"Pariah"'s page

Lily was at the station before anyone, having no need to gather belongings, prepare herself, or otherwise tie up loose ends before arriving. She coolly regarded the rundown building, frowning at the knowledge that it would soon be the place she would call home. Still, it certainly beat her typical routine of moving from sewer to sewer, hovel to hovel, to avoid the ravages of weather and the undead.

Lily's eyebrows shoot up when the Watch Commander begins his draconian speech. She waits through the presentation with mounting displeasure until finally, at the end, her lips are curled in some kind of vicious snarl. She defiantly steps closer to the Commander before speaking.

"One. We are going to be just as responsible for sparing your ass from the snarling hordes as anyone else's, so you need to re-evaluate your attitude with regard to us."
"Two. We didn't sign up for this because we thought it would be fun or easy. We were volunteered for it because we've proven ourselves capable. You can stuff your patronizing."
"Three. If you don't like the way we handle ourselves, you're welcome to find someone else to do our dirty work. I sure as hell didn't make my way all the way to Refuge just to get screamed at by a desk jockey with a fancy placard on his desk. I don't need your g#@$#~n self-righteous ass breathing down my neck to tell me what needs to be done. I know what's out there. I've fought them before,"

Lily conjures a handful of flame, seething with fury as it hisses and flares in her palm. "I think a little respect is due, Commander. Else this situation will get messy in a hurry." Her gaze bores holes into the Commander, her conviction clearly evident in her posture.

Lily remained coolly aloof the entire time, merely taking in the sights of the estate and the information she was being told. When Hellard calls Hague out to be nominated as leader, she purses her lips slightly.

"In a situation such as we've found ourselves, I believe it makes the most sense that a leader should be the one most knowledgeable of the foes we face. No offense to Hague and his bravery, but it will require more than gusto and a strong arm to successfully lead an extermination squad. Therefore, I would suggest Brother Thomas as our leader. His faith and will seem strong and I doubt that he would be one to crumble before the legions of Hell."

Her lip curls slightly at the implication that she may not be capable of handling herself.

"I have survived this affliction for years, northman," she snaps. "Should you discover that I have 'lost the way,' then you would do well to treat me like any of the other monsters out there. I would expect nothing less of you... or any of you. I am not accustomed to working with others. There are not many who would willingly take company with me."

A smirk crosses the woman's features. "'Witch' would likely not be far from accurate, northman. My abilities are not something I wished for, nor something I wanted, but they were rather inflicted on me like a disease. Rather than lie down and die to the ravages of my affliction, I've chosen to fight. Judge me as you will. My actions speak for me."

She coolly regarded the others in the room, raising an eyebrow as if daring someone to question her morals.

She pushes the priest's hand aside, taking the cloth and tending to her own cleanliness rather than have another do it for her.

"My name is unimportant. The person I once was is no longer. Call me what you wish," the woman's face darkened as she spoke in response to Hellard. "I am grateful for your attention, but it is unnecessary. I have battled these creatures for some time now. Never before have I seen so many at once, though. Does anyone know where they are coming from? Why so many have turned out lately? And what is this Hellsquad you speak of?"

She cast her glance to the others, particularly the hulking warrior.

Lily enters the room seemingly in a daze. She does not scan the room with her eyes or gawk at the opulent trappings of the Parliament building. She seems distant, distracted even, as if listening carefully to something though nothing can be heard.

Finally, as the healing is being doled out and Hellard's statement about brandy is uttered, she seems to snap out of it, shaking her head slightly and seeming to realize where she is. Her eyebrows knit together and her eyes quickly dart to the others in attendance. She says nothing, and glances over her shoulder at the doors they had just entered through, sighing slightly.

Lily turned to glance at Hellard, her dark eyes exhibiting both exhaustion and curiosity.

"Why is this one helping me? What does he want?"

