Monday, March 28, 2005
Name: Heather Evangelina Ramsey
Meaning: heather = heather, evangelina = bringer of good news, ramsey = ram's land.
(Translated... Mother needed to name her after a grandmother, so the middle name worked, and Daddy picked the first name. No rhyme or reason.)
Age: 18. Legal.
Birthday: August 10
Zodiac: Leo sun, Capricorn moon, Scorpio ascending
Height: 5'9"
Likes
Wall Street Journal: She has her own subscription, and woe to the person who gets to the paper before she does. Heather reads the WSJ every day before classes, the pages tucked in her designer satchel so that she can reread the important things in study hall or when something gets dull in a lecture. The Journal is refined, mature, and a wealth of financial knowledge that Heather eats up like chocolate. It's as good as a copy of Cosmopolitan, and far more intelligent.
Old and expensive cars: Heather drives a 1967 Ford Mustang GTA convertible, a present from Mother and Daddy on her 17th birthday. She loves the cream exterior, the candied-apple interior, and the appreciative stares she receives from boys of all ages when out driving. She makes it a point to be well-informed about a handful of classic cars, and enjoys attending car shows with her father to buy or sell one of his 'projects' that he's restored. Cars mean status, and she loves the sensuality of a glossy classic car coupled with a purring engine.
Sunday brunch: It's relaxing, it's refined, and it's indulgent. Heather absolutely adores getting together with friends for brunch on the weekend, sipping mimosas and listening to the others gossip about what went on at the other parties the night before. Close friends and socially beneficial acquaintances are invited to the house at least once a month, and a 'good' date follows up by asking her to join him the following Sunday somewhere for omelets and strawberries. Among her friends, the term 'brunch-worthy' denotes a boy worthy of more than just paying for drinks.
Shopping: For Heather, shopping is a methodical practice that is not so much an acquisition of quantity as it is of quality. Since money is no object, she prefers to take her time and find the perfect outfit or accessory, and she doesn't think twice about doing the same for friends. She practices restraint out of concern for appearance, but she does have a weakness for online shopping, and does spend outrageously from the comfort of her laptop at home.
Her palm pilot/planner/all-in-one organizer: Heather loves her little organizer and takes extreme delight in making sure that every appointment and phone number is programmed and set with the appropriate timer. Take her schedule away, and she is out of her element, very flustered and nigh unable to function.
Dislikes
Haphazard planning/improvisation: Heather does not like being caught off guard, nor does she like to be party to incidents that are badly contrived. As a result, she is hesitant to be involved in group projects or outings unless everything is clearly delineated and preplanned.
Sycophants (yes-people): Yes, she has money and status, but Heather can not stand to be followed about and never contradicted by those who simply want her proximity to further their own social status. While she won't resort to mind games, Heather can be extremely direct and vocal when the situation presents itself. Thanks to this attitude, several of the cliques at St. Thomas' and elsewheres have branded her the town's 'rich bitch' and enjoy spreading rumours to bring about her social downfall. As of yet, it hasn't happened, due to a few fiercely loyal friends who come from varied social standings.
People with bad manners: Ugh. Sit up straight, chew with your mouth closed, don't put your elbows on the table, and don't you dare forget to hold the door open for a lady. Heather will be the first to snap at someone for horrid manners, and has been known to leave parties if a host or hostess doesn't meet her standards.
Being hurried: Heather is methodical and thorough, if not seemingly lazy at times. She is not to be rushed through any activity, physical or mental. Attempts to rush her will be met with a cool stare and a sharp word, and the task will take twice as long to complete out of sheer spite.
Hobbies:=
Pilates: Obsessive about how she appears, Heather goes to Pilates after school three times a week for an hour at a time. It's her secret to keeping lean and toned, and she enjoys the discipline. Plus, it's something that she gets to do with her mother... but Rosa's only in it for once a week.
Poker: Her father taught her how to play, and she quickly picked it up as a way to keep the boys guessing at school. She's been known to run a few games before classes, and a posh party at her parents' house nearly always involves a few hands. She has a fantastic poker face and a cool and detached attitude when she does play. Oh, and no one goes against the rules at her games. She's not afraid of throwing people out of the house for infractions resulting from bad manners and gross displays of poor sportsmanship.
Gardening (roses): There's something quiet and refined, yet terribly indulgent about roses. Her mother's affinity for the flowers meant that they were always around the house, and Heather begged her father one summer to let her try to keep a rose garden near the outdoor patio. The terrace is now lined with roses in all shades of reds and pinks, and Heather purposely plans her social brunches outside to show off her gardens and indulge in the squeals of friends and acquaintances.
Appearance: Heather is rather stunning, with long limbs and curves that keep her from appearing gangly. She wears a 34C and has hips that balance out her bust. Pilates and a strict diet keep her trim, while a highly involved skin care regimen keeps her Mediterranean complexion acne free. Weekly manicures and pedicures ensure that every last detail is done to perfection, while constant attention to her red-black hair keeps it silky-smooth and neatly trimmed just above her shoulder blades, with long layers framing her face such that the shortest barely brush her cheekbones. Charcoal grey eyes are hidden under dark lashes and framed by impeccably arched eyebrows, the gentle slant of her eyes lending her a near-constant 'bedroom' expression. Her heart-shaped face is complimented by a only-slightly decided chin, with one delicious little beauty mark underneath her left eye.
