( vanessa ives )

[possidetur]

Comments

► REVERIE

[possidetur]

PLAYER
» HANDLE: Kerry
» CONTACT: skitties ( plurk )
» AGE: 27
» CHARACTER(S) IN-GAME:

CHARACTER
» NAME: Vanessa Ives
» CANON: Penny Dreadful
» CANON POINT: 210 And They Were Enemies
» AGE: 32

» SETTING: link!

» SHORT DESCRIPTION: determined, tormented, kind, mysterious
» INFLUENTIAL EVENTS:

A MOTHER'S BETRAYAL.
As a child, Vanessa caught her mother and Sir Malcom Murray (the father of her best friend) in an 'indiscretion'. Though Vanessa never revealed this moment to anyone it would inadvertently set into action the beginning of the rest of her life. Whilst Vanessa was a sweet and kind girl this act opened herself up to the darkness of the world, with her secretly enjoying what she had seen. Vanessa begins to feel bitterness towards Mina, her best friend, for the wealth that her family possesses, even going so far as to steal from her. It isn't until Vanessa is older that the effects of her mother's act really take effect and begin to affect (damage) her life but also the lives of the people that surround her.

BETRAYING MINA.
As an adult, Mina and Vanessa are still incredibly close with Vanessa being set to one day marry Mina's brother, Peter. That day ends up never coming. With Mina engaged Vanessa feels jealous towards her best friend as Mina has found love, worried that she'll move far away once married. The jealousy causes Vanessa to act out of turn, kissing Peter in hopes of her own romance, though he rejects her advances. Whilst Vanessa attempts to brush it off, attending Mina's engagement party, those emotions sit in the back of mind. The jealousy and hurt that Vanessa feels causes her to act impulsively, seducing Mina's fiance in hopes of preventing the wedding. Caught in the act by Mina the engagement is broken off but Mina also ends her friendship with Vanessa, leading to Mina moving away, as well as Vanessa "falling ill", really becoming possessed by a demon. The effects of this action caused Vanessa to feel intense guilt, regretting her actions but also how the consequences affected Mina afterwards. With Mina moving away she succumbs to the influence of a vampire, something that Vanessa feels that she caused. The event led Vanessa to experience the first real pain and loss in her life, feeling the heavy burden of the guilt that her actions caused. The events following, particularly her possession, cause a once vibrant and life-loving Vanessa to act more cautiously, seeming to others mysterious, when in fact she's more closed off to others attentions.

THE CUT-WIFE.
Following her possession, and seeing a vision of Mina, Vanessa had many questions about who (what) she was and whether she could understand herself to be able to help Mina. Hearing about the Cut-Wife, Joan Clayton, Vanessa hoped that the woman could help to answer these questions. It came with a struggle, and only through Vanessa proving her determination and power did Joan agree to help Vanessa. She was tutored in many things, including survival and being able to use her powers, though for Vanessa it came with one goal -- helping Mina. Joan believed this to be selfish, with Vanessa only thinking of herself, wanting to right the wrong she'd inflicted upon Mina but Vanessa was adamant that she had to do this, to save her friend, and relieve her guilt.

Though Joan was sometimes cruel Vanessa cared for her, viewing her as a friend as well as a mentor, and helped her through her illness. When the nightcomers first came, and the townsfolk threatened her, Vanessa stood by her, trying to defend her and even save her life. When Joan was killed Vanessa was spared despite her association but was branded, instilling a hatred of the people that had committed these acts. Vanessa's leaving was in two parts -- a plan that she'd already committed herself to but a removal of herself from a place that she now wished to forget, taking with her the memory and knowledge that Joan had given to her.

When Vanessa's life is later threatened she returns to the home that Joan had bequeathed to her, viewing it as her only place of sanctuary. It is here that she is reminded of the cruel acts that were committed against Joan and herself, reminding her of the pain that she'd suffered here and her hatred. Though warned against the act Vanessa, filled with a darkness and need for revenge, uses her magic to cause the death of the person who had been responsible for Joan's death. Whilst Vanessa knows that this act will forever mark her she accepts that consequence, showing that she will do whatever it takes in protection or avenging of someone she cares for. Though Vanessa is kind, having cared for her friend, and tries to be a good person (using her magic only for protection) this shows that she is not above succumbing to the darker aspects of her personality, making the rash decision to murder. Though Vanessa would claim that she did this to avenge Joan's death, an act of compassion for her friend, it was done with great anger and was something that Vanessa could have stopped herself from doing. It is the one time that Vanessa has used her abilities for such a thing, treading carefully to remain on the lighter side -- dark magic attracts the devil, turning a daywalker to a nightcomer.

DRACULA.
Since betraying Mina and seeing a vision of her where Mina calls for help Vanessa has been driven to finding her friend and saving her. This caused her to return to Sir Malcolm Murray, pleading audience with him knowing that she wasn't welcome. Through a shared goal, and Vanessa being a means to an end, they work together to rescue Mina. Vanessa feels immensely guilty over what has happened to Mina, believing that it is her actions that have caused this, that her hands are covered in blood and loss. Whilst Vanessa claims that she is not looking for absolution she does hope to get her friend back, wishing for things to be as they once were.