Her fatigue permits her to relent to Hellard's attentions, gladly accepting being pulled back from the thick of battle. When he addresses her, her eyebows quirk in a mix of confusion and surprise. "I... thank you," she swallowed, surveying the dwindling horde. "I will be fine. Finish what has been started. I am sorry I could not be of more use. Any further use of my abilities could be... hazardous... to everyone." Rivulets of rainwater streamed black hair onto her fair skin, marred as it is by gore and dirt as she looks away, clearly distracted by something unseen.

The lithe woman regains her footing and gestures for Hellard to return to the fray. Her eyes swept over the courtyard and even into the distance, surveying for threats that may have gone unnoticed by the others in their agitated state. The voices had not stopped yet. This was not over.

Lily kicks herself free of the zombie's embrace as Hellard approaches and makes his declaration to her. Her brow furrows and she snarls, turning to face the approaching mob. With her back to the handful of zombies harassing Hague and the nobleman, she again stretches her hands out, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. She lets the zombies get closer, practically on top of her, wanting to get as many as possible with the next spell... because there was no telling how long she could maintain her senses at this rate.

Sure enough, they came upon her, rushing forward with reckless abandon. When the closest was within arms reach, Lily let loose a primal scream and sent another torrent of flame blasting forth, incinerating a veritable swarm of them. Her hands dropped to her side, seeing that none survived her assault. Her mind reeled with dark thoughts and sinister influence, but she closed her eyes again and took a breath.

"You won't have me today, demons." She murmured under her breath. Clearly fatigued, she staggered back a step and turned to see that Hague and the nobleman had done an adequate job of fending off the ones behind her. She managed a weak smile for the first time in months.

Lily grasps Hague by the hand as the commoner is devoured by the shambling horde. "Leave him," her voice was cold as stone as she pulled the staff-wielding fighter along, beelining for the Parliament gates.

She nimbly avoided the clumsy attacks of a few of the zombies but, just as she reached the edge of the throng, one of them reached out and grabbed her fully around the shoulders, practically crushing her with it's strength. She let out a weak cry and lost her grip on Hague's hand, torn away by the undead's embrace. It leaned forward to bite her neck but a strange shimmering force appeared around her flesh, holding the creature's teeth at bay while she feebly struggled to escape, her eyes going wide with panic.

Seeing the staff fighter from the rooftops earlier lay a whole field of the creatures low with a powerful swing, Lily took her focus from her own minions, which were slowly but surely fighting a losing battle against the larger body of zombies. The path cleared by the man's own hand, she darted in with seemingly inhuman grace, pulling up beside him and staring into his eyes only inches from his face. Her visage was that of a dark angel, haunting and captivating, yet marred by some inner sadness.

"Make your way to the Parliament. I shall clear the way."

She quickly darted her glance to the downed zombies which surrounded them, noting a small crowd of them blocking the path to the building. She pushed the man out of her way and spread her outstretched fingers before her.

"Entomias incineratus!" A gout of blistering flames rolled forth from her hands, spreading out like a fan and igniting several of the lumbering horde. The creatures flailed feebly for a moment, collapsing in a stinking heap of charred flesh before them.

"Go." She nudged the man forward and made way for the building. The last of her commanded minions fell to it's bretheren and she shuddered at the psychic screams.

With a few rough gestures and commands, Lily ordered her commanded undead to form an unliving wall between herself and the throng of approaching zombies. Steeling herself against the voices, for they had once again reached an unholy crescendo, she commanded the creatures forward to break ranks against the horde... and buy her precious time.

Lily stopped, a grave scowl on her face as the massive sword-wielding man turned to impede her advance.

"This is not my doing!" she hissed. "I merely employ the weapons of our enemy against them."

The woman was young and beautiful, that much could not be denied, but there was a feral aspect to her, a predatory trait in her countenance that bordered on inhumanity. She clutched a gore-soaked dagger in one hand while the other stood poised at her side like a cobra ready to strike. The undead surrounding her halted when she halted, staring blankly ahead.

"If I were your enemy you would not have the honor of this discussion. Now move. The time for talk is later."

