APPLICATION: Grail Wars
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Æther Brandier
Normally operates under the alias Ether Errant.
His real name is Greek in origin and sounds more like "eye-fer". Due to difficulty of its pronunciation, modern spelling is used unless he's in the presence of his family and very close friends.
History:
"The thirst for progress is in our blood."
The Brandier clan are a small and secretive bloodline of magi currently stationed in France. According to the history of the clan, the founder of their bloodline was one of the eight founders of the Order of the Rose Cross, with some even pinning the honor on Christian Rosenkreuz himself. It is unknown if such wild claims are true, and centuries of time make it even harder to research.
Every member of the clan is expected to undertake an oath based on that of the original Order. As a result, members of the Brandier family are known as noble and altruistic, having sworn to heal the sick and injured without payment, as well as to aid those in need. The members of the clan often become mercenaries or enforcers, seeking to remain in the areas where their help is most needed.
They are also sworn to an oath of secrecy, a habit often looked down by members of the Association. Although Brandier clansmen tend to pursue knowledge their entire life, most unique spells and incantations developed by them are never revealed to outsiders and often even other members of the clan.
The clan is not very popular in the Association because of their secretive nature and peculiar customs. Its members are looked down on by most noble bloodlines, and mostly denied high positions within the organization. However, they are considered valuable due to the high quality of their bloodline and largely left to their own devices.
"It was a kind of childhood expected from a modern magus."
Æther is the third child in the current generation of Brandier family. He has a twin sister, older than him by three minutes, and a brother who is seven years older. The Brandier clan has been plagued by misfortunes in recent years. Æther's mother lost the use of her legs back when the boy was four years old. His father was committed to a psychiatric hospital when he was seven. These sudden losses forced the clan to seek a new successor before any were sufficiently trained.
For better or worse, there was no feud for the role. Æther's brother has been disowned by the family several years prior, having committed manslaughter during an experiment and thus going against everything the family stood for. His sister lost her arm during her studies, and the healing procedures greatly lowered her compatibility with the clan's Thaumaturgical Crest. It was with her encouragement and support, that Æther took up the role.
His time in the Association has been fairly uneventful. A talented magus both in blood and mindset, Æther easily made it through classes. As the reputation of his clan left little hope for his future within the organization, he didn't bother with establishing a contact network. He did make several friends, all of whom went in different directions and with all of whom he is still keeping contact.
Æther did have a memorable incident during those years, one that manifested itself as a relationship with the daughter of a powerful bloodline. The two spent a lot of time together, but never advanced beyond several dates. As soon as the rumors reached the girl's family, they did everything in their power to separate the two. This event affected Æther greatly, having made him more distant and changing his approach to magic on a fundamental level.
By the time Æther returned from the Association, he became tense and distant. No longer comfortable in the confines of his family's household and sick of petty feuds among magus families, he was more interested in continuing the family tradition than working with the organization. His mother had quickly noticed it and, after finishing the transplantation of the clan's Thaumaturgical Crest, sent him out on a journey.
From there on, Æther's life as a magus would begin.
"The sky will let me know."
Most magi make themselves a name in the hallways of the Clock Tower. Ether, who has adopted an alias at this point, made his name in the field. After having left home, he has become a Freelancer, a mercenary magus who would become in any dispute that allowed him to pursue the oath of his clan. Most recent generations of the Brandier bloodline chose passive roles in conflicts. Ether quickly accepted an active one instead, often being the one to first enter the fray and target the source of the conflict.
It was during this time, that Ether revealed his true potential and abilities as a magus. Being forced to constantly adapt to the battlefield, he would find himself developing new spells and weaponry that would benefit his goals. In only two years of being on the road, Ether would develop several new spells that enhanced his defense and mobility, giving him a great edge in speed during combat. He also pursued research of Mystic Codes, fully intent on crafting his own weapon by the time he hit twenty.
In the same two years, Ether made himself a reputation as a skilled fighter and a competent researcher. But, as if discontent with these achievements, he refused every invitation back into the Association and continued working on his own.