When they discover that Mina has been taken by a vampire, though they have yet to know his name, though it becomes revealed that he took Mina in order to draw Vanessa out, his true goal. Against all hope and odds, Vanessa struggling to figure out what has befallen them, Vanessa's abilities eventually lead them to Mina. Though Vanessa loves Mina, wanting to save her, she had written once that she knows that perhaps Mina cannot be saved, stating that her love for her friend was so great that she would be willing to kill her to free her. Although Vanessa isn't the one that kills Mina she is freed from the vampires grasp and, to their belief, the event is resolved. Though saddened by the death of her friend Vanessa feels some relief that her friend is at peace, though the guilt that she feels surrounding Mina's fate only intensifies. Vanessa feels that her actions caused Mina to leave, causing her to fall under the vampire's control thus being hurt and dying, and refuses to allow anyone else to shoulder that burden. Her guilt is her demon, and Vanessa believes herself cursed.

LUCIFER.
Vanessa's path was set out for her in a prophecy, the coming together of Amun Ra and Amunet, with Lucifer believing Vanessa to be the reincarnation of Amunet. It has led to Vanessa being hunted in her adult life, with Lucifer trying to tempt Vanessa during her possession, and even sending his witches (nightcomers) after her during her time with the Cut-Wife. The nightcomers are the one thing that makes Vanessa truly afraid, with it being remarked on as strange considering she'd stared down vampiric threats. The nightcomers represent a part of Vanessa's past that she wishes to forget and a side of her magic that is incredibly dangerous. Though afraid of the nightcomers Vanessa refused to retreat from them, finding strength from those that were close to her. She refused back down, even when afraid, and instead used this fear to spur her on, to overcome the monster that was hunting her.

With threat after threat, the nightcomers breaching Vanessa's sanctity of home and prayer, leads Vanessa to feel paranoid and unsafe, fearing her friends don't trust her beliefs. It is only when the nightcomers have taken Sir Malcolm Murray that she takes the fight to them, resolved in her efforts. She won't let Lucifer have her but she won't let her friends be hurt even more. It is here that Lucifer finally reveals himself and his plan to her, offering Vanessa peace for her soul. It upsets her, seeing the peace that she could have, and Vanessa remarks that Lucifer is very cruel. Despite being possibly tempted with the life shown, the freedom to be with the man that she lives, Vanessa rejects it. She could never love someone so cruel nor allow herself to be used for evil, being a good person at heart despite her past sins. Vanessa's will proves to be stronger than Lucifer's as she exorcises him, sending him back to Hell. The fact that Vanessa went into the nightcomers lair, at night when they are strongest, and was able to defeat Lucifer shows her determination to protect herself and others and again highlights that when the people she cares for are in trouble she will do anything for them.

Though defeating Lucifer should have been a major victory it instead ends with loss -- the loss of a friend who was killed, the loss of her faith as Vanessa begins to question whether God listens to her prayers, and the loss of her love after Ethan Chandler leaves to battle his own demons. Given that Vanessa has been assaulted and brutalized by the actions in her life for so long she is exhausted, and with no one around she doesn't fight to prevent her depression from taking hold. For once in her life, she is admitting defeat, a stark contrast to the usual determination and vibrancy that is seen in Vanessa.

» FIT:

Being from the Victorian era Vanessa will find it difficult to settle in at first with the technology and amenities far more advanced than anything she knows. She'll likely not use the network for a long period, certainly not until someone's taught her how to use the device, and likely infrequently then. As she is very intuitive picking up new things will come quicker to her than expected but nothing will be instant. Regarding darker themes/a horror tone of the game Vanessa's life is filled with darkness and she feels that she has known more cruelty and loss than kindness. Though it always strikes a deep blow at her she has yet to give up. Despite the danger of the demimonde Vanessa, with her life entwined in it, explored the supernatural in search of answers, and will want to do the same here.

» POWERS:

DAYWALKER. As a daywalker (a witch) Vanessa is able to divine past, present and future events, practising this most often through the use of tarot cards, or psychometry, shown reading someone's past through touch. Vanessa is also clairvoyant, highly intuitive and is able to commune with spirits. She is also fluent in the Verbis Diablo, though due to its darker power only uses it when necessary, and has been taught how to use apotropaic magic.
MEDIUMSHIP. In addition to divination, Vanessa is able to channel spirits and supernatural beings, with Vanessa having previously been host to very powerful spirits (and even possessed by Amunet and Lucifer).
HERBALISM. Vanessa is knowledgeable in plants and their properties, both healing and harmful when applied to the human body.
OCCULT. In addition to her own abilities, Vanessa is knowledgeable about other aspects of the occult, including the supernatural, the demimonde, and the darker aspects of the occult (such as practised by the nightcomers).
APOTROPAIC MAGIC. A type of magic used to turn away harm/evil, Vanessa is knowledgeable in protective enchantments/wards and on numerous occasions has created wards using her personal totem (a scorpion). The wards created by Joan Clayton prevented access to her property by anyone that was not human, preventing Vanessa's entry until granted entry, and preventing the entry of the nightcomers.
VERBIS DIABLO. The language of the devil, Vanessa has most frequently used it to repel attacks, using a spell to banish evil, exorcise the devil (and send him back to Hell), and cast a protection spell. Vanessa, reading only from a book, has also used it to cast a spell causing someone's death.
LONGEVITY. Daywalkers can live significantly longer than humans, with Joan Clayton having been over two hundred years old before she died.
MARKSMAN. Despite never previously having been taught Vanessa is very skilled in using a firearm, able to shoot from a distance and shoot moving targets with great accuracy.

» NOTES:

» SAMPLES: log link or this tdm

( NETWORK )
( it takes a while for vanessa to get the message up. though she can read she's never seen anything like the device before and has no idea where to begin with it. thankfully, after a few mentions of it that earn some confusion, someone shows her how to use it. though vanessa gets a message typed out coming back to respond to it might be something else )

( username : v.ives )
Have you found anything in this place that is familiar to you? It is strange to me, this building, the people here, these devices. Would you have believed this possible if we were not here?