Heather carries herself with confidence, grace, and poise. She is deliberate in every movement and gesture, her gait rarely hurried and fluid. Shoulders back and chest out, Heather has got posture that would make some runway models wet themselves with envy. Her wardrobe is subtle yet trendy, with bold colors and tasteful accessories. She wears a modest amount of jewelry, her hair is nearly always worn loose, and she has an affinity for Chanel No. 5. She wears Manolo Blahnik ankle boots with her St. Thomas uniform... the girl has money to burn, and she spends it on what she likes and what looks good. Her voice is quiet steel, a soft just-above alto that bears a hint of her mother's Bronx accent. She is smooth and formal in her language, her insults rare yet cutting and direct.
Personality: A cool and cautious socialite, Heather exudes a calm yet regal air. Confident and utterly in control, she is a master of reading between the lines and diligently getting to the root of a problem or the real meaning behind a phrase or gesture. Genuine and quietly forthright, Heather neither minces words nor does she enjoy wordplay or doublespeak. She is a creature of action, allowing gestures of goodwill to communicate her appreciation of someone while using exclusion and efficient people-management skills to convey displeasure and disapproval. If Heather is upset, the offending party will be informed immediately and eloquently, and all social overtures will cease. Basically, you're just not worth her time.
Status and respect are extremely important to Heather, almost as important as her day planner and American Express card. Even as a small child, Heather understood that she was the reason for her mother's elevated status in her circle of friends, and that her parents doted upon her as a way to show off their wealth and privilege. In this vein, Heather has learned and understands that her appearance, behavior, and even choice of friends reflect on her parents. Part of her "inner code" to which she adheres involves a deep-seated need for parental approval, and doing something to embarrass Mother and Daddy might just very well kill her, if they ever found out.
Heather is hardly ashamed of her status as one of the richest teens in town, and she refuses to hide it. She understands that her father made his fortune though hard work, and she absolutely idolizes him for that. She indulges in expensive clothes and takes her close friends out for gourmet lunches because she can, and she wants to share the wealth, as it were. Heather loves to buy presents for friends and favorite teachers, and she becomes rather insulted when her gifts are not acknowledged. A firm believer in manners, she expects 'please' and 'thank you' out of courtesy, and she shows the same respect to peers and teachers.
Emotion is one of those things that Heather prefers to keep quietly tucked away, neatly boxed and categorized to avoid scrutiny and misapplication. Letting those feelings run amok scares Heather to no end, as she fears the effect such displays would have upon her social image and her effect upon the student masses at St. Thomas'. Giving in to one's anger or disappointment would show a weakness, providing enemies with ammunition for character attacks. Heather is the sort of person to clinically describe her feelings, and then casually dismiss them in favor of some social or intellectual distraction. Still, she does have a temper, and being pushed to the edge results in a brilliant direct display of anger and savage truths. Nothing is held back, and apologies are not given unless she firmly believes that she is in the wrong.
Despite her sometimes detached and formal demeanor, Heather is a devoted friend. Part of her would like to believe that acquaintances want to spend time with her because she's a nice girl who likes to dote upon her friends, but experience and savvy say that this is not always true. So, Heather has become rather cynical of 'new' people and generally assumes that the really nice ones only want to be near her because of the family's money. At the same time, she trusts you if you act genuine and appear to sympathize with her, because the girl does desperately want friends as opposed to social peers or business associates. Deep down, she wants to think that people are good and honest, but experience has proven time and time again that most 'nice' people are only nice long enough to get into your head, your wallet, or your pants.
While Heather takes advantage of her family's wealth, she refuses to have it be the vessel to carry her throughout her life. Blessed with intelligence and a fierce inner drive, Heather wants to prove her success by making it on her own; getting into a prestigious university on grades and gaining internships because she's earned them academically. She'll gladly take help in the form of tutors and SAT prep classes, but Heather wants to get into the fastpaced business world on her own and not endure anyone's claims that she's wealthy because of Daddy's money and that she couldn't make it on her own.
There is a darker wilder side to Heather, seen by Reba and one or two close friends. Intensely private, Heather refuses to let her grossly indulgent and impulsive self out to play unless she is absolutely certain that she is not in a situation that could be used against her. Shopping online, she can purchase designer clothes, shoes, bath soaps, perfume, and book elaborate weekend getaways without involving any unnecessary parties. Daddy's airtight network security let her play safely, and she is nigh-on neurotic about keeping track of her credit card. The weekend getaways she plans are often to New York to visit her grandparents, who luckily turn a convenient blind eye to the whirlwind of parties and clubs that her older cousins attend with Heather in tow.
