Post by Malachi on May 18, 2014 12:31:45 GMT -5
 | THE MERCURIAL JESTER NINETY SEVEN (97) OCTOBER 31 | MALE HOMOSEXUAL ENTERTAINER AND WARLOCK |
| MALACHI | ||
★ APPEARANCE
There are a number of things that stand out about Malachi as soon as one looks at him. First and foremost, he is clearly some sort of clown or jester. From his clothing to his makeup, to the smile on his face and his flamboyant mannerisms, this man has clearly spent time somewhere along the way as an entertainer. A purple, crimson, and gold motley adorns his body at all times (he owns many redundant versions of the exact same outfit), and his face is painted stark white, with bright red lipstick which is purposefully applied sloppily, and red symbols about his eyes and cheeks. He is almost never seen without his scepter; approximately two feet long, purple, crimson, and gold to match his motley, with a miniature ceramic head resembling his own atop it. The mouth of the ceramic head moves via a toggle on the shaft of the scepter itself, allowing for ventriloquism, should Malachi so desire.
If one is even able to take in any more information after seeing all of that, it would also be noted that Malachi's ears taper to a sharp point, hinting at elven heritage. In fact, he is half-elven, although he inherited a great deal of traits from his high elven mother. While he may be nearly a century old, he looks nowhere near his age; a combination of his elven ancestry and some elicit dealings with less than pleasant entities have ensured a youthful appearance.
★ PERSONALITY
In his heart of hearts, Malachi is just looking for a good time. That's all he really wants. He doesn't seek power, wealth, fame, or material possessions for their own ends; he seeks those things so that he can find new and interesting ways to enjoy life. This has led him to be very impulsive, and do things without thinking or planning, just to see how they will turn out.
As is implied by his appearance, Malachi is friendly, jovial, and more than a little crazy. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body; at least, not unless he's pushed into it. He treats everyone how he himself wants to be treated, which is to say he treats everyone like friends, and like they're all in on some big joke, even if nobody else knows it. He also treats people as they treat him in kind. If somebody becomes angry, threatening, or violent, Malachi is more than happy to change his mood to suit the situation. He personifies the word "mercurial", and is proud of it.
★ HISTORY
Malachi's past is something he keeps to himself. Not because he's ashamed, or worried in any way. Simply because it's boring to talk about things that have already happened when there are so many more interesting things to talk about just on the horizon. If pressed, though, he's more than willing to talk about it, although getting him to tell a version he hasn't embellished (or flat-out made up) is difficult.
Malachi was born to a very wealthy highborn elven woman and a very poor lowborn human male. His parents were having a secret affair, as his mother's parents and community, a vast elven city named Artestral that was nestled away in the mountains, would never approve of her love for such a low creature. However, when she got pregnant, it became improbable that their affair could continue to go unnoticed. When she first started showing the pregnancy in her belly, she confronted her family about the affair.
It could have gone worse. But not by much.
She was told she had to choose between her human lover and her ancestral home. Initially, she wanted to choose her human lover. He insisted that she stay, however; he would be unable to provide the kind of life that would be available to him in Artestral, where he would be pampered and doted on every minute. With great reluctance, she agreed, and that was the last time she ever spoke to her human love.
Despite his mother's faux pas in conceiving a child with a human, the community of Artestral was happy to have the half-elven child in their midst. They nurtured the magic inside of him, which he (very luckily) inherited from his mother, and he became a very learned and practiced mage. When he was still a young boy, he started training with actors and performers, and learned to be an entertainer. He utilized his illusionary magic in his performances to enhance every aspect, and became somewhat of a local legend.
When he was twenty, a mere boy in the eyes of his elven community, but a man in his own right, he left Artestral to travel the world, bringing his spirit and talent with him. He visited port towns, wood elven forests, caves, and major cities, taking his own particular style everywhere he went. When he reached the age of 50, he started feeling the effects of his age; though he still had a delicate appearance, and looked no older than 35, he could still feel himself slowing. His youthful energy was draining away, and he couldn't stand it.
That's when he sought aid from forces that some might call "dark", but he simply calls "convenient". Utilizing some untapped magical potential within him, he learned a summoning ritual to commune with a demonic spirit named Xanthidus. When summoned, Xanthidus was furious, and threatened to destroy the Jester. However, Malachi danced and sang and dazzled the demon with his magic, and Xanthidus, in his pleased and relaxed state, agreed to assist him. He restored Malachi's youthful appearance, as well as his stamina and agility, and promised that he would keep the Jester young as long as he was offered prayers and offerings of magical entertainment. He tapped into that magical potential that Malachi had used to summon him, and instructed him in the ways of Demonic magic. This magic, he explained, would come straight from Xanthidus, and allow him to affect the world in strange and exciting ways.
