Changeling

[Aoiroo]

Changeling/Etain Maher

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Hell Q

Introduction

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.

I am Etain and I am a visiter from Avalon.

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?

No, I do not believe so.

What is your full birth name?

Etain Maher

Where do you live?

I live at Claremont, though my benefactor has a room for me at her place in North Bay.

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)?

I have been alive for seventeen years, but by the human calender I was born in 1882

Physical Traits

What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.

Female

How would you describe your heritage?

I am the daughter of two high fae of the summer court.

How tall are you?

5'2"

What is your body type?

It has a good curve is what I think it is call, coming from the summer it is very pretty.

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?

Any metals mixed with cold iron make me feel weak.

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence?

I move very gracefully.

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.

I am not to fair nor too tan, and my eyes are greenish brown. My hair is very dark, almost black.

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?

I like to tie it up with pretty hair pieces and hats.

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?

I am as beautiful as are all those who are a part of the summer court.

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?

No, I do not have such things.

Do you resemble anyone famous?

I do not think so.

Do you have a dominant hand?

I use the one on my right.

What kind of clothing do you wear?

I use the clothing I have brought with me from the summer, they are usually long dresses and dress suites, though I have taken to wearing gloves as well because of the abundance of iron in this realm.

Do you wear makeup?

I do not see why I would.

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?

It is not very distinctive, nor is it loud though I could probably increase it with my powers.

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people?

I prefer talking in my native tongue when I am alone, or when I know others can understand me. I also prefer to talk or interact those with magic around them, it is because of my eyes that I see them more vividly then others.

History

Where do you come from?

I come from Avalon.

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?

I have only recently come to this dimension, it has been a little difficult to adjust.

Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?

The rules of Avalon are a bit different from here, and I try to abide from them.

How do you feel about the place you come from?

It is a very beautiful and wonderous place but not advisable for the easily fooled.

Where is your home town? What was/is it like?

Another dimension, it is beautiful and they were always kind to me. However, the people there are fickle.

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you?

I could use magic, but I could not change my form like the other fae. This did not really seem to bother then since I could also see magic in ways they could not.

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life?

I am not good at hiding my words, fae do not lie, but they do talk in circles and it was a bit difficult to adjust.

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?

No, I was treated very kindly and attended to frequently.

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.

I guess when I realized that I saw things the others could not and that they could not trick me as easily with just magic.

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?

One time I spoke out of turn during a court meeting, my mother took the punishment of having a cold iron bracelet fixed to her wrist for several minutes. I was so very sorry that I spent the next several days learning how to sew so I could make her gloves to cover the scar.

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?

There was no school where I went, my mother taught me much of what I know. Though now I go to school in this dimension so I may live here better.

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?

I have a brass necklace my mother got me from the human realm, it is of a little butterfly and I keep it safe.

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?

I help people in this realm because I am indebted, upon my arrival I should of been killed but I was not because of a boy who was already weak. It is the sort of thing he would of done so I will do it in his place.

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?

I never make it detailed, just saying that I am indebted is enough.

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?

I do not know of any.

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?

I do not know if I am different or the same in different places, but I will often hide my thoughts if it will upset others usually by saying them in my native tongue.

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?

I do not really know, the only thing I would probably protect is that boy but he is not a secret.

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?

No

Family

What are your biological parents' names?

I do not know.

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.

Bugloss and Cinquefoil are my parents.

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?

They are both high fae in the court who serve the queen.

Where are your parents now?

Back home.

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?

No, they generally stay in Avalon.

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).

They were always kind, Bugloss did like to play tricks but Cinquefoil would always protect me and make sure I was alright.

How do your parents view you now, or how would they?

I think they are proud at how lovely I have become, though I did not really tell them why I left so I do not really know.

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.

No, I have many friends though.

What was your birth order in the family?

I think Cinquefoils is older then Bugloss but I have not asked.

Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do?

N/A

Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?

N/A

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?

I very much love my mother.

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?

Not really, they are both my family.

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.

I am a bit strange because of my magic sight.

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.

