalleled caliber. Draco is the former head of magical affairs in the Crossroad’s “Ninth Tail” special division and an Archmaster of Magic in the Needle's military for a reason. His unique combination of high logic, empathy, and creativity allow him to navigate the intricacies of a social situation as easily as a game of chess. Draco's strategy is not cold. It solidifies and flows with the situation, adapting based on all sorts of factors both environmental and personal. It functions in all areas as life, as long as he has the time to think things through thoroughly before proceeding with a plan. That lends him a remarkable edge in the more clerical side of magic that involves research, analysis, and the crafting of spells. Still, such power has limits.
The psyche of Draco is powerful; it is not strong. When put up against stressful factors it falls totally flat. Draco needs control over a ton of factors in order to operate at peak efficiency. Take that comfort of control away and you'll find this genius reduced to a babbling, panicking mess who needs to be dragged around by allies. Speaking of allies, if you asked the Ninth Tail for descriptions of Draco, the first couple of words would sound something like "genius," "mastermind," and "invaluable," and the third would be "spineless,” or "quiet.” Draco's lack of confidence is almost comical, he can never seem to stand up to himself. Assertion is an uncomfortable waste of energy. Harmony is more worth pursuing. As a result, most arguments for him just end in some sort of compromise or defeat.
Appearance
✦ Physical
Body and Face
Thanks to advanced cybernetics, Draco and the rest of the Union soldiers are able to present themselves in any physical manner they deem fit. To begin with Draco and his face, it is colored olive-tan, with features that come off as soft, sullen, and androgynous.
Body Language
✦ Armor
Visuals
Due to the circumstances of deployment, Draco will never be seen without his armor. This is a high-intensity and rather short deployment that demands combat readiness at all times.
Although the Ninth Tail are not strictly a part of the Needle, they still model all of their equipment off of them: the first and foremost of which being their armor. Draco dons a set of Lightweight Personal Infantry Armor (Light PIA), a rendition of plate mail fused with modern sensibilities and technologies. It consists of a series of intricately interlocked heavy alloy sheets joined together at the joints with a metal chainmail-like fabric. Glowing violet highlights pulse all around the most important areas of armor, taking various forms of geometric patterns, stripes, or occult runes depending on the area.
Most notable is the faceplate of all members of the Ninth Tail. Instead of a traditional helmet, a flexible, heavy hood made of alloy scales is donned alongside a circular faceplate inscribed with the symbol of the Ninth Tail in violet highlights: a lotus flower. This appearance is topped off with a "battle skirt" made of a tough violet fabric suitable for getting torn up in combat (see Bronze and Knight of Santiago from Infinity N5 for reference).
Tone
Draco's armor creates a quiet sort of imposing force upon those around him, even with his demure posture. It is easy to be unnerved by this seemingly unholy fusion of technology and magic, old and new warfare philosophies, into one gunmetal-colored shell with not a single inch of visible skin where the only splotches of color are in the form of cryptic runes painted violet. It is not built to be pleasing to the eye, nor to be "edgy" but built instead to represent the best of mortal civilization's capacity for violence in times of need.
✦ Drawing Guide
✦ Visual Inspirations and Touchstones
Power Armor - Infinity N5
Leviathan and the Abyss
✦ The Black Ocean - Draco's Source of Magic
Draco derives his magic from the Abyss, a physical domain contained inside of his mind ruled over Leviathan that represents the untamed flow of raw, typically negative and contemptful, emotions. Compared to other sources of magic, it is extremely potent and specialized in psychological afflictions, but produces an intense psychologically damaging feedback when used even at mild levels. Power at a cost.
Extended Information
תהום, Abyssus, ἄβυσσος, Tehom, Tiamat. The Abyss goes by many names, and has a myriad of interpretations, but to Traxa, it is the sea that represents the untamed flow of raw, corrosive emotions. Chaos incarnate. Its byproduct is nothing but vitriol. A primordial sort of lake from which the world is protected from. Any entity who enters it, excluding Draco and Leviathan, will be made miserable as discordant thoughts of self-hate enter the mind.
The Abyss is a physical domain that can be accessed by other entities, but is otherwise confined to Draco’s mind excluding a greater domain expansion*. By communing with the Abyss and embracing it, Draco receives the fundamental energies needed to construct all of his spells. This has led to Draco's spells tending to orient around some type of psychological debilitation. Compared to other sources of magic such as natural elements, machinery, or the human concept of violence, the Abyss is notable for its extreme power counterbalanced by high risk when utilized.
All magicians experience some sort of psychological stress just by using their abilities, but Abyssal communion is notable for the extreme degree to which it harms Draco's psyche in exchange for the immense power and flexibility it provides. Even moderate usage can lead to various psychological afflictions. The only thing keeping him from quite literally losing his mind is an incredible aptitude for the emotional and logical aspects of magic (high empathy and intellect). Every spell is perfectly engineered to maximize power and minimize risk.
