Alexandra ex Mercere
| Alexandra (Seshat) ex Mercere | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born in | 1214 |
| Covenant | Insula Danubii |
| Played by | Pedro |
| Size | 0 |
| Confidence | 1 (3) |
| Information | |
| Characteristics | Int +3, Per +1, Str -3, Sta +2, Pre +2, Com +3, Dex -3, Qik 0 |
| Virtues | Mythic Blood (Thoth), Affinity with Ability (Magic Theory), Affinity with Art (Vim), Book Learner, Gift of Tongues, Good Teacher, *Minor Magical Focus (Heka), *Mutantum Magic, Puissant Magic Theory, Puissant Vim |
| Flaws | Necessary Condition: Symbols, Compassionate (Major), Missing Eye, Motion Sickness, Susceptibility to Divine Power, *Temperate, Visions |
| Abilities |
Art of Memory (Written) 1 Artes Liberales (Ceremonial) 1 Awareness (Alertness) 2 Brawl (Dodge) 1 Code of Hermes (Redcaps) 1 Concentration (Spell Concentration) 5 Dead Language: Latin (Writing) 5 Dominion Lore (Angels) 1 Faerie Lore (Spirits) 1 Folk Ken (Magi) 1 Guile (Disguises) 1 Living Language: Arabic (Writing) 5 Magic Lore (Spirits) 1 Magic Theory (Vim) 2+2 Order of Hermes Lore (Mercere) 1 Parma Magica (Vim) 1 Profession: Scribe (Quality) 3 Survival (Deserts) 2 Teaching (Pagan) 3 |
Early Life
As with most of her House, Alexandra came from Mercere's own blood. Her mother, a Greek Redcap named Cassandra, was part of the Cult of Heroes, and after years of traveling through far and unexplored lands, she returned to her family with child. She was very particular about her birth, though. It'd have to happen on Hermopolis, where supposedly the child was conceived. Abiding by her wishes, the Redcaps of Thebes assembled a small group to accompany Cassandra to the southern lands of Egypt, where the traditional ritual for enhancing the chances for the Gift was performed.
The experience was a disaster. The ritual went awry, and Cassandra had her left eye thorn out in gruesome fashion. The cult healed her back in no time, but the newborn wasn't so lucky. The missing eye she would get used to, but the scars in her face were too ominous to ignore: they looked exactly like the eye that, in the ancient Egyptian mythology, was lost by Horus and restored by Thoth. When Cassandra awoke to see the child, she was surprisingly pleased. She kissed the scars, whispered words only the newborn heard and fell asleep again and left in the middle of the night.
With no name to go for, the Redcaps decided to call her Alexandra, in honor of the city she would be raised in. As she grew, she learned to wear the scars like a trophy: they were the only thing her mother left her before departing. She painted over them with the colorful and typical makeup of the ancients, which her family took as the greatest sign she was meant to be a part of the Cult of Heroes, the worshipers of the Ancient Gods.
When she was of age, she was taken to the Theban Tribunal, but what seemed like a fun adventure turned into an experience she would never forget. As she climbed on a boat for the first time, she saw herself riding Mandjet, a place she knew she shouldn't be. Three shadows stood before her, entities only meant to be seen by the dead.
They ripped her heart off her chest and weighted it against a feather, but it was still too young to be heavy with sin. She should be allowed a place in the land of the dead, except her time had not yet come. They plunged her back in the water, and she woke up just in time to warn her companions of their impending demise. They heeded her call, and turned the boat back right before the currents changed. It wasn't enough to stop it from turning over, but at least no one got hurt. The only thing that broke besides the boat was Alexandra's own courage; she never forgot that day, and had trouble riding boats ever since.
Stories of her vision spread fast within the House. When she reached Athens, she was brought to the Cult of Heroes, who assigned Pandora ex Mercere as her tutor and future Parens.
First years of Apprenticeship
Her first years with Pandora were full of adventures. Alexandra was taken to several Ancient sites, where her visions brought very insightful information. As the years rolled by, they became more frequent, and the maga taught her filli how to focus very well.
But it was hen she finally learned how to read and write that she turned into such precious asset. When she read for the first time, she found out she could understand the meaning behind any written word, regardless of their language. Pandora didn't hesitate to put her to translate ancient texts, which Alexandra did with pleasure: writing and reading felt extremely natural, one of the first things she was really good at.