Bugloss has said that he has some relation to Puck who appeared in a play popular in the human realm, though the real Puck has been missing from the realm for some time so it is hard to confirm.

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.

No

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?

I would love to have children, and I am sure my mother would love to have grandchildren as well.

What type of person would be your ideal mate?

Someone who is brave and kind, and probably very handsome.

Relationships

Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.

My friends are not really close, because I think I have started to change since I have come here.

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?

I do not.

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?

My mother probably, I hope she is not worrying to much now that I have left Avalon.

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?

I do not think so.

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.

No

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?

I am not sure.

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?

Several boys shot at me when I first came here.

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?

Avalon, Demitrius, Earth

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?

My mother who has never wronged me.

Who or what do you despise? Why?

I am not at all fond of the practioners of magic of the undead, there magic is most dreadful.

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?

Kindness and Strengh, they are both very important. I am unusually kind but I am not very strong.

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?

I hate those who misuse magic and those who break there promises.

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why?

I do wear a mask, but only because I was asked to by my benefactor. I do not really care if I am discovered.

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?

I will listen if they sound reasonable.

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?

I am not.

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?

No

Personality & Beliefs

Who are your heroes?

The person who really saved me is the boy from before.

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?

I have not seen many heroes to see so.

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?

I do like when people look like they feel more safe, but I am moving forward to remove my debt.

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?

I would do anything just so the boy who saved me may open his eyes and live again.

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?

I want to find the boys family, though I am not sure what I will do afterwards because of his state.

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?

I don't really have any.

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?

I am afraid of the undead, my magic cannot effect them and if there is too many I cannot fight.

Is there anything you would give you life for?

I would trade mine for the boy who saved mine if I could, or perhaps to do a similar act to save more.

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?

Money of course is useful, my benefactor has a lot so I can have things that do not hurt me and help me move around the iron world that is the city.

How do you generally treat others?

I will treat them kindly and politely, and might try to befriend them if they are interesting.

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?

I take people by there words, and if I am lied to I will not tolerate it.

Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?

I am very good with people, though my English is not as good as it should be so I might be misunderstood.

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex?

I have been around beauty my whole life, so it is not really the thing that attracts me to there side, because I have a lot of choices if I really wanted something like that myself.

What are your most annoying habits?

People find my adversion to metals strange.

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?

Unseelie court fae who are generally very nasty.

What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?

I like sweet rolls and pastries, though I do take my time.

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?

Cider

What is your favorite treat (dessert)?

There is this dessert I was served at a sushi restuarant, green tea fried ice cream was very tasty.

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?

I do not eat meat.

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?

I like most colors, but prefer lavender.

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?

I like music played by string quartets because I can learn how to play it.

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?

I like flowers, especially Plumeria.

Do you have a favorite animal?

I like butterflies.

What is your most treasured possession? Why?

My necklace that my mother gave me.

Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?

I like comforts, but I enjoy nature very much and do not mind staying in the woods.

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?

I do not wish to ever want to hurt animals.

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?

I am not, though I have heard much gossip about many dieties that this realm favors.

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?

Not really.

If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization?

I do not attend.

Could you kill? Have you killed?

I don't think I could, I cannot even really hurt something with my powers.

What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?

It is a common geis among the courts not to kill humans, personally I do not like it.

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?

Only if it is absolutely nessicary to make sure others are not hurt.

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours?

I would not like it, and would probably decide to stop it if there were other options.

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?

I would track it down since almost all my items have a little of my magic on it so it is hard for me to lose them.

How would you react to public humiliation?

I would most likely just disappear.

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?

It has not, but I do not really know.

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?

Killing I believe is.

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?

I would go home, and then I would plead for someone to at least save the boy from his sleep.

Career & Training

Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?

I have always grown up with magic, and developed it. It is only recently that I have used it for fighting.

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?

My father taught me most of it, he is very clever and I learned a lot.

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?

My magic sight is unusual, I was born with it, and I have met no one else with the same skill.

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?

I can sew, though I might perform because humans like music almost as much as fae.