Soon after he turned nineteen, Ether was called back into his household by his mother and sister. A peculiar letter arrived to the household. It was a request. The next round of the Holy Grail War was to begin in six months, and the noble family behind the request recently lost their representative to a freak accident. If Ether would replace him, he would be granted both the wish and the support of the family within the Association. As for the family...
It was the family of the girl he fell for during his years in the Association, what seemed like a long time ago.
A week later, a letter arrived to that household. It contained a rejection of their offer, with the reason stated in one simple sentence.
"I have nothing to wish for."
Six months passed. On the eve of the Holy Grail War, Æther Brandier arrived to Fuyuki City, his identity defined by the now well-known alias.
He refused to participate in the event, that much was true.
But the proximity of conflict would surely benefit both his research into Mystic Codes and his pursuit of his family's purpose.
Personality:
Ether is a rare case of someone who can be easily understood without words. More of a doer than a talker, he is fairly quiet and prefers to avoid excessive speech for the sake of a broad range of gestures and expressions. In rare cases when he does speak, he reveals himself as fairly reasonable and professional, with a dry and sarcastic sense of humor. He can easily explain complicated things and can provide a decent discussion, although he tends to come off as someone who doesn't like to talk all that much. He is borderline incapable of sounding angry and abrasive, if only because his manner of speech is too soft. He prefers to show extreme emotions through actions, not words.
Despite his reserved behavior, Ether is exceptionally emotional and earnest. He is quick to show how he feels through actions, quick to attack when angered and not ashamed of tears when upset. His smiles and tears are shockingly honest, making it clear that one can understand his mood and opinions without them being voiced. He could be described as someone very easy to read, although his intelligence and skill keep him from being predictable.
Ether is noble, proud and fairly short-tempered. He is incapable of ignoring people in pain and often tries to help others, even complete strangers. He respects power, but is very opinionated about its use. He is easily drawn to strong-willed and emotional people, but quick to despise the misuse of strength. In Ether's eyes, power is something you use to protect something important to you and achieve your dreams. Those who use power for harm or material gain, are worthless and deserve to be ruined. He is quick to side with those too weak to protect themselves or unable to achieve something on their own, and proves to be a loyal once he chooses sides.
Despite the intensity of his actions, Ether is a daydreamer and a bit of a poet. He can seem absent-minded in peaceful times, more interested in watching the sky and composing dreamy monologues than interacting with the world at large. He is obsessively curious, a trait common in his family, and has a powerful imagination that can give meaning to everything around him, no matter how small and insignificant it seems to be. The world is a maelstrom of life in Ether's eyes, and every second he spends in it is worth it.
Although he can come off as an idealist, Ether is far from one. He can be fairly cynical when confronted with the harsher aspects of life, and his sense of humor is rather dark. He is romantic, but he has seen enough in his life to understand that the world is not a happy place and not everything will go the right way. That is, unless he helps it.
Indeed, Ether's pride and confidence in his own abilities are strong enough to come off as arrogant. He is confident that even if everything around him goes to hell, he is strong and skilled enough to turn the tide in his favor. In the end, he is a rogue as much as he is a knight, and his nobility and kindness are only emphasized by his readiness to do anything to force the world toward the direction he considers worthwhile.
FOR MASTERS
As mentioned in his history, I'm apping Ether as a character not participating in the Holy Grail War. But as he may end up being tempted or hired to aid a specific magus, I'll fill out his powers and specialties section.
Powers/Specialties:
Ether is a talented magus for his age, classified as 3rd rank by the seven-rank system of the Clock Tower. Although the origins of his clan are debatable, the quality of his bloodline is evident in the number of his Magic Circuits (30) and their decent quality. His Thaumaturgical Crest, engraved into his right arm and a part of his back, is four generations old. He is also an excellent physical condition due to his lifestyle.
Due to his family's customs, he knows a number of healing and defensive spells. He has a good knowledge of traditional medicine and can administer first aid without the use of sorcery. His knowledge of offensive sorcery is limited in comparison, largely focused on spells Ether prefers to use. He favors spells based on wind and lightning, with fire and water being used as secondary choices.
