Before
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Abilities
Placeholder/Reminder to put current and past occupations here.
Primary Occupaton: Dream Keeping (she harvests dreams to take them back to her world!)
She has Barbie's work history, since she's done a little bit of everything here and there, it's awful.
Mostly personal notekeeping, will be added on to when I find all her past/current jobs. An asterisk means this is her go-to occupation regardless of setting.
She is a patron to lost souls and minds that yearn for the wonder of something new, she is enlightenment and consequence: a companion, a Harbinger. And one must always bear in mind that she works with them, not for them. At ones side she may perch, but ultimately, her loyalties lie with herself and her chosen kin.
-Gogo Dancer
-Getaway Driver
-Gunslinger
-Cat Burglar (hired or otherwise)*
-Informant for hopeless lawmen
-Trauma Nurse (from several wars long passed, has also been an asylum nurse once)
-Burlesque Girl*
-Sideshow Attraction*
-Radio Host for Classical stations
-Runner (causes chaos in the street to distract from other far bigger hijinks- most often times it involves some illegal dealings)
-Dominatrix- Typically used for undercover operations. This will only be written out for "risqué" comedic scenes. I will not do kink, fetish, or erotic roleplay. Please do not ask.
-Street Racer.
-Nun. Very brief undercover operation.
-A companion*
-Generally takes up any gigs in need of a showman or light fingers, or whatever sounds compelling and interesting enough in the moment.
This entire page is a huge work in progress, and there is still quite a bit that needs to be added. Note that in "modern" or low-fantasy settings (or settings where magic is taboo and frowned upon), Xailah will not use her magical abilities unless absolutely necessary, or if she can get away with doing so. With the exception of Skimming and Dream Keeping. Mentions of her magic in such settings may be hinted at. This does not apply to abilities that she can't help however, like ones that affect her senses since they are not a matter of magic, its just her and they can't be "turned off". They will always be passively active.
Her abilities will never be used to godmod or metagame.
Mirror Skimming: "Mirror Skimming", as it is called in the home world, is the act of traveling to different planes, locations, and worlds, through the use of (primarily) mirrors or other highly reflective objects. It is a learned ability which takes lifetimes to refine. As a novice, Xailah can only use skimming to go to and from places, the caveat being; she must have two mirrors, and of a size which will allow her to crawl through. The mirrors in her home are the only ones that do not require her to abide by the two mirror rule. She then moves through time; slipping through the little rifts and hairline fractures, until she is spat through another mirror and into a new world. She unable to determine where the mirrors will take her (with the exception of returning home), which will often land her in unideal situations; but that is the fun of skimming. Folk with strong magical energy, especially those that specialize in summoning, can unintentionally influence her location. If mirrors are nearby when a summon is attempted, often times she may appear instead of their initial summon. As Xailah grows more comfortable with her ability, she will be able to use other objects for skimming, and will no longer need two mirrors. She will also be able to better influence and predict where she ends up. It is important to note that with novices, skimming can result in mild amnesia upon arrival to a new location, but such is unlikely to happen if the mirrors used are backed with a pure metal.
Escape Artist: Words go here.
Pickpocket: Words go here.
Dream Keeping: Words go here.
Shape Shifting: See Sleeping Monsters for more information.
Eldritch Whisperings: Words go here.
Feral Cry: When severely distressed, Xailah may let out a inhuman scream which can call nearby creatures into a frenzy, and bring them to her aid. She's the Disney princess from your nightmares. Snow White, eat your heart out. Prolonged exposure to the cry may cause deafness, or organs to rupture.
Liquid Metal: Reflective surfaces bend to her will. Mirrors can become lethal weapons at her mere touch. When in combat Xailah can swipe a nearby mirror (or other reflective object) to revert some of it into a molten liquid state. It appears to only burn organics, however it leaves her untouched. When cooled the liquid mirror reforms into shards.
Sixth Sense: Time spent in seclusion, along with elevated inhuman senses, has granted the ability to detect life- seen an unseen. She will know when something else is in the room with her, regardless of whether or not it can be seen. She is near impossible to sneak up on, unless the approaching body is undead, artificial, or very small. There must be a source of bodily warmth, along with a heartbeat for her to detect. Sometimes it is possible for something living to sneak up on her; if this happens it is usually because she is content or comfortable enough with her surroundings, or the lifeform. Because of her heightened senses, this ability also allows her to see through visual disguises, invisibility spells, and glamours- through means of associated scents or identifiable quirks in a speakers voice. Magical beings/forces and some specters can be detected through their energy.
Eyes of Nocturnal: Like many of the beings born from Zuuls realm, Xailah is capable of seeing in darkness- be it magical or nonmagical. Her eyes of feline design allow her to clearly identify things untouched by light. Eye coverings and vision-obscuring illusion magic also have no effect to her ability to navigate (even if they completely restrict her vision) due to her acute senses.
Friend of Fiends: As friend to all creatures, unusual and mundane, most animals (that are not humanoid) see her as an ally. Capable of calming the most monstrous of beasts, creatures rarely react aggressively towards her, and may even come to her aid. Don't be surprised if you see an unwanted herd of various beasts flocking around her.
