Markel Darkweaver
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Darky hates you. | |
| Markel Darkweaver | |
| Player: @Sheyon | |
| Origin: | Magic |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Corruptor |
| Threat Level: | 50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Markel Aaron Smythe |
| Known Aliases: | Markel, Darkweaver, Darky |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | Confidential |
| Height: | 5'6" |
| Weight: | 176 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Hair Color: | Blond |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Confidential |
| Occupation: | Lackey |
| Place of Birth: | Confidential |
| Base of Operations: | Confidential |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | None |
| Known Powers | |
| Darkweaver is believed to have all the abilities of the original Markel Smythe; he is proficient in the use of fire magics, dark magics, and healing magics | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Extreme sensitivity to the arcane | |
| Equipment | |
| None | |
| Was formed from the soul of Markel Smythe and corrupted; completely amoral; in the service of Bad Dream, leader of the Black Tie terrorist organization. | |
(Note: Markel Darkweaver and Markel Smythe are two different characters. If you are looking for information regarding the Shadow Spider commander Markel Smythe, please follow the link. Otherwise, enjoy your stay!)
He looks like Markel Smythe, commander of the Shadow Spiders. He sounds like Markel Smythe. He must be Markel Smythe, right? Right? Well... not really.
A corrupted clone, Darkweaver is struggling to regain ownership of his own soul. This doesn't make him a sympathetic character, however. In fact, it doesn't matter who you are—he hates you.
A lot...
Contents |
[edit] Background
Markel Darkweaver was once just a name given to the disgraced Legacy Chain mage Markel Smythe when he made his home in the Rogue Isles. That name took on a life of its own—quite literally—during an encounter with one of the Relics of Power, Lady Myth.
Lady Myth, in retaliation for Markel turning his back on the Relics, captured him and forced him to do her bidding. To ensure his loyalty, Lady Myth tore his soul into two pieces. One she infused with the blackest hatred for life, love, and everything to do with humanity; and the other, Markel's true self, she shoved into his subconscious to be painfully aware of the atrocities he would commit in her name.
When the Shadow Spiders re-captured him, they were unable to fuse the two souls back together, but they did reverse who was in charge and the darker half was suppressed.
That changed when Bad Dream made his return to the Isles in the July of 2009. He ripped the darker half from Markel and placed it in a clone body.
He also ritually bound Darkweaver to himself and to Black Tie, much in the same manner Ghost Widow is bound to Arachnos. As long as Bad Dream and Black Tie exists, Darkweaver will exist.
Though Darkweaver is loathed to work with the Lord of Nightmares, his very life depends on it...
[edit] In His Service
Darkweaver did not hesitate to express his displeasure at his newfound status, but rather than simply berate Darkweaver, Bad Dream made him a deal. Bad Dream would grant him his freedom if he performed five tasks for him. At the end of his five tasks, Darkweaver could then decide if he wanted to stay on with Black Tie or go his own way.
Whether Bad Dream intended to keep his word remained to be seen, and Darkweaver did play along for a little while. But when Bad Dream disappeared for a time and it was not clear if he was coming back, he intended to go underground so he could better study his bonds and find a way to break them, but instead he found himself blackmailed into joining Kira's Dirty Hands Inc. funeral parlor.
Then, like a parent coming home to find the house a mess, Bad Dream returned and Darkweaver noticed that there was something... strange about Bad Dream. Something old and eldritch. Bad Dream pronounced Darkweaver's tasks completed and said he was free to go. Perhaps he hoped that Darkweaver would stay willingly. But when Darkweaver took that first step away from Bad Dream, it quickly became apparent that Bad Dream did not intend to just let him go. All bets were off. There would be no more deals; no more games. And Darkweaver ran. He fled to a secret spot where he could break his bonds, but Bad Dream stopped him before the ritual could be completed, tapping the power of an ancient mysterious fragment and forcing Darkweaver back into his service.
[edit] The Magi
Darkweaver continued to rail against Bad Dream until the leader of the Black Tie approached him with a very surprising offer. Bad Dream was amassing an army and he needed someone to train his sorcerers. It was a very risky move, as the possibility existed that Darkweaver could attempt to turn the sorcerers against him. While any such attempt would most likely fail as the initiates are fanatically loyal to Bad Dream, the move did go far to pacifying Darkweaver as it gave him something tangible to focus his energies.
Darkweaver is in complete control of the Magi. He can determine whether they live or die. If they fall, it is because they were clumsy, slothful, or weak. Those who survive his training program are natural and powerful spellcasters indeed.
[edit] Personality
To better understand Darkweaver, one must understand the original Markel Smythe from whom he was created. To say that Darkweaver is Markel's dark side is too simplistic. Darkweaver is everything that Markel was. All his memories, all his experiences, much of his mannerisms remain intact. As such, calling him a "clone" is a surefire way to set him off, because as far as he is concerned, he is Markel and it was only by sheer chance that he was chosen for corruption and that his counterpart still bears some semblance of a normal life.