What is your preferred combat style?

I prefer to let a battle go long only if innocents are safe, if I can strike without ever being notice I will do so and end it.

Have you ever received any awards or honours?

No

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?

I might like to improve my magic, but I have no talent in fields other then illusions.

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?

I have tried, but most magic does not work for me so instead I work hard so my illusions are very good.

Lifestyle & Hobbies

What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?

I walk and go to class, and sometimes visit a bakery. I will go to events if there are one, but I'm do like to break the cycle sometimes if the surprise is pleasant.

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?

I sew a lot because it is hard to find clothes I like. I am learning how to knit as well.

What do you do for fun?

I walk around the city sometimes and look at some of the stores. There are a lot of interesting things for sale, though I do not buy them often.

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?

I wear a mask that has solid glamour attached to it. It makes a costume that reflects the person, in my case it is a renaissance dress and butterfly mask with wings, also it is orange.

How do you normally dress when not in costume?

I wear dresses with a few layers and skirts with tops. Apparently these are very old fashion and people often think I am wearing them for a play.

What do you wear to bed most nights?

A night gown.

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?

I wear a brass butterfly necklace sometimes, I also wear gloves a lot so I can hold or touch metals without pain.

Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?

I have an enchanted jewellery box that only I can open.

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?

I generally walk because most of the transportation is made with metal. I will ride with Ms. Fowler in a nice big car if it is too far.

Miscellaneous

Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make?

I only ever hope that if I do not make it back that I may be able to get my stuff back to my family.

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?

I am not sure, I might try to use magic to make sure I am recognized.

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?

Being kind I guess.

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?

I can only make shadows, nothing I can make is real so I do not think why I am.

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?

My illusions are very strong, but I think I am just best at finding things that are magical because of my eyes.

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?

My inability to do real harm is rather troubling since sometimes I might really need to.

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...

Find a team really soon if you are going to be a hero.

[Aoiroo]

Etains Friends List

Custos the Gargoyle

After the incident with Quentin I went back to the graveyard and had a proper conversation with the gargoyles. It seems they are in far less use then they were in previous years. It seems that one spirit inhabits most local gargoyles, though they are seen more as decoration and this has made the spirit very bored. He seemed very nice, so I offered to visit more often if only to quell his boredom. He seemed delighted, though he had a strange request. There is no name given the crafters do not think to do so and requested that I grant him one. It did not take long, I gave him the name Custos, which is protector in my native tongue, he seemed very pleased with it.

Morgan aka Crow

Morgan is a classmate of mine at Claremont, and though not something he has told me a demigod at that. Given, he does not have many powers except in his own ability to craft runes he is fairly clever with them. His father is someone called Red Hand who I have been assured is a very respected hero. He himself is very nice person, and adament fighter, though he has yet to accept any offers to spare with me. He also has a strange affiliation with a tree on campus which he is regularly found hanging out of.

Victoria aka Wisp

Victoria is another classmate of mine, and surprisingly also one at my eye level. She has the ability to teleport as well as a good amount of strengh which comes from experimentation with his ancestors genetics to make soldiers from the material provided by the villian Superior, I think out of my friends she is the only one who could truly best me at close range combat though Morgan is certainly training hard. She is also incredibly fond of games, all types of games including electrical and otherwise. She has expressed interest in using the simulation room at Parkhurst to invent large area realistic envirements for one of her groups, given, it may be rather difficult considering how very hard it is to find Parkhurst even when you know where it is.

John aka Myridon

John is a classmate and overall competitant fighter from Claremont. Tactics and stradigum wise he is very intelligent and his powers of weapon emulation creates lots of versitality as well, he is however rather emotionally immature. This comes with the fact that he is actually a clone of the man who runs Overshadow. Though he is nothing like this man instead is very kind and respectful of others, he refers to everyone except our other friends with a polite title. He still calls me Miss Etain though, I am not certain why but do not mind enough to correct him.