And so, for forty years, Malachi continued to travel the countryside, and in larger cities he became well known as the Mercurial Jester. He kept his demonic powers concealed, more out of a pragmatic concern than anything else; people didn't seem to like Warlocks, and he liked people, so he wanted them to like him back.
Unfortunately, one night in a large port city, somebody heard him offering his prayers to Xanthidus. Without hesitation, he alerted the guards, who promptly dragged Malachi into the streets. They beat and stoned him, then threw him into the ocean, leaving him to die.
He didn't die, though. Sensing that his loyal servant was in trouble, Xanthidus brought his follower to the surface, and the Jester was able to make it to the shore and escape into the woods. Over the next six years, he kept to side roads and small towns, hiding his abilities and asking for only meager assistance. In that time, he learned how to fight with many weapons so that he would be able to defend himself (although he finds fighting deplorable unless absolutely necessary).
At the end of that time, he returned home, wishing to stay there and end his life of travel and danger. However, they could immediately sense the demonic taint he carried with him, and turned him away at the door, warning that they would kill him if ever he returned.
With nowhere to go and no shoulder to lean on, Malachi found his way to Dorcha Hollow. There, after seven years of wandering, he found solace and a comforting place to finally rest. So, here he is, in Dorcha Hollow, entertaining and finally finding his upbeat self once again.
There are a number of things that stand out about Malachi as soon as one looks at him. First and foremost, he is clearly some sort of clown or jester. From his clothing to his makeup, to the smile on his face and his flamboyant mannerisms, this man has clearly spent time somewhere along the way as an entertainer. A purple, crimson, and gold motley adorns his body at all times (he owns many redundant versions of the exact same outfit), and his face is painted stark white, with bright red lipstick which is purposefully applied sloppily, and red symbols about his eyes and cheeks. He is almost never seen without his scepter; approximately two feet long, purple, crimson, and gold to match his motley, with a miniature ceramic head resembling his own atop it. The mouth of the ceramic head moves via a toggle on the shaft of the scepter itself, allowing for ventriloquism, should Malachi so desire.
If one is even able to take in any more information after seeing all of that, it would also be noted that Malachi's ears taper to a sharp point, hinting at elven heritage. In fact, he is half-elven, although he inherited a great deal of traits from his high elven mother. While he may be nearly a century old, he looks nowhere near his age; a combination of his elven ancestry and some elicit dealings with less than pleasant entities have ensured a youthful appearance.
★ PERSONALITY
In his heart of hearts, Malachi is just looking for a good time. That's all he really wants. He doesn't seek power, wealth, fame, or material possessions for their own ends; he seeks those things so that he can find new and interesting ways to enjoy life. This has led him to be very impulsive, and do things without thinking or planning, just to see how they will turn out.
As is implied by his appearance, Malachi is friendly, jovial, and more than a little crazy. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body; at least, not unless he's pushed into it. He treats everyone how he himself wants to be treated, which is to say he treats everyone like friends, and like they're all in on some big joke, even if nobody else knows it. He also treats people as they treat him in kind. If somebody becomes angry, threatening, or violent, Malachi is more than happy to change his mood to suit the situation. He personifies the word "mercurial", and is proud of it.
★ HISTORY
Malachi's past is something he keeps to himself. Not because he's ashamed, or worried in any way. Simply because it's boring to talk about things that have already happened when there are so many more interesting things to talk about just on the horizon. If pressed, though, he's more than willing to talk about it, although getting him to tell a version he hasn't embellished (or flat-out made up) is difficult.
Malachi was born to a very wealthy highborn elven woman and a very poor lowborn human male. His parents were having a secret affair, as his mother's parents and community, a vast elven city named Artestral that was nestled away in the mountains, would never approve of her love for such a low creature. However, when she got pregnant, it became improbable that their affair could continue to go unnoticed. When she first started showing the pregnancy in her belly, she confronted her family about the affair.
It could have gone worse. But not by much.
She was told she had to choose between her human lover and her ancestral home. Initially, she wanted to choose her human lover. He insisted that she stay, however; he would be unable to provide the kind of life that would be available to him in Artestral, where he would be pampered and doted on every minute. With great reluctance, she agreed, and that was the last time she ever spoke to her human love.
Despite his mother's faux pas in conceiving a child with a human, the community of Artestral was happy to have the half-elven child in their midst. They nurtured the magic inside of him, which he (very luckily) inherited from his mother, and he became a very learned and practiced mage. When he was still a young boy, he started training with actors and performers, and learned to be an entertainer. He utilized his illusionary magic in his performances to enhance every aspect, and became somewhat of a local legend.