Kept tucked away underneath her socially acceptable person, Heather harbors what she feels to be an incredibly hedonistic secret. For her, bisexuality is simply a character trait that is merely a facet of varied personality. For Heather, it is both shameful and thrilling, an attraction and desire that she cannot satisfy given her current living situation and social status. She loves earthy, solid, slightly older girls who reek of confidence, idol worship from a safe distance lest someone suspect Something's Up. A few weekend parties back up in NYC have led to stolen kisses and petting in the shadows, but a fear of letting go coupled with the knowledge that such escapades would reflect badly on her family have kept her from pursuing anything further. Caught between thrill and shame, Heather has yet to play as such in Grand Bend.
Neither a poor little rich girl nor the classic backstabbing rich bitch, Heather is simply a young lady of privilege who enjoys her living situation. While she is knowingly kept from complete indulgence by her social status, she sees it as a temporary situation until she is able to make her own wealth, fortune, and success and may be truly free to do as she pleases.
History - Present
Rosa Maria Gatti met John Patrick Ramsey at one of her father's impossibly lavish holiday dinners, immediately charmed by the self-made technology millionaire who teased her mercilessly about her good looks and her ability to wrap her father about her elegant little finger. A delightful courtship took place between the two teenagers, the massive Catholic wedding held at St. Patrick's in the Bronx and the two week honeymoon culminating in the realization that they'd be parents before they celebrated their first wedding anniversary.
And so, Heather was born into the lap of luxury, spoiled by her wealthy Italian grandparents and doted upon by her parents who saw her as a perfect little doll to dress and walk about the park and make all of Rosa's socialite friends green with envy. Rosa delighted in motherhood, doing most things right and deferring to her own mother when discipline became difficult. As a result, Heather was raised with want for nothing and the idea that one -always- had to be conscious of how she appeared and what she did and how it was perceived. Her parents told her 'no' when appropriate, but didn't see any harm in taking their daughter shopping for expensive clothes or on lavish vacations to Disney World. After all, Rosa had grown up with such things, and Jack didn't want to let down his wife or his darling little girl. So, he invested wisely and bought up the little struggling dot-coms and continued to build his internet technology empire.
But, how does one get from the bustling Bronx to Grand Bend? Why, through careful acquisition and the realization that one can have a fantastically opulent house in the suburbs for the cost of a modest penthouse in the city! So, after Jack bought up Apollo Web Solutions and paid its owner handsomely for both business and business location, he moved Rosa and eight year old Heather to Grand Bend and into a sprawling house in Deacon Hills. At the insistence of her mother, Heather was immediately enrolled at St. Thomas Aquinas school.
After the first few days, it became apparent that Heather's classmates knew of her because of a story in the local paper, and that the wealthier ones had been told by their mommies and daddies to make the new girl welcome. Heather treated most of her peers with impeccable manners and a certain degree of aloofness, careful to not give away too much about herself or her parents without gaining twice as much information about her classmates in the process. She would invite acquaintances to the house for playdates while her mother watched the invitees with a cautious eye and scrutinized their families to be sure that those with less-than-sincere intentions were only invited back out of social necessity. Heather soon picked up on this nuance, and it wasn't long before she'd managed to become a master of this game of necessary friendship and kicking the yes-men off of her personal rung on the social ladder. Hardly nasty, Heather played a game of polite exclusion and association throughout her elementary and middle school years, perfecting the cool demeanor and quiet but affectionate nature that follows her now.
Her father, having made his wealth based upon intelligence and learned business savvy, made certain to stress academics to Heather and took pains to ensure that just as much time was spent on her studies as on her social life. He indulged her want for books and tutors when a teacher didn't seem to be up to par, and she brought home rather good grades. They would have conversations about the financial programs that Jack watched at night, and he answered her questions as best as he could before pointing her in the direction of a newspaper or a book to learn more.
As she grew older, she realized that she could manage her friendships just fine, and that there could be a few other girls who actually wanted to be friends and didn't need to be kept at such a distance. Shopping trips were done with the usual amount of teenage giggling and cattiness, with Heather happily picking up the tabs for intimate lunches as a way to show friendship and confidences. Boys came and went, with very little happening due to Heather's want for control in such intimate situations. Boys were a distraction; while cute and able to kiss nicely, they couldn't give her anything that money couldn't.
She's pretended that she doesn't need the affection since ninth grade, when Mother delicately mentioned that dating boys from outside St. Thomas' wouldn't look good. Rather than argue, Heather sighed and nodded and returned to her circle of girls for consolation. Weekend vacations to New York acquainted Heather with some of her cousins, and they took it upon themselves to get her better acquainted with the 'scene' that young ladies of affluent lifestyles could afford.
Once she entered tenth grade, she realized that while she didn't have to worry about paying for school, it would be far better to earn a full scholarship to prove her academic prowess rather than take the lazy rich man's way out. Heather sweetly demanded tutors and SAT prep classes, filling her free time with scholastics and seeing her friends on the weekends. Bonding with her mother currently involves long trips to the spa for weekly manicures after Wednesday's Pilates class, and she manages a healthy relationship with her parents thanks to a streak of independence coupled with a love for her traditional role as Daddy's Little Girl. Currently, she quietly mixes in the higher social circles of Grand Bend while working her backside off to get into a prestigious university on her own merit, and not on money.