His unique equipment and spells include:
Chronicle of Sky
The product of Ether's research into magical weaponry, as well as a crucial component of his spells. Although it could be considered his Mystic Code, it is still incomplete and has yet to take the shape expected from it.
At this stage of development, the Chronicle of Sky takes the form of a book. Its cover is made of metal with a golden hue and decorated with thin blue circuitry, similar in shape (but not function) to Magic Circuits. Its size and rather basic function conceal an effective instrument.
Like most basic Mystic Codes, the Chronicle of Sky functions as an amplifier. The runes and magical circles on its pages are designed to reinforce spells or store prana for future use. Its spiritual link with Ether allows it to open on the needed page at a thought. Although fairly advanced for an amplifier-type Mystic Code, it's not intended to be used as one and is thus far from complete.
As an interesting note, the Chronicle of Sky generates Ether Clump when prana is injected into it. According to Ether, this side effect is intentional.
Wander Veil
Ether's favorite defensive spell, and one connected directly to his Mystic Code. Once cast, a translucent shield appears around Ether and takes form similar to a cloak. The shield can absorb most attacks directed at it, deflecting bullets and magical energy. Even more, it will absorb the prana from the attack and feed it into the Chronicle of Sky, effectively providing material for new spells.
Wander Veil has two flaws. First of all, it is only active when its user is moving. Standing in one place will make it disappear until the user resumes movement, making it useless in small spaces and ineffective against attacks that might stress and confuse the user.
Furthermore, its size and proximity from the user make it incapable of countering heavy direct hits, such as large weaponry or falling debris.
Chevrefoil
This spell requires a single plant seed to be used. Once cast, a massive amount of mana is injected into the seed. It immediately transmutes its structure and expands its size, creating an enchanted vine. Although similar to honeysuckle in appearance, the vine is a mystical object with the durability of a steel rope. It is fired forward, thus being used a projectile weapon or a grappling wire.
Schwarzweiss
The only offensive spell created by Ether, Schwarzweiss combines the Wind and Void elements to create a luminescent blade that protrudes from the caster's hand. The blade is about two feet long, making it only effective on close range. However, its secondary effect makes it an effective weapon.
Schwarzweiss has the ability to disrupt the flow of prana in everything it strikes. A magus injured by it will not only take damage from the wind blade, but feel that their Magic Circuits do not respond as easily as before. Although the effect is very short-lived, from one to five minutes, it is enough to interfere with the enemy's attack pattern for a short time.
Phantasmagoria of the Silver Sky
The ultimate spell of the Brandier Clan, known for how cautiously it is hidden from the outside world. All documents describing its origin and use have been destroyed, forcing all information to be retold by memory from generation to generation.
Phantasmagoria specializes in transformation and regeneration of living beings. Once activated, the magus can transform their body into a different form and direct it to any location within the radius of fifteen miles. As long as even one percent of the original form reaches the target location, the magus can completely regenerate within the span of two-three hours. For that reason, forms that consist of multiple pieces (such as swarms of flower petals and small animals) are favored. Furthermore, all injuries are healed upon reconstruction, letting the magus return into battle immediately.
Although considered an effective spell for escaping certain death, Phantasmagoria has several harsh limitations on its use. First of all, the spell can only be activated by a specific code chant that is revealed to the magus while casting the spell. This chant is placed into their mind in the form of a riddle or a code, forcing the magus to first crack the code before they can activate the transformation sequence again. The code resets after every use, making it impossible to use the spell in rapid succession.
This harsh limitation is placed onto the spell due to the sheer accuracy required to reconfigure the body from one form into another. If even one piece of the spell is wrong and the magus is unfocused, the damage to their body may be severe or even permanent. All of Ether's family are prime examples of this case, as his father had his memory wiped during the last use, his mother lost the use of her legs and his sister lost her arm. For this reason, Ether keeps this spell for emergency purposes.
It is known that Phantasmagoria can be used to reinforce the user's body during regeneration. It is common for a member of the Brandier clan to use the spell to repair their bodies and prolong their lifespan when worthy successors are not born for a long time, thus enhancing their lifespan to several centuries. However, the spell is still extremely dangerous to control and should not be used lightly.