When he was corrupted by Lady Myth, she took everything that had been good or noble about Markel and perverted it to serve her own twisted ends. He is a mere shadow of his former self. He lashes out at any and everything because he knows nothing else. He will never grow beyond his rage, not because he doesn't want to but because he is literally incapable of doing so.
His emotional state is a constant backdrop of anger. The littlest things will set him off, something which his acquaintances exploit as he is forbidden on pain of severe punishment to physically harm them. While it is not uncommon for him to disregard such rules and suffer the consequences anyway, he has to make an extreme effort to control his temper.
For brief instants, he can comprehend other emotions but it is fleeting. Trying to remember happier times will only make him angrier because he is reminded of what he has lost. He is stuck in the past, derives no joy in the present, and does not look forward to the future as he hates humanity and everything to do with it. He only wishes to see it burn.
((WIP))
[edit] Possession
As a bound spirit, the notion of self-preservation has take on less and less importance. Bodies are merely a house for Darkweaver to inhabit as well as a means by which he can affect the physical world. Because he cannot truly pass on, he will return to Black Tie upon his death where he can possess a new body.
It is only in his spirit form that he can choose a new body. The body can be already inhabited (ie. a person taken off the street) or an empty shell (ie. a clone). And once he has either repressed the spirit already inside or has bonded to the shell, he cannot hop to another body unless he is killed again.
Darkweaver actually keeps his own little basement in the Black Tie facility where he stores clones and other potential hosts and also runs magical experiments to perfect his next reincarnation.
[edit] Current Shell
((The information listed under "Notes" is not common in-character knowledge.))
- Name: Allen Pritchard
- Age: 28
- Height: 7'0"
- Weight: Estimated 300 lbs.
- Eye Color: Silver (Formerly brown)
- Hair Color: Brown
- Nationality: Etoile Islands
- Occupation: Nebula Cor Leonis soldier
- Summary: Allen Pritchard, a native of the Etoile Isles, signed up with the Council as a means of escape. Peeved that he was stationed in his homeland, he nevertheless proved himself to his superiors, eventually earning the privilege of undergoing super-soldier treatment. Towering at seven feet, Allen has the strength of five men.
- However, a run-in with Sgt. Anna Maris left Darkweaver shot to death with mage-killer bullets and his body devoured by Gerad Gantert. Black Tie operative R-41 Incinerator, tired of Darkweaver's violent haunting of the base, retrieved a number of bodies for him to inhabit. Darkweaver finally settled on Pritchard.
- Some time later in his new body, Darkweaver attacked Maris on an impulsive desire for revenge. Failing that, she planted a mage-killer bullet into his back and then hunted him down until his strength gave out. The bullet sealed into his flesh and then Darkweaver himself was left for dead. As he was slowly being torn apart by his own magics, he barely managed to crawl to one of the safehouses of the Shadow Spiders where he was able to summon help. Though he recovered, the incident has left him permanently disfigured.
- Notes: During his stay with the Shadow Spiders, Allen Pritchard was removed from Darkweaver, and Darkweaver's memories of the event were completely erased. To explain Pritchard's absence, Shadow Spider commander Lerezal Avalar implanted new memories that somewhere between the time Maris left him and Darkweaver reached the safehouse, he was waylaid by Thorn mages who took Pritchard for themselves. In actuality, Pritchard was given a clone body and is now trying to start a new life far, far away from the Rogue Isles...
[edit] Skills and Abilities
(Note: Darkweaver shares most of the same powers and abilities as the original Markel. Follow the link for a more detailed explanation.)
[edit] Dark Magic
The touch of the Netherworld is cold and dark. When unleashed upon a person, he or she feels as if their muscles were going numb. While not lethal up front, a constant barrage of dark energies will kill a person as easily as any weapon as cell tissues are painfully afflicted and then destroyed.
- Shadow Shroud - Darkweaver likes to lurk, concealed by magic. If he is invisible, he cannot be seen by the naked eye. (Hate to break it to you.) He is not detectable by thermal imaging, however, those who are nearby will notice that the air around him is unnaturally cold. And of course, those who can sense magic will not miss his presence.
[edit] Fire Magic
It takes a steady mind to learn how to safely wield fire magics (or any type of magic, really). An unstable person is just as likely to hurt himself as he would his enemies. Darkweaver, like Markel, has been working with fire magics since his youth as a mage in the Legacy Chain, and he has a very natural command of the art.
[edit] Healing Magic
Through sheer concentration, Darkweaver is able to mend even the most broken of bodies, regrowing flesh, knitting bones, and repairing skin. He requires physical contact in order to initiate a heal, though he is also able to radiate a soothing aura to calm a patient and even stabilize them until either he or another person can fix them up. He cannot heal himself in this manner; and depending on the extant of the injuries, he may tire very quickly as he pours massive amounts of healing energy into their body. There is a limit to what he can do. For example, he cannot restore eyesight or raise someone who has been dead for more than a few minutes.