History – Past: Back in the olden days, Devil was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who made his money through irrigation systems, swindling the lower classes, and a fair amount of backstabbing to climb to the top of the family inheritance pile. Chosen to be a priestess as a child, she played the part with a certain degree of drama, pomp, and self-righteousness. It merely brought more status to the family, and she understood early on just how important the position was for her mother and father. She flitted between social groups, genuinely gracious and charming to most of the other girls and flirtatiously shrewd with the knights and pages. If anyone managed to get between the sheets with her, it was done with the utmost discretion and the threat of bodily harm by some family member with a wicked mind and numerous resources. Indulgent, she probably threw lavish parties on the family dime, because it made them look good and increased standing and trade. In Ain'ka's eyes, her homeworld was the absolute best, and she had a tendency to look down on the others (coughWandscoughswampysavagescough). Superior? Oh, yes.
Past Name: Ain'kamilah Abubukar Chuine Jibade
Soldier Information
Soldier/Knight/etc Name: Devil. No need to shorten!
Sphere of Power: Materialism and desire
Uniform Colours: Currency-copper, with platinum as secondary
Uniform: Devil wears a brass-coppery strapless sundress that hugs her figure from bust to hips, the skirt falling just past her knees. The hem of the skirt is decorated with small silver and copper coins, which clink and jingle as she moves.About her neck is a platinum collar that bears broken chains, with matching wristlets and similarly broken chains on each arm. She wears copper slippers, the toes rounded and 'dipped' in platinum. Two inches above the outer edges of each eyebrow, a black horn reminiscent of a goat curls back in a grotesque arc towards each ear. The spirals in the horns are flecked with silver and copper, calling to mind the image of pyrite (fool's gold) in dark hewn rock. The horns make an elongated C-shape, coming up in blunt edges just beneath her cheekbones. From her shoulderblades, a small pair of tattered black wings emerge, the skin stretched across them worn and tattered. Decidedly reptilian, they are of little use for flight but simply are there for show and false grandeur.
Team/Alignment: Death
Transformation: Arcananum mutatio, Devil!
Powers:
Indulgence (desire, defense)
This ability imbues the target for a base desire, loosely based upon Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Devil calls out, "Indulge thyself!" while pointing her left finger at the target. A coppery chain wraps about the target's neck, the spell causing the target to do anything to fulfill his or her base needs. The needs go as follows: thirst, hunger, sleep, sex, and safety. So, if you were just a little bit thirsty before the battle, you'll have insatiable thirst until you find a water fountain, and you'll abandon your teammates to get a drink. If you've been fed and watered, but lack a nap, then you'll suddenly do anything to take a nap. If you're fed, watered, and have sleep, but you've got a wicked sex drive, then you will... well, you get the idea. If all of those are met, then you'll just run, because safety is the last base need. The effects last for a maximum of two minutes, and cease once the need is met or once the target is convinced that their needs -are- met. The attack is short range (no more than ten feet) and does not need to be heard by the target. Those targets with a strong will do not suffer all effects, as one can overcome most desire with logic. Devil may cast this five times in a space of six hours with no harm to herself.
You Want It All (materialism, offense)
Devil's hands go into the folds of her skirt for a brief moment, pulling out two fistfuls brimming with gold and silver coins. Devil whispers the words, "You want it all," to begin the spell. These shiny disks are flung outwards at multiple targets, the result being that several people feel like they've been pelted with spare change. The coins fall on the ground, glittery and shiny. Those that the coins hit are immediately imbued with the need to pick up the coins, and they may get into fistfights over the last piece of loose change. The coins disappear as soon as they are palmed, further frustrating the targets. This is a once-per-transformation attack, and can be dodged (the coins must hit hard enough to be felt by the targets) and resisted by those who can overrule their desire with logic. The attack lasts for three minutes and does not discriminate against teammates.
Writing Test: Heather eliminated the last homework assignment from her to-do list with a flourish.
Guardian: Reba, the reincarnated Queen of Pentacles Merybahiti, who lurks about Grand Bend in the form of a sphynx cat. While some might see coming back as a feline a gross insult, Reba takes it as the highest compliment, as Pentacles' religions held the creatures in high esteem. She is cool and confident, relishing her reincarnated form as an excuse to lie about in the sun while Heather is at school. Pampered by the Ramseys, she is living the height of luxury and devotes much of her time to leafing through magazines and watching the pool boy that comes to the house once a week. She and Heather get along extremely well, although Reba would like to see her charge loosen up and indulge in the lifestyle afforded to her. Aside from that minor flaw, the former Queen of Pentacles figures that Heather could have made a perfect daughter-in-law, far more so than her catty and backstabbing counterpart from the past.
Reba is somewhat concerned with finding the other members of Death's team, if only to find the artifacts. Those not from Pentacles will be viewed as inferior, with Reba deferring to Heather before any of the other team members. She remembers much of the past, and was an insatiable gossip back in the day.