Player Availability: GMT +02:00
I live in Ukraine, but I also work from home and spend most of my time online as a result. My sleeping schedule is fairly chaotic and often results in all-nighters, so I can be easily reached overall.
SAMPLES
First-person:
The Holy Grail War, huh...
It's an exceptional brand of foolishness, no? Summon a monster and murder some magi for a single wish. All the collateral damage will be covered up as tragic accidents, even when the losses are people. Talk about refusing all responsibility for their actions.
If they want me to participate, they should expect me to participate the way my clan would.
Third-person:
Fuyuki City. Eight o'clock in the morning.
It was a very normal morning, uneventful and painfully slow. The kind when nothing seemed to happen, no matter how small or insignificant, and Ether felt like going back to sleep before the day even started. He settled down on the bed, legs crossed and the blankets bundled beneath him into a confusing mess, and brushed his fingertips against the cold surface of the book in his hands. The ornament on the cover shimmered with color and became warm, as if coming to life. He smiled faintly in response.
The day was finally beginning.
The room became filled with noise as the small, cheap TV in the corner of his hotel room came to life. On the screen, a newscaster whose vapid expression was poorly hidden by layers of makeup kept on going on about the latest events in this small city. A few new construction projects. A few deaths. A gas pipe explosion right on the highway, where there shouldn't be any gas pipes. Did they seriously think they were fooling anyone with that? Or was this city already so used to explosions and death that any story could work?
Ether made a discontent sound. His hand gracefully planted itself onto the surface of his book, only to slam it close. The ornament on the circuitry on the cover shimmered one final time and went back to sleep. The procedure was finished. With this, he should have been able to last himself a night. At least, he could hope so.
Were this city and this whole event as much of event as the first impression made them out to be? Ether wondered. No matter what was going on in this city, he had his work cut out for him.
The remote control was lifted from the bed and the power button was pressed, cutting off the newscaster's speech mid-sentence. The young man rose to his feet and made his way toward the pile of clothes on the nearby chair. He needed to explore the town before anything started.
It was a very normal morning, uneventful and painfully slow. And that might have been what made it the best morning he could wish for right now.
Name: Æther Brandier
Normally operates under the alias Ether Errant.
His real name is Greek in origin and sounds more like "eye-fer". Due to difficulty of its pronunciation, modern spelling is used unless he's in the presence of his family and very close friends.
History:
"The thirst for progress is in our blood."
The Brandier clan are a small and secretive bloodline of magi currently stationed in France. According to the history of the clan, the founder of their bloodline was one of the eight founders of the Order of the Rose Cross, with some even pinning the honor on Christian Rosenkreuz himself. It is unknown if such wild claims are true, and centuries of time make it even harder to research.
Every member of the clan is expected to undertake an oath based on that of the original Order. As a result, members of the Brandier family are known as noble and altruistic, having sworn to heal the sick and injured without payment, as well as to aid those in need. The members of the clan often become mercenaries or enforcers, seeking to remain in the areas where their help is most needed.
They are also sworn to an oath of secrecy, a habit often looked down by members of the Association. Although Brandier clansmen tend to pursue knowledge their entire life, most unique spells and incantations developed by them are never revealed to outsiders and often even other members of the clan.
The clan is not very popular in the Association because of their secretive nature and peculiar customs. Its members are looked down on by most noble bloodlines, and mostly denied high positions within the organization. However, they are considered valuable due to the high quality of their bloodline and largely left to their own devices.
"It was a kind of childhood expected from a modern magus."
Æther is the third child in the current generation of Brandier family. He has a twin sister, older than him by three minutes, and a brother who is seven years older. The Brandier clan has been plagued by misfortunes in recent years. Æther's mother lost the use of her legs back when the boy was four years old. His father was committed to a psychiatric hospital when he was seven. These sudden losses forced the clan to seek a new successor before any were sufficiently trained.
For better or worse, there was no feud for the role. Æther's brother has been disowned by the family several years prior, having committed manslaughter during an experiment and thus going against everything the family stood for. His sister lost her arm during her studies, and the healing procedures greatly lowered her compatibility with the clan's Thaumaturgical Crest. It was with her encouragement and support, that Æther took up the role.