But Draco is not the only one who asserts control over this domain. There is a hateful beast inside of it, and the titular daughter to which Draco receives her titles of "mother" and "queen."
*Greater domain expansions are an exceptionally powerful but crippling technique available to most experienced magicians where the superego is released into realspace, altering the parameters of reality according to the user's will. Reserved exclusively as a "last-ditch effort" maneuver. More information coming soon(?)
✦ The Beast - Leviathan, Daughter of the Abyss Queen
Demon princess of envy, herald of gloom, and the demon that Draco himself gave birth to after being impregnated by the Abyss, Leviathan is the primary ruling body of the Abyss. It is a snake hundreds of kilometers long, and dozens of meters in diameter, whose size is so titanic it would rival that of the greatest skyscrapers. She roams the Abyss freely, feasting on the few prey that end up in its waters.
Leviathan is not an unintelligent beast though. She is very much a sentient, intelligent, semi-mortal entity frustrated with her restriction to this domain and longing for a release into realspace. Leviathan is able to communicate with Draco, and does so frequently. She is highly critical of anything her mother does, and expects nothing less than excellence from Draco. Judgement for judgement's sake is her agenda. Leviathan does not do this out of virtue, but sadism. In order to be freed from her domain, she needs to torment Draco so much that he breaks down and gives up. If his mind cracks, the Abyss will pour out and set her free.
Leviathan and the Abyss are inherently linked to one another. They cannot exist without the other, and their relationship is what actually grants the Abyss power, and thus Draco his magic.
✦ The Risk - Madness and Chaos
Draco's magic is simply more powerful on a per-mana basis than even his fellow soldiers, magical adepts trained for decades in all sorts of violent magic. It is oppressive and esoteric as it is versatile. There is an important cost to this power however. Because Draco draws upon the Abyss for his magic, any usage beyond a mild level will cause the same mental afflictions he weaponizes to be cast upon himself.
Extended Information
In moment-to-moment combat scenarios, this manifests as a loathing of the self and world which alters Draco's perception. Initial effects include impaired judgement, focus, and perception. Hostiles may appear closer or farther than they should be for optimal shooting. Bright explosions might temporarily overload his senses and leave Draco momentarily stunned. Eventually, this can advance to massive sensory overload and hallucinations that force Draco's combat to rely on a vague impression of what is going on and where his targets are.
In daily life, the constant presence of Leviathan's pessimism and the general unsettling aura the Abyss produces leaves Draco in a constant battle to retain self-control. This has led to the development of major mood disorders over time that constantly weigh on Draco's mind. Mundane actions can feel overstimulating, experiencing genuine joy is a rarity, and any absence of control over the present situation Is an opportunity for Leviathan's biting remarks to sting hard. Draco remains an optimist despite it all. Yes, he can appear sluggish on the surface, but every action he takes is influenced by a genuine desire to care for others and uphold his values.
Union Soldier Standards
✦ Anomalous Brain Patterns
Draco has an innate and fast but rather limited form of interdimensional transportation as a result of a unique psychological pattern. This is what actually allows him to operate beyond the far beyond the scope of the Union, since long-range interdimensional transportation is an extremely expensive and time-consuming public works project.
Full Information
Context
Normally, multidimensional travel for the military is impractical because the act of setting up a gate between two “adjacent” dimensions to allow for transportation en masse is a gigantic public works project that takes an incredible amount of resources, time, and still leaves the actual process of transition taking twenty-four hours on average. In other words, travelling far beyond the reaches of mortal society to far-away dimensions is a logistical impossibility. At least, normally.
Certain individuals with specific brain patterns are able to transit throughout the multiverse through use of magic. They are known as “anomalies,” and compose the entirety of PARMA and Gibraltar’s fighting forces as they are the only individuals who can actually operate far beyond mortal society. Despite the nomenclature, they are no different than any other individual in any other capacity. They are not "special," just lucky. Draco is one of these anomalies.
Impact
Draco can freely transit between adjacent dimensions through use of magic. This is not an instant process. Transit only creates a portal to a "waiting room” that exists outside dimensions to wait in as the other dimension "loads". In addition, only a certain amount of mass and volume of additional objects can be brought along, with higher amounts of volume and mass requiring longer transits.
✦ Biomechamagical (BMM) Synthetic Enhancements
Through a combination of passive magic flow, bioengineering, and cybernetics, the soldiers of PARMA and Gibraltar have received heavy enhancements to their bodies. Their physical capabilities are semi-superhuman, they do not have the same bodily requirements as most mortals, and have their critical memories inaccessible to telepaths. This is not a unique process and standard for any infantry who belongs to any military in the Union.