Meaning: heather = heather, evangelina = bringer of good news, ramsey = ram's land.
(Translated... Mother needed to name her after a grandmother, so the middle name worked, and Daddy picked the first name. No rhyme or reason.)
Age: 18. Legal.
Birthday: August 10
Zodiac: Leo sun, Capricorn moon, Scorpio ascending
Height: 5'9"
Likes
Wall Street Journal: She has her own subscription, and woe to the person who gets to the paper before she does. Heather reads the WSJ every day before classes, the pages tucked in her designer satchel so that she can reread the important things in study hall or when something gets dull in a lecture. The Journal is refined, mature, and a wealth of financial knowledge that Heather eats up like chocolate. It's as good as a copy of Cosmopolitan, and far more intelligent.
Old and expensive cars: Heather drives a 1967 Ford Mustang GTA convertible, a present from Mother and Daddy on her 17th birthday. She loves the cream exterior, the candied-apple interior, and the appreciative stares she receives from boys of all ages when out driving. She makes it a point to be well-informed about a handful of classic cars, and enjoys attending car shows with her father to buy or sell one of his 'projects' that he's restored. Cars mean status, and she loves the sensuality of a glossy classic car coupled with a purring engine.
Sunday brunch: It's relaxing, it's refined, and it's indulgent. Heather absolutely adores getting together with friends for brunch on the weekend, sipping mimosas and listening to the others gossip about what went on at the other parties the night before. Close friends and socially beneficial acquaintances are invited to the house at least once a month, and a 'good' date follows up by asking her to join him the following Sunday somewhere for omelets and strawberries. Among her friends, the term 'brunch-worthy' denotes a boy worthy of more than just paying for drinks.
Shopping: For Heather, shopping is a methodical practice that is not so much an acquisition of quantity as it is of quality. Since money is no object, she prefers to take her time and find the perfect outfit or accessory, and she doesn't think twice about doing the same for friends. She practices restraint out of concern for appearance, but she does have a weakness for online shopping, and does spend outrageously from the comfort of her laptop at home.
Her palm pilot/planner/all-in-one organizer: Heather loves her little organizer and takes extreme delight in making sure that every appointment and phone number is programmed and set with the appropriate timer. Take her schedule away, and she is out of her element, very flustered and nigh unable to function.
Dislikes
Haphazard planning/improvisation: Heather does not like being caught off guard, nor does she like to be party to incidents that are badly contrived. As a result, she is hesitant to be involved in group projects or outings unless everything is clearly delineated and preplanned.
Sycophants (yes-people): Yes, she has money and status, but Heather can not stand to be followed about and never contradicted by those who simply want her proximity to further their own social status. While she won't resort to mind games, Heather can be extremely direct and vocal when the situation presents itself. Thanks to this attitude, several of the cliques at St. Thomas' and elsewheres have branded her the town's 'rich bitch' and enjoy spreading rumours to bring about her social downfall. As of yet, it hasn't happened, due to a few fiercely loyal friends who come from varied social standings.
People with bad manners: Ugh. Sit up straight, chew with your mouth closed, don't put your elbows on the table, and don't you dare forget to hold the door open for a lady. Heather will be the first to snap at someone for horrid manners, and has been known to leave parties if a host or hostess doesn't meet her standards.
Being hurried: Heather is methodical and thorough, if not seemingly lazy at times. She is not to be rushed through any activity, physical or mental. Attempts to rush her will be met with a cool stare and a sharp word, and the task will take twice as long to complete out of sheer spite.
Hobbies:=
Pilates: Obsessive about how she appears, Heather goes to Pilates after school three times a week for an hour at a time. It's her secret to keeping lean and toned, and she enjoys the discipline. Plus, it's something that she gets to do with her mother... but Rosa's only in it for once a week.
Poker: Her father taught her how to play, and she quickly picked it up as a way to keep the boys guessing at school. She's been known to run a few games before classes, and a posh party at her parents' house nearly always involves a few hands. She has a fantastic poker face and a cool and detached attitude when she does play. Oh, and no one goes against the rules at her games. She's not afraid of throwing people out of the house for infractions resulting from bad manners and gross displays of poor sportsmanship.
Gardening (roses): There's something quiet and refined, yet terribly indulgent about roses. Her mother's affinity for the flowers meant that they were always around the house, and Heather begged her father one summer to let her try to keep a rose garden near the outdoor patio. The terrace is now lined with roses in all shades of reds and pinks, and Heather purposely plans her social brunches outside to show off her gardens and indulge in the squeals of friends and acquaintances.
Appearance: Heather is rather stunning, with long limbs and curves that keep her from appearing gangly. She wears a 34C and has hips that balance out her bust. Pilates and a strict diet keep her trim, while a highly involved skin care regimen keeps her Mediterranean complexion acne free. Weekly manicures and pedicures ensure that every last detail is done to perfection, while constant attention to her red-black hair keeps it silky-smooth and neatly trimmed just above her shoulder blades, with long layers framing her face such that the shortest barely brush her cheekbones. Charcoal grey eyes are hidden under dark lashes and framed by impeccably arched eyebrows, the gentle slant of her eyes lending her a near-constant 'bedroom' expression. Her heart-shaped face is complimented by a only-slightly decided chin, with one delicious little beauty mark underneath her left eye.