His time in the Association has been fairly uneventful. A talented magus both in blood and mindset, Æther easily made it through classes. As the reputation of his clan left little hope for his future within the organization, he didn't bother with establishing a contact network. He did make several friends, all of whom went in different directions and with all of whom he is still keeping contact.
Æther did have a memorable incident during those years, one that manifested itself as a relationship with the daughter of a powerful bloodline. The two spent a lot of time together, but never advanced beyond several dates. As soon as the rumors reached the girl's family, they did everything in their power to separate the two. This event affected Æther greatly, having made him more distant and changing his approach to magic on a fundamental level.
By the time Æther returned from the Association, he became tense and distant. No longer comfortable in the confines of his family's household and sick of petty feuds among magus families, he was more interested in continuing the family tradition than working with the organization. His mother had quickly noticed it and, after finishing the transplantation of the clan's Thaumaturgical Crest, sent him out on a journey.
From there on, Æther's life as a magus would begin.
"The sky will let me know."
Most magi make themselves a name in the hallways of the Clock Tower. Ether, who has adopted an alias at this point, made his name in the field. After having left home, he has become a Freelancer, a mercenary magus who would become in any dispute that allowed him to pursue the oath of his clan. Most recent generations of the Brandier bloodline chose passive roles in conflicts. Ether quickly accepted an active one instead, often being the one to first enter the fray and target the source of the conflict.
It was during this time, that Ether revealed his true potential and abilities as a magus. Being forced to constantly adapt to the battlefield, he would find himself developing new spells and weaponry that would benefit his goals. In only two years of being on the road, Ether would develop several new spells that enhanced his defense and mobility, giving him a great edge in speed during combat. He also pursued research of Mystic Codes, fully intent on crafting his own weapon by the time he hit twenty.
In the same two years, Ether made himself a reputation as a skilled fighter and a competent researcher. But, as if discontent with these achievements, he refused every invitation back into the Association and continued working on his own.
Soon after he turned nineteen, Ether was called back into his household by his mother and sister. A peculiar letter arrived to the household. It was a request. The next round of the Holy Grail War was to begin in six months, and the noble family behind the request recently lost their representative to a freak accident. If Ether would replace him, he would be granted both the wish and the support of the family within the Association. As for the family...
It was the family of the girl he fell for during his years in the Association, what seemed like a long time ago.
A week later, a letter arrived to that household. It contained a rejection of their offer, with the reason stated in one simple sentence.
"I have nothing to wish for."
Six months passed. On the eve of the Holy Grail War, Æther Brandier arrived to Fuyuki City, his identity defined by the now well-known alias.
He refused to participate in the event, that much was true.
But the proximity of conflict would surely benefit both his research into Mystic Codes and his pursuit of his family's purpose.
Personality:
Ether is a rare case of someone who can be easily understood without words. More of a doer than a talker, he is fairly quiet and prefers to avoid excessive speech for the sake of a broad range of gestures and expressions. In rare cases when he does speak, he reveals himself as fairly reasonable and professional, with a dry and sarcastic sense of humor. He can easily explain complicated things and can provide a decent discussion, although he tends to come off as someone who doesn't like to talk all that much. He is borderline incapable of sounding angry and abrasive, if only because his manner of speech is too soft. He prefers to show extreme emotions through actions, not words.
Despite his reserved behavior, Ether is exceptionally emotional and earnest. He is quick to show how he feels through actions, quick to attack when angered and not ashamed of tears when upset. His smiles and tears are shockingly honest, making it clear that one can understand his mood and opinions without them being voiced. He could be described as someone very easy to read, although his intelligence and skill keep him from being predictable.
Ether is noble, proud and fairly short-tempered. He is incapable of ignoring people in pain and often tries to help others, even complete strangers. He respects power, but is very opinionated about its use. He is easily drawn to strong-willed and emotional people, but quick to despise the misuse of strength. In Ether's eyes, power is something you use to protect something important to you and achieve your dreams. Those who use power for harm or material gain, are worthless and deserve to be ruined. He is quick to side with those too weak to protect themselves or unable to achieve something on their own, and proves to be a loyal once he chooses sides.