Brian aka Glowstar

Brian is a classmate of mine who has the most directly powerful powers out of the rest of them. He can create blasts, fly and manipulate a reddish energy which he has revealed to be entropy, the name of radiation that is from a hostile dimension called the terminus. Like John it really says nothing about him, he is very loyal, and very level headed in battle who will often think of the civilians before the enemy in his course of actions. He was also astute enough to realize that my being at Claremont had nothing to do with me learning how to ultilize my powers.

Quentin Quill

A very nice man with rather unusual qualities he helped me defeat a demon that had threatened to destroy the magical population of Freedom. He teaches Quantum Physics, a sort of science at a unversity and also speaks Latin quite well. I enjoy talking to him, and he quite enjoys my fluency in the dead langauge.

Eve Martel

Currently my girlfriend and a very intelligent, beautiful psychic girl who seems to have doubts on either. She comes from what is evidently a very powerful family, and since my recent lack of funds has been pushing for me to allow her and her family to provide for me. I appreciate the thought of course, but I would never take advantage of her like that.

[Aoiroo]

Tropes Associated With Etain

Antiquated Linguistics: Etain doesn't use contractions and uses longer more descriptive words then usual when speaking.

Awesome Anachronistic Apparel: Etain wears and can fight unhindered in long beautiful period dresses, partially because of,

Blessed With Awesome/Suck: Etain's been empowered by the fae with glamour magic, however that empowerment also gives her a skinn contact based Weaksauce Weakness.

Bi the Way: Etain's Bi, mostly because in a world of magical shapeshifters gender is cosmetic at best.

Cannot Tell A Lie: A side effect of her powers, if she lies directly, which includes breaking promises it detracts directly from her powers.

The Fair Folk: She was raised by a variation of these, given they were summer court so she was fairly well treated.

Glass Cannon: Etain can be a real heavy hitter with her attacks, and nearly impossible to hit, but if you do you can take her out fairly quickly.

Pale Skinned Brunette: Very pale, as a side effect of her very covering clothing most of her skin never usually sees the light of day.

Master Of Illusion

Mysterious Past: So far, all of one character other then herself knows about her life in the fae, and that was through a dimensional loophole that usually prevents her from revealing it. Her life (however short) before that is even more mysterious.

Swordbrella

Weaksauce Weakness: Iron based metal, ANY iron based metal, not cold iron. It won't kill her as stead fast as cold iron does on regular fae, but touching it will shock and paralyze her.

[Aoiroo]

Everyday Magic With Etain Maher: Segment 1: Introduction

The laptop Eve bought was really nice one, it had an excellent microphone as well as a webcam, and after playing a bit with it she had decided to do something with it. The truth was, she sort of wanted to do a podcast about something she thought was seriously lacking in modern education, magic, or at least the general information people should know. It didn't take long to set up for the podcast and as she listed to one or two to get a feel for it before she pressed the button and played some soft royalty free music for the background.

"Hello,"

She tested it for a second,

"And good evening, my name is Etain Maher, and this is my first podcast and to start I would like to verify a few things. This podcast is not about stage magic, like those preformed at shows, nor is it about a card game, role playing game, video game, or any other games. It is very much so about very real magical forces that do effect everyday life whether you notice or not. The truth is, magic is much more abundant then most people realize, and its very presence shapes the world around it."

She took a breath then looked down her list of things to gather or thoughts,

"To start with, how about a definition of magic. There is a very large variety of magic of course, but there is a very general foundations, magic as a whole is a force that creates a change that would not have happened otherwise. An example would be Siren of the Freedom League, when she moves water to block an attack is an example. Now some may claim that she is in fact a particularly powerful metahuman and such an ability is linked to that, but I have it on good authority that Siren is in fact an empowered magic user, which I will get into more detail on a later date."