Heather carries herself with confidence, grace, and poise. She is deliberate in every movement and gesture, her gait rarely hurried and fluid. Shoulders back and chest out, Heather has got posture that would make some runway models wet themselves with envy. Her wardrobe is subtle yet trendy, with bold colors and tasteful accessories. She wears a modest amount of jewelry, her hair is nearly always worn loose, and she has an affinity for Chanel No. 5. She wears Manolo Blahnik ankle boots with her St. Thomas uniform... the girl has money to burn, and she spends it on what she likes and what looks good. Her voice is quiet steel, a soft just-above alto that bears a hint of her mother's Bronx accent. She is smooth and formal in her language, her insults rare yet cutting and direct.
Personality: A cool and cautious socialite, Heather exudes a calm yet regal air. Confident and utterly in control, she is a master of reading between the lines and diligently getting to the root of a problem or the real meaning behind a phrase or gesture. Genuine and quietly forthright, Heather neither minces words nor does she enjoy wordplay or doublespeak. She is a creature of action, allowing gestures of goodwill to communicate her appreciation of someone while using exclusion and efficient people-management skills to convey displeasure and disapproval. If Heather is upset, the offending party will be informed immediately and eloquently, and all social overtures will cease. Basically, you're just not worth her time.
Status and respect are extremely important to Heather, almost as important as her day planner and American Express card. Even as a small child, Heather understood that she was the reason for her mother's elevated status in her circle of friends, and that her parents doted upon her as a way to show off their wealth and privilege. In this vein, Heather has learned and understands that her appearance, behavior, and even choice of friends reflect on her parents. Part of her "inner code" to which she adheres involves a deep-seated need for parental approval, and doing something to embarrass Mother and Daddy might just very well kill her, if they ever found out.
Heather is hardly ashamed of her status as one of the richest teens in town, and she refuses to hide it. She understands that her father made his fortune though hard work, and she absolutely idolizes him for that. She indulges in expensive clothes and takes her close friends out for gourmet lunches because she can, and she wants to share the wealth, as it were. Heather loves to buy presents for friends and favorite teachers, and she becomes rather insulted when her gifts are not acknowledged. A firm believer in manners, she expects 'please' and 'thank you' out of courtesy, and she shows the same respect to peers and teachers.
Emotion is one of those things that Heather prefers to keep quietly tucked away, neatly boxed and categorized to avoid scrutiny and misapplication. Letting those feelings run amok scares Heather to no end, as she fears the effect such displays would have upon her social image and her effect upon the student masses at St. Thomas'. Giving in to one's anger or disappointment would show a weakness, providing enemies with ammunition for character attacks. Heather is the sort of person to clinically describe her feelings, and then casually dismiss them in favor of some social or intellectual distraction. Still, she does have a temper, and being pushed to the edge results in a brilliant direct display of anger and savage truths. Nothing is held back, and apologies are not given unless she firmly believes that she is in the wrong.
Despite her sometimes detached and formal demeanor, Heather is a devoted friend. Part of her would like to believe that acquaintances want to spend time with her because she's a nice girl who likes to dote upon her friends, but experience and savvy say that this is not always true. So, Heather has become rather cynical of 'new' people and generally assumes that the really nice ones only want to be near her because of the family's money. At the same time, she trusts you if you act genuine and appear to sympathize with her, because the girl does desperately want friends as opposed to social peers or business associates. Deep down, she wants to think that people are good and honest, but experience has proven time and time again that most 'nice' people are only nice long enough to get into your head, your wallet, or your pants.
While Heather takes advantage of her family's wealth, she refuses to have it be the vessel to carry her throughout her life. Blessed with intelligence and a fierce inner drive, Heather wants to prove her success by making it on her own; getting into a prestigious university on grades and gaining internships because she's earned them academically. She'll gladly take help in the form of tutors and SAT prep classes, but Heather wants to get into the fastpaced business world on her own and not endure anyone's claims that she's wealthy because of Daddy's money and that she couldn't make it on her own.
There is a darker wilder side to Heather, seen by Reba and one or two close friends. Intensely private, Heather refuses to let her grossly indulgent and impulsive self out to play unless she is absolutely certain that she is not in a situation that could be used against her. Shopping online, she can purchase designer clothes, shoes, bath soaps, perfume, and book elaborate weekend getaways without involving any unnecessary parties. Daddy's airtight network security let her play safely, and she is nigh-on neurotic about keeping track of her credit card. The weekend getaways she plans are often to New York to visit her grandparents, who luckily turn a convenient blind eye to the whirlwind of parties and clubs that her older cousins attend with Heather in tow.