Despite the intensity of his actions, Ether is a daydreamer and a bit of a poet. He can seem absent-minded in peaceful times, more interested in watching the sky and composing dreamy monologues than interacting with the world at large. He is obsessively curious, a trait common in his family, and has a powerful imagination that can give meaning to everything around him, no matter how small and insignificant it seems to be. The world is a maelstrom of life in Ether's eyes, and every second he spends in it is worth it.
Although he can come off as an idealist, Ether is far from one. He can be fairly cynical when confronted with the harsher aspects of life, and his sense of humor is rather dark. He is romantic, but he has seen enough in his life to understand that the world is not a happy place and not everything will go the right way. That is, unless he helps it.
Indeed, Ether's pride and confidence in his own abilities are strong enough to come off as arrogant. He is confident that even if everything around him goes to hell, he is strong and skilled enough to turn the tide in his favor. In the end, he is a rogue as much as he is a knight, and his nobility and kindness are only emphasized by his readiness to do anything to force the world toward the direction he considers worthwhile.
FOR MASTERS
As mentioned in his history, I'm apping Ether as a character not participating in the Holy Grail War. But as he may end up being tempted or hired to aid a specific magus, I'll fill out his powers and specialties section.
Powers/Specialties:
Ether is a talented magus for his age, classified as 3rd rank by the seven-rank system of the Clock Tower. Although the origins of his clan are debatable, the quality of his bloodline is evident in the number of his Magic Circuits (30) and their decent quality. His Thaumaturgical Crest, engraved into his right arm and a part of his back, is four generations old. He is also an excellent physical condition due to his lifestyle.
Due to his family's customs, he knows a number of healing and defensive spells. He has a good knowledge of traditional medicine and can administer first aid without the use of sorcery. His knowledge of offensive sorcery is limited in comparison, largely focused on spells Ether prefers to use. He favors spells based on wind and lightning, with fire and water being used as secondary choices.
His unique equipment and spells include:
Chronicle of Sky
The product of Ether's research into magical weaponry, as well as a crucial component of his spells. Although it could be considered his Mystic Code, it is still incomplete and has yet to take the shape expected from it.
At this stage of development, the Chronicle of Sky takes the form of a book. Its cover is made of metal with a golden hue and decorated with thin blue circuitry, similar in shape (but not function) to Magic Circuits. Its size and rather basic function conceal an effective instrument.
Like most basic Mystic Codes, the Chronicle of Sky functions as an amplifier. The runes and magical circles on its pages are designed to reinforce spells or store prana for future use. Its spiritual link with Ether allows it to open on the needed page at a thought. Although fairly advanced for an amplifier-type Mystic Code, it's not intended to be used as one and is thus far from complete.
As an interesting note, the Chronicle of Sky generates Ether Clump when prana is injected into it. According to Ether, this side effect is intentional.
Wander Veil
Ether's favorite defensive spell, and one connected directly to his Mystic Code. Once cast, a translucent shield appears around Ether and takes form similar to a cloak. The shield can absorb most attacks directed at it, deflecting bullets and magical energy. Even more, it will absorb the prana from the attack and feed it into the Chronicle of Sky, effectively providing material for new spells.
Wander Veil has two flaws. First of all, it is only active when its user is moving. Standing in one place will make it disappear until the user resumes movement, making it useless in small spaces and ineffective against attacks that might stress and confuse the user.
Furthermore, its size and proximity from the user make it incapable of countering heavy direct hits, such as large weaponry or falling debris.
Chevrefoil
This spell requires a single plant seed to be used. Once cast, a massive amount of mana is injected into the seed. It immediately transmutes its structure and expands its size, creating an enchanted vine. Although similar to honeysuckle in appearance, the vine is a mystical object with the durability of a steel rope. It is fired forward, thus being used a projectile weapon or a grappling wire.
Schwarzweiss
The only offensive spell created by Ether, Schwarzweiss combines the Wind and Void elements to create a luminescent blade that protrudes from the caster's hand. The blade is about two feet long, making it only effective on close range. However, its secondary effect makes it an effective weapon.
