Populus alba
-
Student - Unicorn - Cursed
She's spun of gossamer threads lent by moonbeams and starlight, but steeped in melancholy. Beyond the moonlit veil there's a woman wilting beneath cosmic cruelty, circumstances well beyond her control.
"Shamed and rejected in the woods she hides and has her dwelling in the lonely caves;"
（Name）
*Calypso（D.O.B.）
*???（Gender）
Female（Species）
*Human（Origin）
*???（Job）
*Alchemist（Alignment）
*Lawful Good☾PreludeWhen Ouranos Astraeus and Céleste Étoile wed, they were the center of controversy- for few French women of nobility were ever offered to merchant men, seas away. The Étoile House was a dying one, their income and favor with the king waning enough to force their hand and offer the youngest Étoile girl in hopes of currying favor and coin from his budding empire. Rumors swirled as Céleste was shipped from her home, arriving with snow white hair. People conjectured it was stress, a spell gone wrong, or the grief of leaving a true love in her wake- but this proved a good omen, their marriage given a propitious outcome despite a language and cultural barrier. Nine months following her arrival came Leuce- their one and only child.
It was made apparent from her infancy that she was marked with blessings. In her midst, people and animals innately relaxed, their moods improved- they were wreathed in her benevolence. They were drawn to her light, the girl offering a moment of respite in a complex, oft cruel world. Doctors were in awe of her ability to hastily heal, ward off illnesses- they attributed it to her silvery blood, of which many begged her parents to allow them further study. It was then, when word of her unusual blood leaked beyond the doors of their manor, that the girl became confined. She made friends of the servants, tutors, and the animals kept- but there crept a longing to be free to walk outside the narrow confines of her home- to run into the deep wood, to eye all of the offerings of the town market, and watch the ships set sail on an open and vast sea.InterludeIt wasn't until her tutors conveyed that Leuce was gifted with a sharp intellect that she was allowed to venture beyond her home. She was the subject of fierce debate and discussion, until finally her parents relented, shipping her to the country's most prestigious school. Leuce had a voracious appetite for the sciences, for alchemy, and the arcane. Socially stunted, she found solace in studying long hours, eventually finding enough favor with her professors that they'd allow her reign of their labs. These 4 years were marked with bliss and she mounted lofty dreams of remaining in academia, to pursue these subjects dearest to her. She'd even selected a few specializations- healing magic, abjuration spells, arcane zoology & botany.
While she lived the life of her dreams, her father was busy arranging her marriage. In a gesture of good faith in hopes of favorable trade agreements with Egyptians, she was to be wed to a noble. Atum was his name, but amongst the locals and beyond, he was the man that turned the rivers red. Hushed whispers spoke of a man whose cruelty and obsession with blood magic knew no bounds. There were rumors that his hands were stained red with the atrocities he committed.PostludeHer schooling came to an abrupt end, shipped from her beloved professors and few friends, made to weather the storm of a man unhinged. There would be use in wedding her, for Atum had plans of exploiting her sacrificing her to his patron and creating in her a perfect agent to spread voidsent madness. In a desperate bid to preserve herself, she would send correspondence to her favored professor of Arcanamirium, Professor Constair Labkost, alerting him of her dire straits, pleading with him to aid in her escape. Constair proved himself a noble and just gnome- and thusly, in the dead of night and with the aid of a few trusted servants, she left Egypt. Leuce has utilized a network of kind souls to travel from shore to shore, housed by a network of good Samaritans and kindly folks.
No matter how far she strays, she finds herself forever bound to Atum. Her magic is tightly wound up in a curse of his making. All of that study she'd dedicated her life to is rendered null and void for now- and as time progresses, so too does the curse. It is slowly robbing her of her health, corrupting her bloodstream and her ability to heal. Cuts are slow to clot, bruises linger, her cheeks hollow and her frame grows gaunt- but worst of all is the growing sense of dread she cannot shake.