Kept tucked away underneath her socially acceptable person, Heather harbors what she feels to be an incredibly hedonistic secret. For her, bisexuality is simply a character trait that is merely a facet of varied personality. For Heather, it is both shameful and thrilling, an attraction and desire that she cannot satisfy given her current living situation and social status. She loves earthy, solid, slightly older girls who reek of confidence, idol worship from a safe distance lest someone suspect Something's Up. A few weekend parties back up in NYC have led to stolen kisses and petting in the shadows, but a fear of letting go coupled with the knowledge that such escapades would reflect badly on her family have kept her from pursuing anything further. Caught between thrill and shame, Heather has yet to play as such in Grand Bend.
Neither a poor little rich girl nor the classic backstabbing rich bitch, Heather is simply a young lady of privilege who enjoys her living situation. While she is knowingly kept from complete indulgence by her social status, she sees it as a temporary situation until she is able to make her own wealth, fortune, and success and may be truly free to do as she pleases.
History - Present
Rosa Maria Gatti met John Patrick Ramsey at one of her father's impossibly lavish holiday dinners, immediately charmed by the self-made technology millionaire who teased her mercilessly about her good looks and her ability to wrap her father about her elegant little finger. A delightful courtship took place between the two teenagers, the massive Catholic wedding held at St. Patrick's in the Bronx and the two week honeymoon culminating in the realization that they'd be parents before they celebrated their first wedding anniversary.
And so, Heather was born into the lap of luxury, spoiled by her wealthy Italian grandparents and doted upon by her parents who saw her as a perfect little doll to dress and walk about the park and make all of Rosa's socialite friends green with envy. Rosa delighted in motherhood, doing most things right and deferring to her own mother when discipline became difficult. As a result, Heather was raised with want for nothing and the idea that one -always- had to be conscious of how she appeared and what she did and how it was perceived. Her parents told her 'no' when appropriate, but didn't see any harm in taking their daughter shopping for expensive clothes or on lavish vacations to Disney World. After all, Rosa had grown up with such things, and Jack didn't want to let down his wife or his darling little girl. So, he invested wisely and bought up the little struggling dot-coms and continued to build his internet technology empire.
But, how does one get from the bustling Bronx to Grand Bend? Why, through careful acquisition and the realization that one can have a fantastically opulent house in the suburbs for the cost of a modest penthouse in the city! So, after Jack bought up Apollo Web Solutions and paid its owner handsomely for both business and business location, he moved Rosa and eight year old Heather to Grand Bend and into a sprawling house in Deacon Hills. At the insistence of her mother, Heather was immediately enrolled at St. Thomas Aquinas school.
After the first few days, it became apparent that Heather's classmates knew of her because of a story in the local paper, and that the wealthier ones had been told by their mommies and daddies to make the new girl welcome. Heather treated most of her peers with impeccable manners and a certain degree of aloofness, careful to not give away too much about herself or her parents without gaining twice as much information about her classmates in the process. She would invite acquaintances to the house for playdates while her mother watched the invitees with a cautious eye and scrutinized their families to be sure that those with less-than-sincere intentions were only invited back out of social necessity. Heather soon picked up on this nuance, and it wasn't long before she'd managed to become a master of this game of necessary friendship and kicking the yes-men off of her personal rung on the social ladder. Hardly nasty, Heather played a game of polite exclusion and association throughout her elementary and middle school years, perfecting the cool demeanor and quiet but affectionate nature that follows her now.
Her father, having made his wealth based upon intelligence and learned business savvy, made certain to stress academics to Heather and took pains to ensure that just as much time was spent on her studies as on her social life. He indulged her want for books and tutors when a teacher didn't seem to be up to par, and she brought home rather good grades. They would have conversations about the financial programs that Jack watched at night, and he answered her questions as best as he could before pointing her in the direction of a newspaper or a book to learn more.
As she grew older, she realized that she could manage her friendships just fine, and that there could be a few other girls who actually wanted to be friends and didn't need to be kept at such a distance. Shopping trips were done with the usual amount of teenage giggling and cattiness, with Heather happily picking up the tabs for intimate lunches as a way to show friendship and confidences. Boys came and went, with very little happening due to Heather's want for control in such intimate situations. Boys were a distraction; while cute and able to kiss nicely, they couldn't give her anything that money couldn't.
She's pretended that she doesn't need the affection since ninth grade, when Mother delicately mentioned that dating boys from outside St. Thomas' wouldn't look good. Rather than argue, Heather sighed and nodded and returned to her circle of girls for consolation. Weekend vacations to New York acquainted Heather with some of her cousins, and they took it upon themselves to get her better acquainted with the 'scene' that young ladies of affluent lifestyles could afford.
Once she entered tenth grade, she realized that while she didn't have to worry about paying for school, it would be far better to earn a full scholarship to prove her academic prowess rather than take the lazy rich man's way out. Heather sweetly demanded tutors and SAT prep classes, filling her free time with scholastics and seeing her friends on the weekends. Bonding with her mother currently involves long trips to the spa for weekly manicures after Wednesday's Pilates class, and she manages a healthy relationship with her parents thanks to a streak of independence coupled with a love for her traditional role as Daddy's Little Girl. Currently, she quietly mixes in the higher social circles of Grand Bend while working her backside off to get into a prestigious university on her own merit, and not on money.