Schwarzweiss has the ability to disrupt the flow of prana in everything it strikes. A magus injured by it will not only take damage from the wind blade, but feel that their Magic Circuits do not respond as easily as before. Although the effect is very short-lived, from one to five minutes, it is enough to interfere with the enemy's attack pattern for a short time.
Phantasmagoria of the Silver Sky
The ultimate spell of the Brandier Clan, known for how cautiously it is hidden from the outside world. All documents describing its origin and use have been destroyed, forcing all information to be retold by memory from generation to generation.
Phantasmagoria specializes in transformation and regeneration of living beings. Once activated, the magus can transform their body into a different form and direct it to any location within the radius of fifteen miles. As long as even one percent of the original form reaches the target location, the magus can completely regenerate within the span of two-three hours. For that reason, forms that consist of multiple pieces (such as swarms of flower petals and small animals) are favored. Furthermore, all injuries are healed upon reconstruction, letting the magus return into battle immediately.
Although considered an effective spell for escaping certain death, Phantasmagoria has several harsh limitations on its use. First of all, the spell can only be activated by a specific code chant that is revealed to the magus while casting the spell. This chant is placed into their mind in the form of a riddle or a code, forcing the magus to first crack the code before they can activate the transformation sequence again. The code resets after every use, making it impossible to use the spell in rapid succession.
This harsh limitation is placed onto the spell due to the sheer accuracy required to reconfigure the body from one form into another. If even one piece of the spell is wrong and the magus is unfocused, the damage to their body may be severe or even permanent. All of Ether's family are prime examples of this case, as his father had his memory wiped during the last use, his mother lost the use of her legs and his sister lost her arm. For this reason, Ether keeps this spell for emergency purposes.
It is known that Phantasmagoria can be used to reinforce the user's body during regeneration. It is common for a member of the Brandier clan to use the spell to repair their bodies and prolong their lifespan when worthy successors are not born for a long time, thus enhancing their lifespan to several centuries. However, the spell is still extremely dangerous to control and should not be used lightly.
Player Availability: GMT +02:00
I live in Ukraine, but I also work from home and spend most of my time online as a result. My sleeping schedule is fairly chaotic and often results in all-nighters, so I can be easily reached overall.
SAMPLES
First-person:
The Holy Grail War, huh...
It's an exceptional brand of foolishness, no? Summon a monster and murder some magi for a single wish. All the collateral damage will be covered up as tragic accidents, even when the losses are people. Talk about refusing all responsibility for their actions.
If they want me to participate, they should expect me to participate the way my clan would.
Third-person:
Fuyuki City. Eight o'clock in the morning.
It was a very normal morning, uneventful and painfully slow. The kind when nothing seemed to happen, no matter how small or insignificant, and Ether felt like going back to sleep before the day even started. He settled down on the bed, legs crossed and the blankets bundled beneath him into a confusing mess, and brushed his fingertips against the cold surface of the book in his hands. The ornament on the cover shimmered with color and became warm, as if coming to life. He smiled faintly in response.
The day was finally beginning.
The room became filled with noise as the small, cheap TV in the corner of his hotel room came to life. On the screen, a newscaster whose vapid expression was poorly hidden by layers of makeup kept on going on about the latest events in this small city. A few new construction projects. A few deaths. A gas pipe explosion right on the highway, where there shouldn't be any gas pipes. Did they seriously think they were fooling anyone with that? Or was this city already so used to explosions and death that any story could work?
Ether made a discontent sound. His hand gracefully planted itself onto the surface of his book, only to slam it close. The ornament on the circuitry on the cover shimmered one final time and went back to sleep. The procedure was finished. With this, he should have been able to last himself a night. At least, he could hope so.
Were this city and this whole event as much of event as the first impression made them out to be? Ether wondered. No matter what was going on in this city, he had his work cut out for him.
The remote control was lifted from the bed and the power button was pressed, cutting off the newscaster's speech mid-sentence. The young man rose to his feet and made his way toward the pile of clothes on the nearby chair. He needed to explore the town before anything started.
It was a very normal morning, uneventful and painfully slow. And that might have been what made it the best morning he could wish for right now.