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Description

Name: She Who Walks in Shadow, often told as a bedtime story. Real name has been long forgotten in history. She may share it with you, throughout the course of her experience.

Race: Animated Shadows, a ancient alchemical race born upon the desert sands as a way to survive. They have no need to rest. Nor need of substance. As a consequence, they often have no physical bodies, merely existing. Overtime, they simply fade into the nothing, and as such, she is something of a sole survivor.

However, She Who Walks in Shadow is different, having need of humanoid necessities. She feels the wet rain upon her body, the taste of warm delicious foods on her tongue, and lusts for the touch of anouther at times.

Gender: Female

Age:Not capable of aging, and her shadow-like appearance makes it difficult to define a age. Perhaps roughly 134 years of age, due to her knowledge of history in that time.

Appearance: While taking on many forms, she cannot always hide the creature she is completely, no matter how she tries. Her body is simply like staring at your own shadow, lacking any features that stand out. She is a creature that remains human in appearance and nothing more. Long hair and a feminine build is all that graces her. Clothes do the rest. If asked about her appearance, she says its a costume for a magic act, in which she performs some basic alchemical illusion.

She takes on many other appearances, but most commonly that of a feline-like Chimera, with dazzling amber eyes and good smile. Her fur is black, which helps hide alot of the shadowy appearance of her true nature. However, this causes her eyes to shine in the dark much more than a average creatures. Overall though, she doesn't stand out much, helping people forget yher face, adding to the tale.

Apparel: As she can hide what she is, she often stays near people from people. Failing that, she chooses clothing that covers her completely, such as travel cloaks or long sleeved clothing in the dark.

Equipment: Travel Pack with food and other basic supplies. Several books. Small hand bell carried around her neck that is easily removable to be worn on her wrist by a strap that can be shortened. A stuffed cat that she likes to animate for children.

Alchemical Talents: A very unique set of skills for a alchemist, She Who Walks in Shadow has the ability to give mass, density, and force to items that lack it. Simply put, she can make items you would pass through normally, move and interact with the world. Taking her most well used technique in which using darkness cast by ones own shadow, and giving it mass, makes it a very real scientific possibility. Her ability moves further, making said mass move anyway she wishes, providing it force. Much like a puppeteer, using the strings to provide force to give the creature "life". Used in combat, this means that she breathes "life" into inanimate objects, making them move. She cannot change items of heavy masses shape. For example, if she were to be applying this science to a lamp post, it would move (though very limited, as locomotion in such a item is strained at best), but it would not change its features, where as light, and its opposite, are easily malleable, forming many shapes. This can cause her to perform illusions outside the capability of raw power behind these, by simply bending light to whatever shapes and colors she needs. Because of the shadowy nature of her own body, she can affect it as well, making her bigger, or smaller than average. Bending it to insane shapes and forms. Make herself heavier and lighter at will. Her appearance is malleable, simply changing the light around her body to reflect colors, while changing her shape to fit the form.

To not have to touch a item to intervene with it, she uses a hand bell, which vibrates the alchemical energy against a object, taking control of it. Using the power of sound to affect the natural chemicals in the brain, she can cause people to feel emotions they do not wish, or expect. Perception becomes a relative term as the 5 senses are tweaked slightly. This ability is mostly told in her fairy tales. Imagine a soldier who has lost all will to fight, or a man suddenly inspired with hope.

The abilities have limits of course, for one, the sound is not remarkably loud, and thus, for it to affect you, you would have to "hear it. Covering your ears can prevent further damage and allow your brain waves to sync to normal levels. Also the further the mass shes trying to use, the more "rings" it would take for the sound waves to properly strike it. Heavier items require direct touch to manipulate. Course.. if she had a bigger bell....


Personality: For such a creature thought to have been born of darkness, she is a figure who cherishes life deeply. She is the mysterious stranger who suddenly provides the change necessary for you to complete a purchase. She is the lover who holds you tight during a night of passion, only to hold fond memories of her as you awake the next day, wondering if it was merely a dream. She is the traveler who comes to your aid when you are lost. The inhabitants of Crossroads call her "She Who Walks in Shadow" because of these deeds. She is especially loved amongst the Chimera, because even if just a tale to many of them, she inspires hope that every creature is equal.

The world is simple, until trying to find her place in it. Having a love of humanities goodness, their happiness is hers. She would protect them, guide them, and defend them against themselves. She views herself as a guardian. She will often stop for weeks, taking in the friendly world of humanity, before simply leaving again, traveling on the road as a entertainer.

History: Born to a ruined desert city in the unexplored regions of Crossroads, she was born human, like all of her kind was. Her mother was simply traveling with a band of archeologists, as a alchemical historian looking for clues about the "Eternal Knowledge." However, unbeknown to them, it was the home city of the Shadow, who reacted violently upon their intrusion, eventually killing most of the expedition. Those who survived, were alchemical combined with their own shadows, joining the inhabitants of the city, loosing memory of their past lives.

She Who Walks Among Shadows was found to be too young for this process, and she grew up amongst these creatures. Having no memory of the violence that occurred, she was simply content, even playing with the other shadowed children, who were forever stuck in their forms. She learned much of ancient alchemy, secrets long forgotten, by learning from these ancient people. She begun to wonder why she was so different... why other children had no real features to them. This feeling of difference eventually brought on childish self loathing.

She found out the secret to creating Shadows, and tried to transmute herself, incorrectly performing the tasks and turning her into the odd creature she is now. She aged, though much slower than humans, she felt hunger, and as her body, after 10 years, begun to reach puberty, she longed for someone to pass into her bed, all in the confused nature of a child she was, yet her adult mind tried to logic with these strange emotions, and she found herself confused. It enraged her, made her cruel and violent.

The other children avoided her, fearing her nature and her difference to them. They remained silent as she approached, which enraged She Who Walks in Shadows, causing her to find ways to strike down these people. Learning how to bend light to her will after only 3 years of study, fueled by vengeful wrath that she had brought upon herself, she made her first kill. Watching as the shadowed creature twist in horrible, sickening ways. No one knew what had happened.

Soon, many begun to disappear, until one night they turned upon each other, as the girl watched in pleasure. Parents clawed violently at the throats of their off spring, crying out in vain resistance to her wrath. She had singlehandedly destroyed the only life she had ever known... Once it had quieted, only after her terrible deed, did regret cross her mind. Nothing had justified her actions. She became depressed, and even more self loathing, refusing to eat until the pain forced her too.

She would survive, and correct this. Upon reading about the "Eternal Knowledge" she knew that would be her way. She would revive the Shadow, she would perform this one great deed to correct her mistake. Yet as time went by, she begun to forget her terrible deed, choosing to travel amongst humans and find that connection she had longed for. Her goals became less noble, and more selfish in her search of the "Eternal Knowledge". She would protect the Chimeras because she loved them. She would protect humans because she loved them. Perhaps it was her way of internally atoning for her past sins. She had destroyed one race, but perhaps she would save others.

She Who Walks In Shadow's Story