History – Past: Back in the olden days, Devil was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who made his money through irrigation systems, swindling the lower classes, and a fair amount of backstabbing to climb to the top of the family inheritance pile. Chosen to be a priestess as a child, she played the part with a certain degree of drama, pomp, and self-righteousness. It merely brought more status to the family, and she understood early on just how important the position was for her mother and father. She flitted between social groups, genuinely gracious and charming to most of the other girls and flirtatiously shrewd with the knights and pages. If anyone managed to get between the sheets with her, it was done with the utmost discretion and the threat of bodily harm by some family member with a wicked mind and numerous resources. Indulgent, she probably threw lavish parties on the family dime, because it made them look good and increased standing and trade. In Ain'ka's eyes, her homeworld was the absolute best, and she had a tendency to look down on the others (coughWandscoughswampysavagescough). Superior? Oh, yes.
Past Name: Ain'kamilah Abubukar Chuine Jibade
Soldier Information
Soldier/Knight/etc Name: Devil. No need to shorten!
Sphere of Power: Materialism and desire
Uniform Colours: Currency-copper, with platinum as secondary
Uniform: Devil wears a brass-coppery strapless sundress that hugs her figure from bust to hips, the skirt falling just past her knees. The hem of the skirt is decorated with small silver and copper coins, which clink and jingle as she moves.About her neck is a platinum collar that bears broken chains, with matching wristlets and similarly broken chains on each arm. She wears copper slippers, the toes rounded and 'dipped' in platinum. Two inches above the outer edges of each eyebrow, a black horn reminiscent of a goat curls back in a grotesque arc towards each ear. The spirals in the horns are flecked with silver and copper, calling to mind the image of pyrite (fool's gold) in dark hewn rock. The horns make an elongated C-shape, coming up in blunt edges just beneath her cheekbones. From her shoulderblades, a small pair of tattered black wings emerge, the skin stretched across them worn and tattered. Decidedly reptilian, they are of little use for flight but simply are there for show and false grandeur.
Team/Alignment: Death
Transformation: Arcananum mutatio, Devil!
Powers:
Indulgence (desire, defense)
This ability imbues the target for a base desire, loosely based upon Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Devil calls out, "Indulge thyself!" while pointing her left finger at the target. A coppery chain wraps about the target's neck, the spell causing the target to do anything to fulfill his or her base needs. The needs go as follows: thirst, hunger, sleep, sex, and safety. So, if you were just a little bit thirsty before the battle, you'll have insatiable thirst until you find a water fountain, and you'll abandon your teammates to get a drink. If you've been fed and watered, but lack a nap, then you'll suddenly do anything to take a nap. If you're fed, watered, and have sleep, but you've got a wicked sex drive, then you will... well, you get the idea. If all of those are met, then you'll just run, because safety is the last base need. The effects last for a maximum of two minutes, and cease once the need is met or once the target is convinced that their needs -are- met. The attack is short range (no more than ten feet) and does not need to be heard by the target. Those targets with a strong will do not suffer all effects, as one can overcome most desire with logic. Devil may cast this five times in a space of six hours with no harm to herself.
You Want It All (materialism, offense)
Devil's hands go into the folds of her skirt for a brief moment, pulling out two fistfuls brimming with gold and silver coins. Devil whispers the words, "You want it all," to begin the spell. These shiny disks are flung outwards at multiple targets, the result being that several people feel like they've been pelted with spare change. The coins fall on the ground, glittery and shiny. Those that the coins hit are immediately imbued with the need to pick up the coins, and they may get into fistfights over the last piece of loose change. The coins disappear as soon as they are palmed, further frustrating the targets. This is a once-per-transformation attack, and can be dodged (the coins must hit hard enough to be felt by the targets) and resisted by those who can overrule their desire with logic. The attack lasts for three minutes and does not discriminate against teammates.
Writing Test: Heather eliminated the last homework assignment from her to-do list with a flourish.
Guardian: Reba, the reincarnated Queen of Pentacles Merybahiti, who lurks about Grand Bend in the form of a sphynx cat. While some might see coming back as a feline a gross insult, Reba takes it as the highest compliment, as Pentacles' religions held the creatures in high esteem. She is cool and confident, relishing her reincarnated form as an excuse to lie about in the sun while Heather is at school. Pampered by the Ramseys, she is living the height of luxury and devotes much of her time to leafing through magazines and watching the pool boy that comes to the house once a week. She and Heather get along extremely well, although Reba would like to see her charge loosen up and indulge in the lifestyle afforded to her. Aside from that minor flaw, the former Queen of Pentacles figures that Heather could have made a perfect daughter-in-law, far more so than her catty and backstabbing counterpart from the past.
Reba is somewhat concerned with finding the other members of Death's team, if only to find the artifacts. Those not from Pentacles will be viewed as inferior, with Reba deferring to Heather before any of the other team members. She remembers much of the past, and was an insatiable gossip back in the day.