She flipped through her booked to the next page,

"Anyway, that type of magic which is rather flashy and easy to notice is something one can see, but this is everyday magic so I would like to go through a few ones that are not as obvious. For example, has any particular area you have visited given you a deep sense of dread despite no previous association with that area. This is likely the effects of a natural ward, natural wards are usually created in places where events of great distress have occurred, the reason for this, usually just raw human emotion. Emotion is a powerful magical energy, lots of practioners rely heavily on controlling their emotions to fuel their spells, but you do not always need to have talent for raw emotion to rub off on certain areas. It should be noted, it works almost entirely in reverse, old active churches can have a cheerfulness about them even when empty because of the great amount of emotion put into a previous service, and homes can by the presence of a happy family create a similar atmosphere. Natural wards are among the most common of magic, but are generally very weak in that they can be shaken with very little effort. Artificial wards unlike natural ones however, are very hard to displace, and for good reason."

She let out a breath,

"Essentially a ward that had been set on purpose is the do not disturb sign of the magical world. Usually an artificial ward is a field set around a specific place where a magical place of power is held, or an area where a practioner might live. The emotions associated with artificial wards can in fact be any one chooses, usually though it is either indifference or fear, a ward of indifference would make whatever warded so much part of the background people will forget it is there and move on. A ward of fear will make a place openly sinister and scary, and make one avoid it out of a fear they cannot place. Now the indifference may not be an issue from not notice, but for a fear ward, if you are scared of a particular place or area and you do not understand why you are, it is likely a ward, and in that case, you fear is likely justified."

She put an edge on that last word,

"I understand that sometimes there are times when one has to face ones fears, but if a place just seems unnaturally scary, you should avoid it. The type of places that use fear as a way to detract visitors are likely inhabited by things that should in fact be feared. Trust your instincts, if you honestly do not have to go down that dark secluded path in the woods, or approach that abandoned house said to be haunted, then do not. Magic is real, and as I get into in the next podcast, so are the monsters both human and not that use it."

She closed her book and breathed out,

"Anyway, that is all for this podcast, my name is Etain Maher and if you would like to hear more please tune in for my next podcast and please leave questions and I will answer all those relevant when I can."

Clicking the thing to stop she let out a breath and set it aside. She didn't know who would be listening to it, but she hoped someone would hear and better understand what she was saying.

[Aoiroo]

April 1st

I found an empty book in the library several weeks, it was an unused journal apparently. Millie did not know the previous owner, so I took it into my possession. Though it was not until now that I found something of enough interest to write about. My life is rather, interesting. It is a colorful life, filled with many changes and lots of different adventures so many that they seem common place. There is a new thing however that has caused some interest, I do believe that I have found something in which I could make a viable career.

Truthfully hero work does nothing to provide the substitance that one needs to survive in a world like this, until recently I was previously sponsered, but that was removed with her absense in October and though I have a willing replacement sponser, I would not wish to take advantage of her generous offers unless it is absolutely nessicary. I should also note that job searching has been rather difficult so far, though it is not because I lack the skills, I am by all accounts an illegal immigrant to this city and its country, as well as subject to certain conditions that make things difficult. I do not lie for example, which has put me at something of a disadvantage coming to retail, my current address is unlisted and uncontactable through normal means, and I do not believe I will continue to a higher education because of lack of funding to do so. There is also the concern about my appearance.

I have been to several interviews in the past, and dispite my what is considered very dated wardrobe have been favored by male hirers because of my appearance and my manner. Even those who tried to hide their interest were clearly influenced by in their choices by this, and every time I left of my own accord because I could not in good concence take the job from some more qualified candidate simply because I was more attractive whether the hirer would or would not act on said attraction at a later date.

It has been quite the triffle trying to find employment, and with my graduation from high school coming up I wished to at least find some means to support myself, even if the choices seemed to be rather slim. It was today while I was visiting a friend at the hospital that I found a choice I had yet to consider.

The childrens ward is one which I walk through on my way up because of the placement of stairs (I refuse to use elevators), while I was passing through I could not help to notice a crowd looking rather, disappointed. There were no nurses around, no doctors to deliver bad news, and in fact it had been decorated with balloons however everyone seemed to be in a mood that suggested someone may in fact burst into tears. My curiousity got the better of me and I wandered in, my appearance giving a few looks as I asked what was the matter.