Full Information
Physical and Psychological Enhancements
All aspects of Draco’s physique, from his strength to his agility, have been enhanced. He has attained semi-superhuman (not fully) physical prowess that allows him to match but not necessarily exceed many fighters of the dimensions he visits. This is notably not a result of the cybernetics by default, but their high receptiveness to a passive internal magic flow that actually grants Draco his power.
Psychological enhancements do not necessarily give any soldier “super smarts,” but rather help to prevent soldiers from freaking out and make them focus in the heat of combat/stress of war along. They are not by any means immune to a psychological breakdown during combat, just very well-adjusted.
This notably does not enhance Draco's constitution. Soldiers are reliant on heavy armor and other defensive measures to remain alive. Even light attacks that manage to pierce a soldier's defensive measures will either severely injure them or result in instant incapacitation.
Self-Sustaining Survival Systems
Draco lacks many critical organs such as a digestive system and complete circulatory network. This allows soldiers such as Draco to perform normally without food, sleep, and other requirements for living. Still, practices such as eating and resting are necessary to prevent psychological dissonance.
Usually this means at least one "slow" meal a day, ideally in a social environment, and around 2-4 hours of sleep minimum. Going without these routines is possible but not advised for long periods of time.
Memory Wards
To prevent classified information from suddenly being leaked through telepathy, all soldiers have wards applied to the psyche that prevent access to memory without major hijacking of the mind. Reading current thoughts is still possible, but the memories they reference are difficult to read.
✦ Fundamental Magics
Preferred Mediums
Draco tends to cast his magic through spoken phrases/language/poetry and talismans and seals, but can utilize any medium to cast magic. Mediums are not strictly necessary for casting spells, they just allow a spell to be maximally effective.
Extended Information
Draco can cast magic through any medium and uses multiple mediums to enhance magic (such as hand motions made while using a trigger phrase for a spell), but prefers the following mediums. Spells do not have to be cast using a medium (it would get exhausting using trigger phrases for every kinetic dash you made in combat), but reach maximum effectiveness if done in this way.
Preferred Mediums:
- Phrases, Language, and Poetry - Short, spoken phrases. Particularly prefers esoteric dialects. May manifest as a cognitohazard that sounds like static due to the occult nature of Draco's studies. Spells cast through phrases are usually more "bursty" focusing on potent, singular, purposeful casts rather than the chaining of smaller moves in succession to combo. Otherwise a general-purpose medium. Maximum functionality if user is audible to targets.
- Talismans and Seals - Charms, both pre-prepared physical and magically manifested, used to produce a specific effect restricted to an area or individual. Generally potent but needs to be preemptively set up or utilized through a delivery method such as a grenade, throwing knife, etc.
General Magic
Draco is a magician. He can do magic, emits a magic aura, can use magical devices, and comes will all the caveats any magician would.
Extended Information
Educated in most basic forms of magic, he has access to a broad array of universal "civilian" spells most magicians would know like creating a small personal light, moving objects without touching them, locking entrances with a magical passcode, and more.
Due to how synthetic magic works, Draco can technically cast any spell in existence with enough touchstones and points of power to work with. That does not mean the spell will be effective, potent, fast, mana-efficient, or even safe. Spell imitation is situational and rarely used by competent magicians.
General Countermagics
Because Draco can perform basic magic, he can also perform basic countermagical techniques. Countermagics is a more abstract field of magic compared to the actual casting of spells, as it requires a fundamental understanding of how magic works.
Full Explanation
By understanding the composition of a spell, one can produce a highly focused and seemingly useless magical effect that will disrupt the spell. How countermagics function is as varied as how traditional magic functions. It can include invoking something anathema to the spell or its caster, overloading the spell's composition with energy to break it apart, or using a specific phrase.
Just make sure to remember the fundamental rule of countermagics: it is inherently more difficult to counter a spell than it is to cast it. You cannot win a duel by countering every spell the opponent casts.
Draco knows general countermagics like any magician, but is specialized in an advanced form of them. Read more below
Infusion
Magic is not a series of spells, it is a blanket of threads interwoven to produce the desired effect. Draco can infuse any type of magic and certain spells into his equipment at the cost of a little extra complexity and/or magical stamina. He can also fuse multiple schools of magic together, like coating a kinetic tension projectile in Abyssal waters for additional effects or a grenade with a counterspell.
Magical Sensing: Masterful
All magicians have some degree of magical sense, allowing them to detect and discern different types of magic around them. Draco's high proficiency in magic leads to an incredibly powerful magical sense that works at long distance and can easily discern the specific types of magic something or someone is emitting. This does not allow them to cheat magical concealment/illusions however.
Extended Information
This technique does not work on invisible enemies, allow magicians to see through illusions, or counteract concealment techniques unless heavily enhanced and utilized in a very specific manner such as scrying and illusion breaking. Competent magicians will keep their aura suppressed if they are sneaking around anyways, so he usually cannot detect magicians through that means either. Put simply, magical sense is used to discern potency and types of magic, not cheat magical concealment/confusion techniques. It plays an important role in countermagics as a result.