Morpheus' Lullaby: A haunting tune passed down by the females in the family. When singing, Xailah can strike a cord that causes others to grow tired, or fall into a deep sleep. If a target is already sleeping, it can help keep them asleep for longer. Their dreams may become vivid when they hear the lullaby.
Eldritch Heritage: There is something undeniably unusual about her. Not many can place why. It is alluring to some, unsettling to others. Her otherworldly nature appears to impact the environment. Shadows may writhe. Rooms may grow cold. Even plants may foreshadow her presence.
Undaunted: She has seen too much to succumb to threats of fear. Having grown alongside Zuul's precious horrors, she has become fearless towards surface-dwellers. Fearsome auras and intimidating words produced by humanoids hardly faze her. In fact they may have more allure than intended. She is often unaffected by fear or intimidation related abilities (applies to humanoids only, does not extend to undead, artificial life, or those with extremely strong magical influence). However, her apparent "immunity" does not mean she is not wary.
Waterbreath: If the need should ever arise, Xailah can easily tap into her mammalian diving reflex to help survive deep (and shallow) waters. However, this is harder to do if submersion is sudden, and may shorten the time she can stay in the water. A minute of preparation is needed, but if not rushed she can hold her breath up to three hours.
Mind Haze: For the safety of herself and others, Xailah's mind is exceptionally hard to read. Telepaths and those who dabble in mind magic may run into what could be described as a fog, when attempting to tap into her thoughts. Those who would like to proceed in reading her mind may do so, but with a sacrifice- they must hand over one of their own memories. However, the reward for doing so does not result in view to a clean line of thoughts, rather a conglomeration of (presumably) senseless or horrific images due to her eldritch heritage. Will result in bouts of madness if done too often or viewed for too long. Also makes her resilient to most forms of mind-altering magic.
Adaptive Magic: It is clear that magic runs through her veins, but most of it is highly unstable since she is still young. As a learning creature what magic she chooses to use is adaptive- or reflective- magic, which means she can only spontaneously replicate spells cast at her. Mages beware, you're in for a scare...
Touch of Mercy: Xailah never inherited the mystical healing powers her mother possessed- or at least they haven't surfaced yet. Instead she was given a greater gift- mercy. If permitted she can revert dying or mortally wounded creatures back to their first forms, as stardust.
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Inventory
Keys that jingle in your pocket
DeSoto's Key: A key more peculiar than most. It appears as if it would not fit any lock. DeSoto's key is comprised of many retractable metal pins attached to a rod and base. The design allows the key to fit into most keyholes, and should it be used on a machine- say an automobile- it can transfer DeSoto's conscience into the object allowing the horse to possess it, so as long as the key remains inserted. This is sometimes worn around Xailah's neck.
Vial of Dreams: A pristine crystal vial used for collecting and concealing dreams, until they can be taken to a stable area for release. A few are always carried on Xailah's person. If opened improperly while containing a dream or broken by hands that are not hers, a Feral Nightmare will be released into the physical realm. Only a trained Keeper can tame and subdue the Nightmare.
Unusual Umbrella: While it appears normal at first, it's wielder may find that it is heavier than usual. It is adorned with fine filigree that hide small levers and openings. Stylish, multipurpose, and unexpected, the umbrella is Xailah's weapon of choice. Beneath the clever guise, the accessory is actually fashioned to function as a rifle and shield if need be.
Dream Keepers Pocket Watch:
Twin Pistols: Pew pew.
Locked Journal: A leather-bound book with intricate design. A lock keeps it from being opened. Perhaps DeSoto's key will fit? Inside are a number of entries dating back to Xailah's childhood. The more recent describe places she has been, and the people she has met; so she does not forget them entirely. The entries are primarily written in German; some are in other tongues she speaks, though never English.
Deaths-head Hawkmoth Chrysalis: (Something about the chrysalises here) Characters that have been given a Chrysalis:-
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[Redacted]Not given, but stolen. Chrysalis was destroyed.
-Martyr, gifted as a means of contact. The moth hatched. GAH its in her house somewhere, and she can't find the damn thing. It definitely follows her.
-Bertha. A token of gratitude and affection. Moth was let go when it hatched, but it hangs around Bertha's tavern.
-Poppy and Peony. A gift to a new generation. The two girls seem to adore the moths, and frequently ask for chrysalis' to care for.
Treasures
Her ancestral home is a museum, a shadowbox for her adventures. There she hoards her little trinkets, and trophies (which are often stolen from the places she visits), putting them on display as artifacts- despite being warned not to take objects from other worlds. Objects were a sign of attachment, of remembrance. The elders discouraged such things. Yet, her ever-hungry curiosity could not be helped. And so she became a collector of all odds and ends: a curator of memories beloved and bittersweet.
Gifts
Stolen Objects
-Cola Bottlecaps.
-Various coins.
-Multiples of various types of currencies.
-Dining silver, mainly teaspoons.
-Brass Key.
-Jailers Key.
-Gemstone Earrings.
-Assorted wedding rings: The diamonds have been removed from the bands. These objects have no sentimental value and are only kept because they are deemed pretty.
Words that jangle in your head