Things got even more interesting when she heard the covenfolk speaking Greek for the first time after the event. Her blood called her to concentrate, and when she did, a book and a feather took shape before her, writing every single word uttered in the room. She still couldn't grasp what they were saying just by listening, but reading wasn't a problem.
Time came to finally open her Arts, and Pandora did. As Alexandra experimented with the Arts for the first times, however, it became evident that her affinities lied with those of the Mutante lineage. After word spread, the house put great pressure on Pandora to give up her apprentice, even though there was nothing that stated she would be forced to. She refused as much as she could, but she knew that ultimately, it was a lost battle. The House had way too few magi to allow such potential to go untapped.
Xavier and the Mutantes
After her 4th year as an apprentice, Alexandra was taken to Harco, where the Gifted of the House got together to decide Alexandra's fate. Pandora once more tried to fight for her, but it was settled she'd be taught by Xavier ex Mercere, a senior Mutante and the archivist of Durenmar. She would be surrounded by books and there would always be demand for her talent with words, something they all agreed would serve her best.
The girl didn't take the news so well. She was very fond of Pandora, and didn't want to leave her home once more. However, she never had a say in the matter, and was taken to Durenmar, where she would spend her remaining years as an apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship went along, and she had a very well-rounded training. Xavier taught her how to control her magic, and she learned the premisses of Mutantum Magic with ease. However, her potential for Metamagic went way beyond, but it wasn't that simple to tap into it. There was something in her blood, scars and experiences that was old and powerful.
Ultimately, he decided it would be too much trouble to understand her full potential, so he left that work for her to finish when she was on hew own. He fulfilled his role as a tutor, but until she could show her true potential, he wouldn't bother teaching her more on Mutantum.
Last years and Gauntlet
Not a single year passed by without Alexandra writing to Pandora, but she never wrote back. And after 8 years of silence, she received a summoning by the Prima to attend the Theban Tribunal. Xavier didn't want to attend, but he gave her leave to go.
It was her first time in a Tribunal, and she was in awe. She instantly recognized lots of familiar faces, and had a great time catching up with those she grew up with. And as the tribunal came to an end, she was asked to stay a while longer.
It was then that Pandora showed up and took her to a sick old lady. It was her mother, who refused to undergo the ritual of longevity and was going through a crisis. Cassandra was happy to see Alexandra, and as a last gift to her only child, she told her and the Cult of Heroes the truth about her birth. She has within her the Blood of Thoth, the Egyptian counterpart of Mercury/Hermes himself. She then asked them all to leave and shared her last words with Alexandra alone.
It was then that she shared with her the truth about her name. She didn't leave her child nameless, but True Names are just too powerful to share with everyone in the world. Alexandra is a good mask, and she should wear it as such, but her true identity should never be forgotten. She is Seshat, named after the Scribe Goddess-Daughter of Thoth, and it was her time to carry that secret. Cassandra would now be free of her burden; death would bring her long awaited rest, and she embraced it with a smile.
This was all Pandora needed to convince the Cult that the girl belonged with them. It explained the scars, the visions and even why it was easy to tame her own spells. Magic was her legacy, and it was on her hands, and not the other way around. But, once again, she had no say in the matter.
Xavier didn't oppose her going back to Greece. Her last 3 years were spent traveling with Pandora again, and it felt good to give room for her visions once more.
When the time for her Gauntlet came, it was agreed she would have to perform before both her Parentes, since they shared her teaching almost equally. She showed how she could allow her magic to take control by communing it with others. And she also displayed how she could tame it to her very own wishes. Both were pleased, and she knew the time had come for her to make her own choices.
Spells
Wizard's Sigil: Alexandra's scarred eye glows, and hieroglyphs are written over the target as words are spoken (they disappear as soon as she stops speaking them, even if the spell persists). If no words are used, they do not appear, but the eye glows regardless. Symbol: The Eye of Horus
Laboratory
Longevity Ritual
- none
Familiar
- none
Reputations
- none
Personal Raw Vis (Winter 1239)
- none
Seasonal Activities
Contributions to Insula Danubii
- none
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