✦ Specializations: Universal
Military-Grade Kinetics and Tension
A fundamental discipline of all soldiers who practice magic centered around the manipulation of kinetic force-internal and external. Allows Draco to further enhance physical capabilities to dash, jump in midair, skate across the ground, and "active" his swords and guns.
Full Information
Context
Virtually all soldiers of the Union, including Draco, are taught in kinetics due to their foundational nature in learning magic and universal applicability in all areas of combat. Kinetics is a simple field of magic that concerns itself with the manipulation of kinetic force and creation of objects that are composed entire of "tension" fields which produce a constant minor outward pulse.
Impact
Kinetics can be directed inwards to enhance the physical force the body or equipment produces, or outwards to create "tension" objects and blasts of raw force. The techniques of this field are used in a variety of situations. They are most useful for performing movement techniques such as massive leaps or dashes, defensive techniques such as parrying an incoming blow with a temporary barrier of force, backup offense through needles of force, or utility in a pinch like pulling an unreachable object towards yourself.
Key Techniques
- Skate/Powerslide - Creation of tension fields around the lower body to eliminate friction and literally skate across the ground or drop into a massively fast slide. Used to reach high speeds and travel long distances, but runs the risk of reducing stability when active. See: Armored Core for reference.
- Movement Burst - Sudden imbuement of concentrated kinetic force in one direction to make a quick "dash." Can also be used to "double jump" if in midair.
- Strike Enhancement - All of Draco's offensive equipment is reliant on the use of kinetics to empower the strikes with additional magical and physical force. Can work with unarmed strikes such as kicks as well.
- Any other techniques that Kinetics could replicate not listed here are usually more effective if derived through another magical field.
✦ Specializations: Unique
Military-Grade Countermagics: Advanced, Occult
All soldiers need to know some form of countermagics to fight effectively, but Draco is a specialist in that field. Extensive training in understanding the general patterns that encompass most basic forms of magic along with a high aptitude for analyzing spells in the thick of combat makes Draco's aptitude for countermagics beyond most common soldiers and a key tactic for him rather than a situational fallback to deal with particularly debilitating magics.
Extended Information
Draco frequently fuses his Abyssal magic due to its natural aptitude for psychological damage into his countermagic for maximum effectiveness.
Draco's application of countermagics follows an occult theme, and utilizes his primary magical mediums of phrases/poetry and seals/talismans. This gives Draco a relatively flexible and somewhat defensive leaning approach to countermagics. Phrases and poetry work at virtually any distance, while seal and talismans are better for creating countermagical zones or dispelling a potent and persistent stationary effect.
Key Techniques
Disruption/Nullification - The most traditional form of countermagic. Either weakens or outright denies the spell via medium of choice, like a riposte or block.
Counter Field - Utilization of talismans and wards inscribed into the environment to weaken or outright deny certain types of spells within a designed area around the inscription. Can also force harmful effects to take place when certain spells are cast.
Detonate - Causes the magic to violently explode in an early and unwanted fashion, harming the user of that magic. Not restricted to spells, as it can work on items like alchemical vials or magical ammunition. More difficult to cast, and particularly effective on destructive magic or "payload" magic (where some sort of effect is locked inside of a payload like a concentrated fireball).
Leak/Mana Bleed - Causes the target to needlessly burn or "bleed" magical stamina over time while disrupting their casting capabilities. Often imbued into an offensive strike, as the potency of the strike directly influences how severe the leak is.
Reflection - Notably difficult technique that completely reverses the effects of a spell on its user such as redirecting a projectile back at the caster. Can also work for helpful spells by "stealing them", causing the spell to affect Draco instead of the intended user. Usually requires some sort of sizable advantage or knowledge of the cast spell to work.
Military-Grade Hydromancy: Advanced
The foundation upon which Draco's ability to manipulate the Abyss rests, Hydromancy is one of the most straightforward specializations of magic as one centered entirely on the creation and manipulation of a naturally occurring element. Draco can create large amounts of water at will, manipulate its shape, and its form (fog, ice, and even water-adjacent substances such as sludge).
If you have ever seen Avatar: The Last Airbender, you know exactly how this magic works (except without all the martial-arts-inspired maneuvers).
Draco does not necessarily use Hydromancy raw, so much as he has it as a foundation to control the Abyssal Waters.
Extended Information
Like most elemental disciplines, water is a flexible and highly physical magical specialization that has applications for both personal and team defense, offense at multiple distances, crowd control, and forced movement. Water tends to lack the sheer power that elements such as lightning, metal, and fire can strike with, nor the speed of wind.
Water's main strength comes from its nature as a fluid, allowing the user to change the shape of the water they wield rapidly. Water's alternate forms such as ice, fog, and sludge are also much more expansive than the alternate forms of other elements. This culminates in a fighting style that emphasizes extreme physical adaptability.