Apparently a performer who was hired to come to the hospital for a current occupants birthday (poor thing had apendisidus), had not arrived and was already half an hour late. I asked what would be performed, and they said it was a magician. Well, the mother used more colorful words, though only whispered in my ear to not be heard by the children. I really did not like to see them as they were, so I offered instead to show them some magic of my own. The mother was curious and a little skeptical, but I found the birthday girl and sat at her bedside offering that she reach into my purse. The little girl was quite surprised when she pulled a full sized white hare from my small handbag and squeeled with delight.

From there I did some magics with the cards I keep in my purse, filled the room with doves after popping one of the birthday balloons, and made butterflies appear out of my sleeves. It certainly kept the little ones entertained, though it was quite the trouble to get the rabbit back from the girl to put it back into my bag at the end.

The mother was certainly impressed, in fact she wanted my number so she could make a recommendation as well as how could she pay me. Pay me, that was the surprise, it was nothing but a small show, but apparently it was impressive enough that she believed I deserved compensation so I accepted a small amount, and apparently the recommendation will get me similar jobs as well. I guess it would be said that I may be cheating, the way I use such magic frequently, it seems almost trivial, but then it was not so trivial that it did not make those childrens eyes light up with every display. So maybe this is a good way to make a living, because magic is not always something that can bring smiles, especially with the source of mine. Either way I intend to use this journal to log things about this new occupation, and hopefully the pages will be filled with adventures I have not become so accustomed too.

[Aoiroo]

Everyday Magic With Etain Maher: Segment 2: Monsters and the Undead

She scrolled through the list of questions, in truth there were very few. Not that it mattered, someone had listened, and they would again. Pressing the record button she kept her voice cheerful.

"Hello again, or if it is your first time, hello for the first. This is my podcast Everyday Magic, and today we will be talking about on a very general scale, creatures of magic. Not monsters nessicarily, but creatures. Monster is more a temperment then an actual predisposition, as there are very monterous humans, and those honestly outnumber any magical creature you will ever encounter. Of course, I will be talking about more common ones that may be a threat, the monsters in the dark as you would. In the city, there are a few that stand out in numbers, one is that of animated human corpses, or zombies."

Shifting through her notes she let out a breath and continued,

"Now first I would like to make some clarifications. The zombies I am describing are risen with spells, so there is some destinction between those usually shown in films. First is that they are not infectious, and do not naturally crave brains as such, they may bite, but only because it is a very nasty and effective tactic in a fight if you are not terribly worried about getting close enough to be shot or stabbed. Second, they are not controlled with a virus, or disease, nor are they sentient. Now there are in fact undead who are sentient, like for example Dead Head who is a revenant, or a soul possessing their own deceased body, no, most zombies if risen are under the control of a necromancer. Though there are times, like the halloween of 2010, when there were a mass of zombies who were not in fact in direct control. This was in fact the result of a surge in the illegal markets of a drug called Zombie Powder. I am not sure what one thinks about the benefits of the drug, but let me assure you, it is real, it is dangerous, it will kill you if not immediately, then after repeated use, and upon the death you will be then reanimated into the undead. It is not a joke, or a prank or a rumor, it is a fact."

She let out a sigh,

"Anyway, warnings asside, zombies do show up once or twice, usually under the control of necromancers. Now I must say now, true necromancy is not in fact a bad art, usually it is something like working as a medium to the undead, communicating, learning useful secrets, however few necromancers truly follow the rules and usually bind the dead to do their bidding. I am not sure which religion or your thoughts on spirits and the dead, but binding any creature as such to your bidding should distress you because it is essentually mind control."

Flipping her notes, she looked down at the thing,

"Now on the subject of spirits themselves, as a general rule one should avoid them. They are not naturally bad, as they are a lot of the time confused. Really it is no wonder, I would assume ones death would be very distressing, so as a direct result most spirits are very very psycologically fragile, a lot of whom are not actually aware of their death, or are in so much shock that they lash out without a knowledge as to why. Mind you with time, spirits can overcome the shock, and maybe move on or become a more personable poltergeist if it suits them. Some however do not, and these are the truly dangerous spirits. There can be a variety of reasons, one of these is personal choice, but there is another much more sinsiter one, the presense of a nihil."