Lily could feel their eyes on her. She knew they feared her, knew that many undoubtedly perceived her as the cause for all this. Still, the only thing she could do now was aid them in the hopes that they would be willing and able to see beyond what was obvious and appreciate her assistance for what it was. When this whole ordeal was ended, she would order her thralls destroyed and return to the shadows of the city where she belonged.

For now, though, there were lives to be saved.

Lily's eyes go wide with horror as she realizes her actions. She quickly wipes the blood from her lips and casts her gaze to the surrounding survivors, hoping no one had seen what just occurred. She could not continue to use the power this way. It was simply too dangerous.

When the cry came out that more creatures were approaching, Lily gestured to those remaining under her control. "Come."

With that, the lithe woman bolted across the market with fierce determination in her eyes, followed by a small host of the undead...

Lily saw the others wade into the fray. This fight was beginning to look more winnable every moment. She deftly sidestepped a few clumsy attacks, making her way with graceful alacrity to stand atop a badly damaged vendor's cart. Surveying the field of battle and seeing one of her enslaved undead getting torn apart, she turned her attention to the group that was gathering around the man with the dagger and the furious attitude. (Breyr)

Reaching out again with her arcane power, she weaved a spell on the minds of that group as well, hoping to buy the man enough time to at least stand and mount a proper attack. As she intoned the words of power, she felt a burning hunger inside. Something... unholy. She had never used her magics so furiously and so carelessly before. Never had she encountered so many of these creatures in the same place. The dark powers she invoked were taking their toll on her body and mind, she could feel the evil influence intruding upon her sanity.

As the newly-commanded zombies fell under the sway of her spell, Lily let loose a primal scream, drawing her dagger and slashing the throat of a nearby zombie, sending it gurgling to the ground. She drew heavy breaths, seething with obvious rage.... rage that was not entirely her own.

"I mustn't be so reckless... I can't let them near me..."

Lily took a quick step back from her assailant, leveling a slender finger at him. "Andante melorum!"

A white-hot ray shot forth, slicing through the rotting creature like a hot knife through butter. The fetid flesh sizzled and smoked as it fell away from the bone, the creature collapsing in a fit of spasms almost instantly. Looking up at the man on the rooftops and glancing after the young man on the street level, she called out to them in a startlingly commanding voice.

"Either leave this place or take up arms! This is no time for idle spectating!"

The whispers were maddening when she was this close. She could hear the things chattering, all droning in some collective consciousness that seeped into her psyche. Never before had she come in contact with so many of them all at once, never before had the voices been so adamant.

The screams of the dying called out to her human side, the side that she still desperately clung to. The shambling hordes pressed on through the marketplace like a roving band of starving hounds. She saw no others nearby. No one to help these people. No one to avenge the dead.

"Feed... living... must... feed..."

"No." Her mind drove out the influence, focused on her rage. She whipped her rain-soaked cloak off and tossed it casually to the side of the muddy street she traveled. The heavy cloth would only inhibit the delicate incantations she had learned... learned from the very monsters she employed them against.

"Det'kat merukhal... viete cerra..." She intoned the Words of Shielding and wrapped herself in the comforting embrace of arcane armor, it's translucent form shimmering about her lithe figure as she bolted forward into the clearing. The fetid creatures turned to face her.

"Feed... kill... must... consume... the tainted one..."

Lily shuddered a moment, the ironic contrast of hearing herself referred to as "tainted" by creatures so utterly devoid of natural life and thought gave her pause. She clenched her teeth as one group approached, their hands outstretched to grasp her. Suddenly, her bright eyes snapped open, the outer whites clouding with a malicious blackness.

"Arkinos vedran, kuthindros alante mekhor!" Her hand dipped into a pouch on her hip and produced the tiniest piece of flesh and bone. Then, with a flick of her wrist, tendrils of dark energy snaked through the air and into every open orifice they could find on the wretched creatures' heads. The creatures went slack after a moment's pause, ceasing their advance and staring stupidly at the now-seething woman in black leather.

"Kill them," she spoke sternly. The monsters turned and faced the others of their ilk, raising their hands again and advancing with a gurgling moan. "Send them back from whence they came."