"yet still her love endures and grows on grief,"
（Skin）
*Pallid
（Hair）
*Two-tone
（Eyes）
*Dark
（Scars）
*One
（Condit.）
*Many
（Health）
*Poor（Height）
5'0"
（Build）
Gaunt
（Posture）
*Perfect
（Voice）
*Soprano
（Scent）
*Many
（Lang.）
*Many
"and weeping vigils waste her frame away;"
Intelligent ‑ Methodical ‑ Patient ‑ Inventive ‑ Polite☆A bookish introvert, Leuce is most comfortable on the fringes of society. Despite her tendency to skirt social gatherings, she exudes a genuine benevolence to those that cross her path. Both speech and posture are impeccably formal, if not a bit stiff- but true warmth can be discerned in her words. She is quick to offer reassurance and gifts to friends and total strangers alike. An academic and problem solver at heart, she constantly seeks to study, create, improve, and expand. Her intellect and ambition are always colored in humility.☆Likes ‑ books, working, tea
..................................................................................
Aloof ‑ Rigid ‑ Anxious ‑ Weak ‑ Naive☆Poorly socialized as a child, Leuce's formality can come across as cold and clinical. Discomfort can be misconstrued as aloofness, her affections and expressions closely guarded. She is seemingly averse to touch from most, with some exceptions to that rule. Best described as melancholic, pervasive sadness and anxiety can be witnessed on the surface despite her best efforts to conceal them. Depression and anxiety have been her constant companions since her youth, likely a combination of brain chemical imbalance and circumstance. As a coping mechanism she self-isolates, creating a layer of loneliness on top of her existing issues. Her naivety is a product of her lifelong isolation, for she is quick to trust and has trouble discerning good and malicious intent. As a result, she has a tendency of easily falling into the wrong hands, resulting in affirming her withdrawn tendencies. Leuce finds herself consistently trapped between craving to absolve her loneliness and barricading herself from society. It doesn't help that she is riddled with insecurities, ranging from imposter syndrome and inadequacy in her work to despising her wasting frame. To stave off these crushing feelings, she throws herself into her work with wild fervor. She previously worked tirelessly to ethically source her reagents and objects of study. Recently, however, she's engaged in morally dubious sourcing methods- primarily theft. This shift in her morality has launched an aggressive identity crisis. Leuce cannot recognize herself in the mirror, but even worse, she cannot recognize her own conscience. Every attempt to reconcile the differences in who she was and who she is currently results in spiraling dread.☆Dislikes ‑ crowds, eye-contact, being touched
"her body shrivels, all its moisture dries;"
（Motifs）
White PoplarDuality of woman.
WaterChange, turbulence, peace.
Moon & StarsCyclical change, lunacy, passivity.
PomegranateDeath, rebirth.
（Inventory）
GrimoireUpon first glance, it appears to be a normal spellbook- earned post graduation from Arcanamirium. The arcanist's grimoire is actually named "Aigeiros," a sentient being that claims to be a hamadryad trapped within its pages. Bound in chestnut hued leather with an ornate border, Aigeiros's gleaming, amethyst eye sees all. Leuce and Aigeiros speak often, and considers the grimoire her best friend. She hopes to one day have the ability to free Aigeiros from her page prison.
StaffCarved from the wood of the white poplar tree is Leuce's graduate's staff earned post graduation from Arcanamirium. The staff isn't sentient. It is, however, lovingly and ornately crafted by her former professor and dear friend Professor Constair Labkost. Leuce and Professor Labkost mined and polished the amethyst crowning the staff together. She uses the staff to channel magic during powerful spells.
CartOne of Leuce's first purchases upon arriving to Guildereim, the cart is often heard before being seen. The wheels need sanding, it needs new spokes- it announces itself with groans of protest. Inside it contains most of her wares, and despite needing help to pull it around, it is mobile enough that she can set up shop anywhere there's activity. Large panels unfold on hinges, acting as shelves where she can neatly arrange wares for display.