Her tone got more grave on that last one but she continued none the less,

"A nihil is something like a house spirit, a very evil one. Nihil's are creatures that appear usually in places of great tragedy, or great acts of evil if not through an actual ritual sacrifice. Some of the most infamous haunted houses are the results of them having a resident nihil, the reason being is that nihils will kill someone, and then force their spirit to remain. Not only that, they will actively taunt and torture them until the spirit will lash out, which usually results in more deaths which gives the nihil more spirits to manipulate and control. It is a tragic cycle of great evil that binds these spirits to the earth, and is something that can only be dealt with very powerful and experienced experts exercists. Even then it may not take, so yes, these are places one should avoid, and often places with very dark natural wards as well."

Pushing back the book she looked at the time and found it was reasonable enough a stopping point,

"And I do believe that is it for this particular podcast. I said I would answer questions, but I have gotten very few, and will save them for when I have a significant number. For the next podcast, I will go into a little bit more detail on more sentient monsters and creatures that are a bit more common then one would like to believe."

Clicking the stop button, she pushed her hair out of her face, and looked at her notes to see if she missed anything.

[Aoiroo]

Everyday Magic With Etain Maher

"Hello everybody, I am Etain and this is Everyday Magic. So yes, I am going to talk about some creatures whom you may not notice or may not be able to notice."

Etain looked at the button and saw the recording was going so she continued,

"To start I will identify a creature who for some strange reason is portrayed poorly in most media, in this case I am talking about gargoyles. Now I am not simply talking about water spouts, given I am sure a couple of gargoyles can act as such, but instead large creatures usually found on churches with grotesque features. They look scary, but this is because they are in fact guardians used to ward away evil spirits. Why you do not often see them active, well, several are simply inactive because of lack of use. They are guardians, but as people forget that association with them, they tend not to look for them. So it is rather hard to tell that if any could fight off demons or spirits if you ask in current times since so few are actually active."

Etain flipped through what she had written down,

"Of course there are ones that are concealed from most humans. Leprecauns for example, are generally invisible, they are distributors of luck, or more importantly of deserved luck and equal servings both way. They are true nuetrals, and it is really is impossible to capture or gain their favor, though people have tried and it is not usually pretty. Then there is a relative of the leprecaun, the gremlin, which are the same. Usually they will push minor negligences in electronics or devices to an extreme as a punishment for carelessness, but on the flipside, they will increase a machine's profiency for temporary times when it has been attended too. Which I am sure I will get lots of skeptcism because of how very little of this I can prove. But then again, I am not here to prove, just inform, it is up to you to listen."

Pushing her hair up she tapped her finger before moving on, she wasn't going to tangant on the issue, it wouldn't help,

"Now, lets go for a third creature, or in this case monster. I say monster because they are in fact monsterous, and what I am talking about is vampires. Please understand, a good vampire is the exception not the rule, and very rare. For clarification, vampires do not sparkle, and are not incredibly romantic mysterious creatures as portrayed in fiction. They are cursed beings that must feed on blood for survival, and they rarely do so without killing or turning their victums. Vampires are a part of our society, and have their own that is heavily monitored by other vampires. Usually under the ruling that whatever feeding or killing is done is not obvious or of victums that would be missed. It is cruel, but they are wolves hiding among sheep. They do have weaknesses that is sometimes portrayed in fiction, crosses, silver, holy water, though wooden stakes through the heart which is not suggested for looking for one as that would kill most humans. Anyway, I do not suggest looking for, or trying to corner someone that you know with particular pecularities. It is incredibly rude to go around suspecting someone is a monster, which is very hard to confirm unless you have caught them in the act of actually feeding on a victum. Only two results come of this, either you prove they are, which means you are in grave danger because of it, or you prove they are not, and you have invaded someones privacy for no good reason and made yourself look like a fool. Anyway, I think this is a good stopping point."