Lily's sinewy fist clenched tightly as she prepared for the slaughter.

Grimcleaver had a good idea with the stats breakdown, so I'm going to do the same.

Pariah's Stats:
STR: 10 - not particularly strong nor particularly weak, Lily did grow up working on a farm and so maintained an above-average physique. When the metamorphosis took her, it atrophied her body somewhat, but not to a debilitating degree.

DEX: 18 - Lily was always graceful and nimble, but the metamorphosis honed her natural talent to nearly-preternatural levels. Her poise and gait are fluid, almost serpentine, and she is very quick to react to changes in her environment, owing to her current state of being.

CON: 8 - The metamorphosis blighted Lily's body and afflicted her with a fragile constitution. She is often sallow, sickly, and pale due to the alien affliction within her.

INT: 14 - Though certainly no genius, Lily was also no slouch in the mental department. The dark whispers that frequent her also seem to mingle with own thoughts and allow her to deduce things that she might not have been able to normally.

WIS: 12 - A woman of average conviction would've been crushed by her affliction, but Lily's thirst for vengeance and strong will to live have permitted her to survive this far. However, the whispers distract and befuddle her at times, leaving something to be desired for her perceptive abilities.

CHA: 16 - Lily was a pretty girl before the metamorphosis. Afterwards, her features gained a decidedly more exotic appeal. Her appearance is both sinister and tantalizing, capable of attracting the eye of even the most devoted husband... or terrifying the most hardened criminal.

Pariah... while I like the backstory and feel, I have slight reservations. If she looks even faintly demonic, she's likely to get herself lynched... and pretty darn quickly. If her scars are just metaphysical (as in, she's tortured and slightly creepy), she'd fit right in.

Okay, adjusted it a bit. Backstory is essentially the same, except that the "metamorphosis" is almost purely mental. That said, however, she does bear some rather wicked looking physical scars as well.

With regards to her magic, it will become clear that her magical talent is not entirely her own. I'm choosing spells for her that fit a decidedly "forbidden" theme, tending towards necromancies and evocations. Many of the things she will do will likely be viewed very suspiciously, but she is effectively turning the enemies' powers against them in a way.

Let me know how this works for ya. I took some liberties with the story (and character). If there's a conflict with what you have planned, I'll change it (or throw it out altogether):

Lily Voortman was a normal child growing up on her parents' farm. She went to school, fed chickens, and lived life as any traditional young woman would... until just a few weeks after her 16th birthday, the hellspawn came from beyond the Black. They attacked her homestead, exposed and unprotected so far from the city. They butchered her parents, slaughtering them and feasting on their flesh like ravenous animals. They would've done the same to her if it hadn't been by divine providence that one of the neighbors arrived to distract the monsters.

Wounded by the claws and teeth of her attackers, Lily fled from the farm and secluded herself in the deep woods nearby. She never learned the fate of the neighbor, but presumes he is likely dead. The wounds she suffered from the hellspawns blackened and Lily began to feel increasingly warm and sick. She thought for certain that the wounds were infected, possibly poisoned, and had all but resigned herself to die in those lonely woods. Instead, however, the injuries imparted upon her a strange metamorphosis... one that made her both human and monster. Her body withered, sickened by some dark force, but her mind blossomed, learning dark secrets that she was never meant to know. The whispers were bothersome at first, then maddening, but finally, her will to survive beat back the dark thoughts that wanted her to kill and feed. She would not become the monsters that destroyed her life. She would fight them.

Knowing that her form would not be well-received amongst the public, Lily turned to the city, the only place she thought that would be safe, and kept herself in rags to hide the truth of her nature. In secret, she waged something of a shadow war on the monsters that prowled the night, employing the powers bestowed upon her by her change against the very creatures that inflicted them. She does not know if the change is complete. She does not know if she will forever be of her own mind. Still the whispers come. Still they feed her dark thoughts of malice and death. But until her mind is crushed, she will not heed them. She will fight and, when her mind is at it's breaking point, she will die, unwilling to surrender herself to the hellish creatures that destroyed her family... and her life.