Abyssal Communion: The Waters
One of the most straightforward ways to make use of the Abyss is simply to manifest its waters into realspace and then wield them as an enhanced form of hydromancy. Abyssal communion to utilize its black waters is effectively an enhanced form of basic hydromancy that infuses all of the standard maneuvers with the psychologically debilitating effects of the Abyss. The vitriol of the Abyss also grants this water another alternate form: that of a potent, armor-piercing acid.
Extended Information
Like with hydromancy, Abyssal communion is an adaptable specialization of magic applicable in a variety of scenarios that emphasizes flexibility over raw power. The introduction of the Abyss' unique effects provides the once solely physical effects with new psychological ones. Abyssal waters provide offense, control, and defense on both the mental and physical fronts.
Key Techniques
Cutter Beam - A concentrated beam of Abyssal acid. The extreme pressure combined with the corrosive effects and mental debilitations makes this an incredibly powerful all-purpose option for offense, as long as Draco can sustain the effect. This is not a single projectile, it is a sustained attack that requires a window of opportunity.
Fog Clouds - The fog clouds of hydromancy are a highly versatile option for closing distances, keeping someone at range, maneuvering safely, or maintaining a concealed position. Abyssal Waters only improve these effects, allowing the fog clouds to shut down traditional means of countering them like thermal sights, while imposing mental afflictions on those who move through the cloud. Can be cast as a burst on Draco's, or send out as a concentrated project, kind of like a smoke grenade.
Sinkholes - Puddles of black Abyssal sludge with a seemingly infinite amount of depth. Those who get stuck in the puddles will find themselves heavily slowed by the sludge and beginning to sink into the earth as their mind is assaulted by thoughts of sloth. Sinkholes serve as an excellent way to restrict the movement of hostiles and set up for powerful attacks by immobilizing foes.
Black Ice Wall - A unique ice manifestation utilizing the Abyss' potential as a cognitohazard. Creates a massive, durable wall of ice that chills anyone nearby it. Hostiles who attempt to look at the wall will feel themselves overcome with an immense sense of dread and apathy. Allows Draco to project the effects of the Abyss without having targets make contact with the waters.
Abyssal Communion: Concentrated Vitriol
Draco does not have to manifest the waters of the Abyss to afflict others with its psychological debilitations. He can concentrate this effect and imbue it into talismans, his words, or the environment. When concentrated in such a fashion, the negative emotions that are produced can be potent enough to act as a pseudo-cognitohazard, forcing hostiles to avert their gaze or hearing from the revulsion.
Key Techniques
Creeping Death - An incredible sense of dread delivered through the medium of a light, rolling fog. Not enough to effectively obscure vision, but merely the carrier for that debilitating feeling.
Cognitohazardous Seal - A common and beloved technique among the more psychic disciplines, utilized by filling a talisman, seal, or similar delivery mechanism with some form of hostile information. Hostiles who bear witness for more than a fleeting moment to it take a mixture of immediate physical and psychological damage that can briefly stun them and leave them open to attack.
Transfer of Ire - A somewhat lengthy and difficult technique to utilize, Transfer of Ire turns something in the environment into the target of the hatred from anyone the caster chooses. Can be used to distract hostiles, cause infighting, and sometimes to bolster allies to continue fighting in an emergency.
Abyssal Communion: Draco's Grandchildren, Daemon-Binding
Through an advanced summoning technique, Draco can temporarily remove the children of Leviathan known as The Weights from the Abyss and bind them to people in real space. These children are Daemons, guiding spirits that exist purely to the mind of the user, with no physical presence, just a magical one. The Weights each have their own personality and irrational desires, and will push those that they are bound to to follow those desires.
This is a rather costly technique for Draco to use, but undoubtedly powerful when properly applied.
Extended Information.
Daemons are an unconventional variation on the more traditional summoning disciplines. Daemons are guiding spirits that can be benevolent, neutral, or malicious, who exist purely in relation to the mind of the target. They have absolutely no physical presence in any plane of the dimension they are summoned in and are only detectable by how they alter the magical aura of the minds they are connected to. Depending on the manifestation, they can have a visual appearance such as a spirit floating above the target's head, but will only appear to the user and target. Their effects are comparable to a "shoulder devil" or "shoulder angel," influencing the target they are bound to with some sort of psychological urge. The Weights are not sentient, but do have unique, often manic and sadistic personalities and take pleasure when their targets act in accordance with them. A weight will whisper to its target to act in a certain way or obey certain comments. Refusal to do so produces a painful but resistable psychological feedback.
Daemons' visual manifestations are always behind whoever they are manifested, so they are technically invisible unless seen through a mirror or similar device. The only way to eliminate them is either to intensely focus on the present moment and clear one's mind, perform a radical declaration of self-identity, or try to magically attack the daemon by aiming behind the back.