Blood arcanists are casters that are born with innate magics and scholars of the arcane, marrying the science and theory of casting with inherited abilities. Rarely are they satisfied with a single magical discipline, and Leuce is no different: her interests branching off from spells and spell crafting into alchemy and artificer tinkering. Arcanists are generalized as being reckless in their hungry pursuits of knowledge-backed power, with some of the most well known arcanists being infamous for egregious abuse of awesome power. Leuce prefers the practice of defensive and minimally violent, having specialized in abjuration spells at Arcanamirium. One of her theses upon graduating was "A Study in Micro Abjuration Theory: The Micro Mechanisms that Trap, Store, and Redirect Residual Magics in Abjuration Spells." Her other chosen fields of study were arcane botany and zoology, with her thesis focusing on the ecology and sustainability of these species: “A Projection of Ecological Devastation if the Collection of Arcane Imbued Flora & Fauna Continues at its Current Rate.” Finally, her last concentration was on healing magic, a field which features evocation, conjuration, and transmutation magics. Her final thesis was “Hybridizing Healing Magic: A Novel Spell which Combines the Burst Healing of Conjuration Magic & the Sustained Healing of Transmutation Magic.”
While some of Leuce's arcane magics are inherent, most are learned and require intensive study and daily preparation. In order to produce these spells, arcanists must sleep for eight hours beforehand and study their spells for a minimum of an hour- though most arcanists exceed that minimum requirement. The number of spells she can perform in a day are limited, but the spells previously studied can be produced as often as desired.☽
Sketching & Painting-A far cry from an artist, the alchemist greatly enjoys sketching and painting as a hobby. Detailed sketches of plants and animals is her preference, she can render the human form and produce oil paintings.
Piano, Violin, & Harp-Proficient in all three instruments, she greatly prefers playing piano and violin to the harp. Playing these instruments have been a lifelong love of hers, though only her violin is in her possession.
Singing-A natural born talent, Leuce is a classically trained operatic coloratura soprano. Her parents did not allow her to take to the stage, but featured her talents at balls and exclusive gatherings.
Botany & Horticulture-An avid botanist and horticulturist, the alchemist formally studies plants and applies her findings to streamline growth. Presently absent of a garden, she occasionally appropriates Kodin's garden.
（Arcane）
NullLeuce is magic void and magic nullifying- any attempts to discern or detect magics registers nothing. She can not produce, consume, or be affected by magics at the present moment. Consumption of her blood will reproduce a magic null and void state.
PolymorphLeuce can turn into her true form, a unicorn, at will. Unicorns are renowned for their magical abilities: healing, water purification, vegetation restoration, communication with nature, and detection of good and evil. These magics are enhanced greatly in her unicorn form.
HealA touch is all it takes to stymie the progression of deadly diseases, life-threatening wounds, lethal poisonings, and fatal toxins. Leuce cannot replace the role of medical care, but she can as a buffer between life and death until treatment.
Purify WaterWith a touch of the water's surface, waters once tainted become pure. Poisons & toxins dissipate without a trace, leaving in its wake water pure enough for consumption. This power is limited to water in close proximity.
Green ThumbPlants flourish under Leuce's care. She cannot revive a dead plant, but a touch can restore plants near death. With one touch she instinctively deciphers the types of soil, amounts of water, and degree of sunlight plants require.
Commune with NatureAnimals and plants have a language all their own. Leuce can hear a constant stream of nature's speech anytime she's in close proximity. She can innately comprehend and non-verbally communicate with animals and plants.
Detect Good & EvilWhile most beings are neither good or evil but shades of gray, some can be screened by their shining benevolence or aberrant malice. Since it is so rare to counter these extremes, it is an ability seldom used but exceedingly helpful in certain situations.
"only her voice and bones are left;"
"at last only her voice,........................................................................................................................
her bones are turned to stone,
so in the woods she hides and hills around,
for all to hear,
alive, but just a sound."