When he was twenty, a mere boy in the eyes of his elven community, but a man in his own right, he left Artestral to travel the world, bringing his spirit and talent with him. He visited port towns, wood elven forests, caves, and major cities, taking his own particular style everywhere he went. When he reached the age of 50, he started feeling the effects of his age; though he still had a delicate appearance, and looked no older than 35, he could still feel himself slowing. His youthful energy was draining away, and he couldn't stand it.
That's when he sought aid from forces that some might call "dark", but he simply calls "convenient". Utilizing some untapped magical potential within him, he learned a summoning ritual to commune with a demonic spirit named Xanthidus. When summoned, Xanthidus was furious, and threatened to destroy the Jester. However, Malachi danced and sang and dazzled the demon with his magic, and Xanthidus, in his pleased and relaxed state, agreed to assist him. He restored Malachi's youthful appearance, as well as his stamina and agility, and promised that he would keep the Jester young as long as he was offered prayers and offerings of magical entertainment. He tapped into that magical potential that Malachi had used to summon him, and instructed him in the ways of Demonic magic. This magic, he explained, would come straight from Xanthidus, and allow him to affect the world in strange and exciting ways.
And so, for forty years, Malachi continued to travel the countryside, and in larger cities he became well known as the Mercurial Jester. He kept his demonic powers concealed, more out of a pragmatic concern than anything else; people didn't seem to like Warlocks, and he liked people, so he wanted them to like him back.
Unfortunately, one night in a large port city, somebody heard him offering his prayers to Xanthidus. Without hesitation, he alerted the guards, who promptly dragged Malachi into the streets. They beat and stoned him, then threw him into the ocean, leaving him to die.
He didn't die, though. Sensing that his loyal servant was in trouble, Xanthidus brought his follower to the surface, and the Jester was able to make it to the shore and escape into the woods. Over the next six years, he kept to side roads and small towns, hiding his abilities and asking for only meager assistance. In that time, he learned how to fight with many weapons so that he would be able to defend himself (although he finds fighting deplorable unless absolutely necessary).
At the end of that time, he returned home, wishing to stay there and end his life of travel and danger. However, they could immediately sense the demonic taint he carried with him, and turned him away at the door, warning that they would kill him if ever he returned.
With nowhere to go and no shoulder to lean on, Malachi found his way to Dorcha Hollow. There, after seven years of wandering, he found solace and a comforting place to finally rest. So, here he is, in Dorcha Hollow, entertaining and finally finding his upbeat self once again.
★ MAGIC
PRIMARY SPECIALIZATION: THE MERCURIAL JESTER'S PERSONAL REPERTOIRE (Support)
Malachi's primary specialization focuses on illusion and misdirection. He's adapted this style to flow as well in stressful and combative situations as when he is performing, and has become very adept with merging it seamlessly into his sleight of hand, making some people question whether or not he's performing magic at all.
ENAMOR THE CROWD
This spell allows Malachi to draw the attention of a crowd of people (easily up to a dozen), forcing them to stop whatever they were doing and turn their eyes toward him for a brief time (1 post). This doesn't force their attention on him after it ends, but once they are focusing on him, he can try to keep it by utilizing his other skills, magical or otherwise. (Null element [illusion])
DOST MY EYES DECEIVE ME?!
By waving his hands through the air and concentrating, Malachi can create very realistic illusions that affect visual and auditory senses. These illusions will last as long as he concentrates on them; he can move and speak normally while maintaining these illusions, but being attacked, attacking somebody, or casting another spell will cause the illusion to dissipate. This spell is frequently used in his performances, but he is just as able to make convincing illusions in combat situations. (Null element [illusion])
Note: Advanced versions of "Dost My Eyes Deceive Me?!" will add more affected senses and become able to maintain without concentration.
PUMP UP THE CROWD
This spell is cast by the user singing a short verse to make all allies who hear his voice feel energized and invigorated. It can be used on a crowd that has just been Enamored (see above) to make them feel positive toward the caster, or it can be used to make allies in combat feel confident and strike true. (Null element [illusion])
SECONDARY SPECIALIZATION: BLESSING OF XANTHIDUS (Offensive)
This is the magical ability that was granted to Malachi by his patron, a demon named Xanthidus. While Xanthidus is, in fact, a demon, he is not interested in death and destruction, merely entertainment and pleasure. Thus, Malachi's connection to him is maintained by a steady stream of prayers and devotional performances; Xanthidus is always watching Malachi, so any performance the Mercurial Jester gives is seen by his patron. Initially, the power granted by the demon was harmless, but after seeing his loyal subject brutally attacked, he has imparted Malachi with the beginnings of a potent combat specialty.
This specialty has a heavy use of fire, and it is important to note that this fire is bright green and gives off purple embers. There is no way to mistake this fire for normal, earthly fire. The fire summoned by these abilities will NOT ignite anything; it is not, in fact, actual fire, but Dark magic manifested.