Some of his key children include...
Earth - Takes the form of the hermetic symbol for earth (🜃), made of jagged rusting beams with a form similar to a Penrose triangle. Barbed wire writhes across its body. It sees through bleeding, twitching eyes in the form of a ring around its body. Earth is cautious, lazy, and anxious. It urges its users not to act and to care for their self-preservation at all times. It urges its users to be grounded and avoid creative, nonlinear thinking.
Spiritual Affinity
More of an out-of-combat and utility skill than something to help win a fight, Draco's status as the mother of Leviathan has lent him the status as a mother of a spirit, and thus pushed him to study heavily in spiritual communion beyond the Abyss. Draco can easily sense, empathize with, comfort, and negotiate with the spirits that bring magic into the environment.
This has virtually no application in an immediate combat situation. Draco could call upon the spirits to aid him, but that usually needs to be in an act of desperation or as something done in advance of a fight.
✦ Arsenal - Principles of Wargear
Load Capacity
Load capacity is a measure of the amount of equipment a soldier can mount while still being able to fight at maximum effectiveness. This is a measure of both the soldier's physical strength to carry high-weight equipment, and psychological strength to tolerate the additional stress that specialized implants and equipment can cause.
Draco has a relatively low load capacity compared to most Union soldiers, limiting his ability to bring equipment.
Fusion-Capable
All equipment any soldier of the Union utilizes derives the majority of its power from the magical infusions of the user. infantry-grade rifles are only capable of punching holes through tank armor because soldiers are trained to funnel their own magic through equipment in a specific fashion for a devastating effect. This causes any damage equipment deals to be a hybrid of physical and magical as well.
Strike Confirm: The Reason Why Swords and Rifles Coexist
It may be unusual to see one of the most advanced militaries in the entire multiverse to equip their soldiers with spears and swords as much as they do traditional firearms. Thanks to the strike-confirm technique, melee weapons are able to easily surpass ranged when it comes to raw damage. Ranged is somewhat favored over melee combat by nature of its safety, but not strongly so.
Because the users of melee weapons are always in contact with the weapon when performing a strike, they can massively empower simple hits into powerful strikes by letting their magic flow freely from their body, through the body of the weapon, only to explode outwards from the point of impact (i.e. the edge of a sword or head of a hammer). Compare this to ranged weapons, which fire projectiles that by their nature, are never in contact with the user and thus cannot be strike-confirmed, weakening their effective damage output.
✦ Arsenal - Equipment List
Needle V.27 Light PIA - Lightweight Personal Infantry Armor
An all-purpose armor for standard infantry that provides adequate protection against all types of attacks (physical, psychological, magical) while maximizing the user's dexterity and minimizing equipment load. Results in users of this type of armor relying more on agility to preemptively dodge attacks and take aggressive angles rather than taking attacks outright. Takes the form of heavily modernized plate mail: heavy alloy sheets joined together with a chainmail-like fabric.
Extended Information
Composed of a mixture of heavy alloys, magical wards, and powered components. Defends against most attacks thoroughly, both magical and physical, while improving the raw speed of its user through powered components. Almost completely nullifies light attacks, resists moderate ones, and will shatter against heavy attacks. Striking at the chainmail joints is significantly more damaging, if you can somehow thread the needle to land a hit there.
Lightweight PIA is not so much a primary defense as it is an insurance against danger. Soldiers who don it are usually making heavy use of some combination of speed, the environment, kiting, or other defensive equipment to stay alive since the armor will usually falter against powerful blows.
Draco has repair kits to fix broken plates if necessary during downtime.
"Kelly" Model 3891 (Rubis MTech Co.) - Agile Battle Staff - Magical Focus
About Magical Foci:
Magical foci do not amplify all magic, but specifically help in improving the casting efficiency (not the potency!) of more "complex," spells. In essence, the more emphasis one places on their magical foci in combat, the more geared they are towards a "wizard" archetype rather than a "fighter" one. Draco's advanced level of the workings of magic and fast spell repertoire push him to lean into this style of combat. He'll usually swap to this weapon when he needs to focus on control through spells rather than strikes.
A thin, black metal rod inscribed with the same purple runes found across Draco's armor. Mounted at the rear end of the wand is a transparent sphere inside of which is contained a series of concentric spinning geometric figures. Slim and handles easily.
The "Kelly" is a battle-tested philosophy on casting in combat that remains relevant to all sorts of soldiers. Instead of focusing on raw casting efficiency, the Kelly's ergonomic and lightweight design allows for complex casting while remaining highly mobile at both moderate and close ranges. It places an emphasis on strength through positioning and casting speed. It enables casters traditionally relegated to longer engagement distances to take on new types of fights without being at a disadvantage.