She put down her papers and looked at the podcast,

"Now, I noticed some questions, which I intend to address in the next podcast. So goodbye until then."

[Aoiroo]

Changeling 20Q

Blog Questions

 

The recording started out and Etain looked at the list in front of her, it was a composite of most common or appropriate questions they didn't nessicarily intercede, but she'd answer them never the less. The button blinked and then she began,

"Hello, and welcome to Everyday Magic with Etain Maher, this is a question and answer thing. Over the weeks, I've collected a couple of questions about the blog, I have made a list of about twenty of the most frequent ones, so I will answer."
She looked down at the paper and began,
"(1) First question, you know a lot about magic, can you do magic? Actually, no, I cannot, I am an illusionist, both personally and semi professionally.

(2) Now, next question, what do you think about superheroes that use magic? I think it is very noble of them to do so, but it is not a neccissity, not all magic is practical for something like hero work, in fact a lot is rather more aimed to more mundane needs like cleaning spells yes they exist, I would not try those unless you have a lot of fine control, because accidents happen. I believe there is an animation about such things involving a mouse and some mops."
She flicked down the list,

"(3) One blogger asked if you could disbelieve magical creatures, no, whether you believe in them or not, they are still real.

(4) Now I have also been asked if magic is similiar to some of the things portrayed in video games, the answer is, no, not usually. Magic in general is much too choatic for what is relatively simple in comparison in games.

(5) There has been a couple of questions about my qualifications for giving advice, technically I do not have any, but that is only because it is not a field that can be taught at in a community college, or measured in degrees. My knowledge of magic is something I gained through both thorough research and first person observation of magic users and their magics as well as the less common magics I observe and discuss.

(6) I have gotten questions about various magical creatures, which I will cover later but here are the basics, dragons are real, werewolves are real, pheonixes are real, centuars are real.

(7) Here are some frequent questions I will answer together, usually along the lines can you teach me magic, is there a school that teaches magic, can anybody learn magic, every one of those answers is no. Not everyone can learn magic, and not everyone should. Magic is dangerous, people promising you magic and powers, are more then likely exceptionally dangerous, you should not seek it out, if it has already found you, and you have powers, you should contact the Freedom League.

(8) This goes into the next question, is there anything genetically different or special about magic users? That is impossible to determine at this point, it is true for some magic, false for others, it depends on the magic, in some instances magic will choose someone who has no previous history with it, or several other different reasons, as I said, it depends.
(9) Now, there have some questions about what I think of magic versus science, I will do a podcast about this, mostly it depends, but I will say most magic does not interfer with technology, poltergeists can but it is usually not intentional. I personally am quite fond of technology, it is very convinient.

(10) Lets see, this is a question I have gotten frequently, can you bring the dead back to life, I did not address this in my undead podcast, but no, not really, and you should not try."
She skimmed down,

"There have been some questions about my age, meetings, societies and the like, those shall remain things, but I will answer other more personal questions,

(10) What is your favorite magical creature? Humans

(11) Mac or PC? Alienware.

(12) I was asked who my favorite pony was and if I thought friendship was magic, I had to think about it for a second, while I am fond of dartmoor ponies, bosnian's are my favorite because of their agreeable nature, as for friendship, if you have to rely on magic for friendship then something is very wrong.

(13) Who is your favorite magical superhero? Nick Cimitiere,

(14) Who is your favorite Doctor? The eighth one.

(15) If you were a bender, which type would you be? Well personal preference for style, I am quite fond of the one for airbending because it is more defensive and good for general evasion.

(16) What is your favorite movie/book? Enchanted and I assume you mean a fiction book, in that case, A Wrinkle In Time

(17) What is your favorite color? Gold

(18) Cats or dogs? Gargoyles

(19) What is your favorite type of food? Chinese

(20) When is your birthday? I do not know.

And I believe that is all the questions I will answer for now. I thank you for listening, this has been Etain Maher, next session I will get more in deph about the creatures I have mentioned before. Goodbye until then."