WINGS FROM BELOW
By verbally uttering a short phrase in a long-dead language, which includes a brief prayer to Xanthidus, the user of this spell is able to summon a pair of demonic wings made entirely of fire that burst forth from the ground and wrap around him, forming a sort of forcefield. This barrier of flames cannot block attacks. However, it is damaging to the touch, and incredibly hot. Anybody who comes near it will suffer damage, and the user can charge opponents to deal damage using the barrier. If the user stands in one place and performs no actions, this spell will remain as long as it is concentrated upon. Otherwise, it dissipates within a few seconds (it will last 1 post after casting unless concentrated on). (Dark element)
XANTHIDUS'S RETRIBUTION
This is a simple, no-nonsense attack spell. By holding his hands in front of himself with the palms facing outward and uttering a short phrase in a long-dead language, which includes a brief prayer to Xanthidus, the user of this spell shoots forth a blast of concentrated demonic energy that takes on the appearance of a wave of fire. It deals damage, and though it is not actual fire (as explained above), it is very hot, leaving green and black marks behind. (Dark element)
PRIMARY SPECIALIZATION: THE MERCURIAL JESTER'S PERSONAL REPERTOIRE (Support)
Malachi's primary specialization focuses on illusion and misdirection. He's adapted this style to flow as well in stressful and combative situations as when he is performing, and has become very adept with merging it seamlessly into his sleight of hand, making some people question whether or not he's performing magic at all.
INTERMEDIATE
ENAMOR THE CROWD
This spell allows Malachi to draw the attention of a crowd of people (easily up to a dozen), forcing them to stop whatever they were doing and turn their eyes toward him for a brief time (1 post). This doesn't force their attention on him after it ends, but once they are focusing on him, he can try to keep it by utilizing his other skills, magical or otherwise. (Null element [illusion])
BEGINNER
DOST MY EYES DECEIVE ME?!
By waving his hands through the air and concentrating, Malachi can create very realistic illusions that affect visual and auditory senses. These illusions will last as long as he concentrates on them; he can move and speak normally while maintaining these illusions, but being attacked, attacking somebody, or casting another spell will cause the illusion to dissipate. This spell is frequently used in his performances, but he is just as able to make convincing illusions in combat situations. (Null element [illusion])
Note: Advanced versions of "Dost My Eyes Deceive Me?!" will add more affected senses and become able to maintain without concentration.
BEGINNER
PUMP UP THE CROWD
This spell is cast by the user singing a short verse to make all allies who hear his voice feel energized and invigorated. It can be used on a crowd that has just been Enamored (see above) to make them feel positive toward the caster, or it can be used to make allies in combat feel confident and strike true. (Null element [illusion])
SECONDARY SPECIALIZATION: BLESSING OF XANTHIDUS (Offensive)
This is the magical ability that was granted to Malachi by his patron, a demon named Xanthidus. While Xanthidus is, in fact, a demon, he is not interested in death and destruction, merely entertainment and pleasure. Thus, Malachi's connection to him is maintained by a steady stream of prayers and devotional performances; Xanthidus is always watching Malachi, so any performance the Mercurial Jester gives is seen by his patron. Initially, the power granted by the demon was harmless, but after seeing his loyal subject brutally attacked, he has imparted Malachi with the beginnings of a potent combat specialty.
This specialty has a heavy use of fire, and it is important to note that this fire is bright green and gives off purple embers. There is no way to mistake this fire for normal, earthly fire. The fire summoned by these abilities will NOT ignite anything; it is not, in fact, actual fire, but Dark magic manifested.
BEGINNER
WINGS FROM BELOW
By verbally uttering a short phrase in a long-dead language, which includes a brief prayer to Xanthidus, the user of this spell is able to summon a pair of demonic wings made entirely of fire that burst forth from the ground and wrap around him, forming a sort of forcefield. This barrier of flames cannot block attacks. However, it is damaging to the touch, and incredibly hot. Anybody who comes near it will suffer damage, and the user can charge opponents to deal damage using the barrier. If the user stands in one place and performs no actions, this spell will remain as long as it is concentrated upon. Otherwise, it dissipates within a few seconds (it will last 1 post after casting unless concentrated on). (Dark element)
BEGINNER
XANTHIDUS'S RETRIBUTION
This is a simple, no-nonsense attack spell. By holding his hands in front of himself with the palms facing outward and uttering a short phrase in a long-dead language, which includes a brief prayer to Xanthidus, the user of this spell shoots forth a blast of concentrated demonic energy that takes on the appearance of a wave of fire. It deals damage, and though it is not actual fire (as explained above), it is very hot, leaving green and black marks behind. (Dark element)
FINAL FANTASY VI | kefka palazzo, MALACHI PLAYED BY KRISTASTIC
coded by electric of gangnam style