Integrated Tail Cannon - Heavy Artillery Blaster - Magical Focus
Draco's tail may seem like just an aesthetic addition, with its most use in combat being as an extra limb to punch with. Underneath the metal scales however are vents that roar purple when the focus is activated. The pointed tip blooms open like a spiked flower to reveal the projection piece, writhed in violet energies.
As the previous notes on the Kelly suggested, Draco's tail cannon is the polar opposite of the Kelly. Within Draco's tail are a series of focusing conduits in the form of his metallic tail. The tip can open up to project incredibly potent and wide-area spells at a long distance, almost like an artillery platform. Unfortunately it lacks any semblance of agility, meaning high-finesse spells are near-impossible to cast with this focus.
HOYI Mk.VI, 7.62 Variant (Hou-Yi Arms) - Precision Assault Rifle - Ranged Firearm
A sturdily built assault rifle whose bulky yet stable physical construction easily communicate its purpose in combat: reliable precise damage at a variety of ranges and situations. Comes equipped with a variety of esoteric-looking mods that would make a military nerd blush, the most notable of which being a scope on the top that magically shifts between a short-range and sniper-like optic.
A well-rounded assault rifle firing a slightly slow but steady and highly precise stream of 7.62 caliber rounds, the HOYI Mk.VI 7.62 is key as an alternate form of offense for Draco. Draco plays the role of a caster and traditionally relies on his spells to inflict damage. When in need of high-impact, high-precision physical damage in bursts or sustained, he turns to this workhorse of a gun. Compared to most guns around Thraelos, it has terrifying piercing capabilities thanks to its magically reinforced advanced alloy bullet cores. You can think of these guns are more akin to an anti-materiel rifle in terms of raw firepower.
Gun Mods Include...
Chang'E Scope - A unique invention of Hou-Yi arms, the Chang'E scope magically adjusts its form from a short-range holographic optic all the way to a long-range sniper scope. Otherwise just a high-quality mundane optic.
Underbarrel Blaster - A low-capacity and somewhat situational attachment that is somewhere in between an undermounted shotgun and undermounted grenade launcher. Contains a few charges of a short-range, cone-shaped explosive charge. Applications are versatile, from self defense to surprise concussing targets.
On Union Rifle Designs, What Makes them Unique?
Union weapons are the product of tens of thousands of years of engineering from multiple dimensions fused together into a single product. Compared to a 21st century assault weapon, Union firearms distinguish themselves by a few factors. First is their truly remarkable reliability, able to function in any scenario. Random jamming, weathering, wear, and tear have virtually no effect on their performance. Sustained fire is almost perfectly accurate. Reloads are perfectly smooth. Errors are nowhere to be found. Second is their sheer penetrating power. Although the caliber of Union weapons is not notably large, rounds are made of hyper-reinforced alloys further enhanced through magical infusions. This gives them a staggering amount of penetration power, with rifle rounds being more comparable to anti-materiel rifles in terms of exactly what they can punch through.
HOYI Combat Knife/Bayonet - Backup CQC Weapon - Melee Weapon
A combat knife, as simple as can be. Used purely for melee scraps in dire situations. Edge is enhanced to allow for "impact cascading," upon a hit, but the damage pales in comparison to a primary melee weapon. This is a backup for a reason.Skills & Stats
✦ Combat Profile
| ✦ Strengths |
✧ Weaknesses |
|
Physical
Mental
|
Physical
Mental
|
✦ Combat Style - Strategic, Oppressive, Torrential Pressure from a Distance
Zoning, Control, Pressure, Kiting, Defensive
Draco Laskaris is a mage through-and-through. He thrives due to his ability to control almost every circumstance about a fight: where enemies and allies can move, what they can and cannot see, the spells they can and cannot cast, even what they can and cannot feel. This aptitude for control is only further amplified by a naturally strategic and methodical approach to combat. At a distance, pushing against Draco's offence feels just like pushing against the tides: an almost impossible feat that just serves to exhaust you in every possible aspect. Unlike many mages who stick to their wands, Draco's rifle and tail give him access to high-power, high-precision physical offense to burst down weakened opponents.
His general strategy in any fight is to always stay at a distance. Skirmish using the occasional attacks while using talismans and Abyssal magic to transform the field into a more favorable environment or debilitate a notable opponent. Then overwhelm the opposing force with the weight of pressure and control options. Use superior planning while at it to anticipate and counteract enemy movements. Finally, when an opening presents itself, strike with overwhelming force.
✦ Psychological Stats ✦
| Charisma | ✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 1 | Kindness | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7 |
| Patience | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7 | Intelligence | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦ - 10 |
| Confidence | ✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 1 | Perception | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8 |
| Discipline | ✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧ - 5 | Psych stamina | ✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 3 |
| Courage | ✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 4 | Caution | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7 |
| Honesty | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8 | Loyalty | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7 |
| Maturity | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8 | Creativity | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧ - 9 |
| Cleanliness | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8 | Work ethic | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧ - 6 |
✧ Combat Psyche ✧
The basic capabilities of the psychological profile of a soldier influence in what ways their magic flows, and thus in what ways the find strength and face weakness in combat. These are more applicable to the soldiers of the Union because of how their magic functions, but technically can apply to just about any warrior. Physical capabilities are meaningless, for those with a Psyche of iron will can wear the armor of titans with proper focus.
In the book On Violence and Warfare by Gormongor Haadax, Sgt. Haadax divides the capabilities of any combatant into a few distinct categories. Many have attempted to provide their own classifications based on new data; however, his work is still regarded as the most universally accurate way of assessing the "Combat Psyche" of a given soldier.
These categories are useful to soldiers of all roles. A kinetic ("physical") fighter can benefit as much from memory to know techniques as they can from power to wield the biggest weapons and don the most heavy armor. Conversely, a backline magical support battery can make great use of power to wield gigantic conduits to amplify their techniques or memory to have a versatile array of spells for any situation.
This part is a WIP because I thought it would be funny if I gave my OCs rpg stats based on the magic system.
| Strength | ✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 3 | Memory | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧ - 9 |
| Load-bearing capabilities for implants, bodily enhancements, heavy armor, weapons, and other equipment. | Ability to memorize large amounts of spells, cultural touchstones, strategies, techniques, and anything useful to combat. | ||
| Intuition | ✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 4 | Willpower | ✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 4 |
| Physical and mental dexterity, reaction times, agility, and the speed of actions. |
Speed of regeneration of defensive measures (I.e. shields), physical stamina, and magical stamina. |
||
| Fortitude | ✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 2 | Intellect | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦ - 10 |
| Influences ability to take damage, resist effects of injuries, resist afflictions and max magical stamina ("mana"). |
Ability to analyze techniques and strategy to counter hostile techniques or adapt one's own or ally techniques to a situation. | ||
| Focus | ✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧ - 5 | Empathy | ✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8 |
| Perception of environment and precision that actions are made with, especially when under high stress. | Stabilization of particularly stressful/dangerous actions and ability to make afflictions from spells more difficult for hostiles to resist. | ||
✧ Physical Stats ✧
| Physical Strength |
✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧ - 5
|
Speed |
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7
|
| Magical Strength |
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦ - 10
|
Constitution |
✦✦✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧ - 2
|
| Physical Defense |
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8
|
Dexterity |
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧ - 7
|
| Magical Defense |
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✧✧ - 8
|
Stamina |
✦✦✦✦✦✧✧✧✧✧ - 5
|
Interactions and Opinions
✦ The Expedition Crew
Cordelia Hawthorne - Appreciates, Friendly
- General respect. Draco finds Cordelia to be a rational planner and proficient in her magic. He also relates to her need for control in every situation, although not to the same neurotic degree.
- Shares a similar caring disposition, although more attentive than Cordelia's "wine aunt."
- Enjoys her scholarly nature, finds it useful due to being somewhat new to the realms of Thraelos. Will frequently ask questions not just for practical purposes, but to sate his curiosity.
- Extremely wary of her connections with Katara, but understands her circumstances and the nature of divine magic in Thraelos. Some other operatives may not be so sympathetic to those who find magic through worship and not themselves.
Charlie Augustine - Appreciates, Friendly
- Enjoys Charlie on an emotional level. Finds him as a rather honest and genuine individual who hides little when he speaks despite being such a good liar. Easy to talk to him without having to exert a ton of social effort.
- Comforting to an anxious soul like Charlie, and in turn finds comfort from him.
- Find common ground in their agendas being driven by a genuine need to help others and break the curses holding them back (Leviathan for Draco, The Rot for Charlie)
- Looking for a chance to begin to instruct him in synthetic (new era/Union) magic.
Holy Father Idris Jeroche (Jay) - Neutral, Wary
- Compared to divine magicians like Cordelia, Jay's consort with his deities is on another level. Combined with Cordelia'
Gallery
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Author's Notes
✦ The only art of Draco Laskaris is in bunny suits. No, this was not my decision. Yes, somehow
✦ The union may not restrict the ethical practice of magic on any basis, including but not limited to passing legislation; promoting cultural practices such as holidays and speeches; discrimination against certain groups such as ethnicity, sex, and species; "divine" acts enforced by divine entities (the existence of which is restricted under the 2nd clause of this section); and supporting antimagical groups.
This is the highest right a mortal can hold. To move against this notion in any way, shape, or form is to declare oneself anathema to the pursuit of happiness in the face of a universe.
It is the responsibility of every citizen of the union to uphold this value for everyone's sake. This power is extended to unincorporated citizens of the union who remain in diaspora as the to rise against any antimagical oppressor to establish the necessary. To those Reading this in such a situation, this is your calling to begin the walk on the path to enlightenment, even through violence if all other routes are deemed impossible.