[edit] Miscellaneous Powers
- Magic Sense - Being a trained magician, Darkweaver is able to sense all sorts of magics. The presence of magical beings, auras, or items are not hidden from him. With a little bit of concentration, he may even be able to determine the nature of the magic.
- Flight - Darkweaver possesses the ability to fly by means of magic. Aside from getting to place from place, it makes him extremely maneuverable while in combat. He can fly out of reach from foes as well as easily juke out of the way of attacks.
- Teleportation - Darkweaver is able to bind an object to himself to summon and dismiss as he pleases. He is also able to concentrate on an ally and teleport them to his side, usually to help them escape a sticky situation or traverse difficult terrain. Strangely though, like his "brother," teleporting himself has proven to be an elusive skill for him to master.
[edit] Equipment
Some notable items in Darkweaver's possession.
[edit] Demonic Blades
One of Darkweaver's pacts with the Netherworld has allowed him the ability to summon two very demonic looking swords. These swords thrive off of blood and destruction, so Darkweaver will not pull them out unless he means to feed them. Magically-inclined individuals will not miss their presence as their hunger is very palpable as well as the black aura they emit.
While the blades themselves are magically unstable, they can stay summoned in this world a few seconds once Darkweaver has broken physical contact with them. And these blades are very lightweight, so a favorite tactic of his is to throw them like a spear, as he can just summon them back into his hands at will.
[edit] Lament Box
Once opened, lament boxes are said to be gateways to other dimensions or planes of existence. Darkweaver's is a torture chamber, a prison. The lament box is attuned to his essence and can also be used to forcibly extract him from his body.
[edit] Affiliations
If I have missed you, don't be afraid to add your name; I will supply the rest!
[edit] Associates
People
- Bad Dream - Probably like most in Black Tie, Darkweaver would never publicly admit to his fear of the man. Apart from his cold, calculating and psychotic nature, Bad Dream is literally the anchor of Darkweaver's existence, bound together in a magic ritual—a fact that rankles on the mage very greatly. Though Darkweaver's stubborn nature leads him to test the limits of their relationship, he is largely kept in line by the fear of what horrors Bad Dream could wreak upon him should he betray him.
- Kira - Darkweaver's relationship with Kira is an odd one. It is most certainly a throwback to Markel Smythe's relationship with Kira, but it's distorted. At first, he railed against her attempts of kindness but has since started responding to it, much to the ire of Bad Dream who likened the relationship to a puppy following around its master. While Darkweaver's exact feelings regarding Kira are unspoken, it's clear he harbors a certain amount of loyalty toward her.
- R-41 Incinerator - Despite their constant bickering, "Cinny" is one of the few people in Black Tie Darkweaver can stand on a daily basis. If Darkweaver had a partner-in-crime, Cinny would be it. They absolutely love fire... and they absolutely hate life. So, they take care of this problem by burning it with fire.
- Black Amaranth - An alternate Gelle. Darkweaver's temperamental personality allowed her to easily get under his skin at first, but now she seems to have taken a certain pity to his situation. As with Kira, Darkweaver has loudly protested against her attempts to help him...
- Justin Kain - His "surrogate" son, as demanded by Kain (much to Darkweaver's chagrin) for atonement for one of Smythe's many mistakes. The two have so much in common, they can barely stand each other. And Kain's bizarre loyalty to Darkweaver allows him to manipulate the boy with relative ease.
- Av Zaldun - A former Black Tie associate who now works under Kira. Darkweaver is largely cold and standoffish towards the greedy mercenary captain. However, it is also not uncommon for them to exchange cruel barbs.
Organizations
- Black Tie - Darkweaver despises his associates in the Black Tie; nevertheless he is forced to work with them, both on the orders of Bad Dream and the simple fact of the matter that his very existence is tied to the organization. Though he would like nothing more than to be rid of them, he enjoys their protection from Relics, Spiders, and any hero who would make him answer for the crimes he committed while under the influence of Lady Myth.
[edit] Adversaries
People
- Blood Red Rook - Darkweaver's interest with his brother's wife borders on a near obsession. He would like nothing more than to ruin her happiness, but present circumstances prevent otherwise.
- Lady Myth - She created him. And though she no longer controls him, every day he is reminded of the miserable path he walks on. He is who he is because of her, and he will hate her for the rest of his life. Ironically, if the two of them weren't so bent on hatred, misery, and destruction, they might actually make a good team.
- Zyren Treskal - Zyren kidnapped him and turned him over to Lady Myth in the first place. He hasn't forgotten that.
- Sgt. Maris - Even before Darkweaver, Markel and Maris didn't always see eye to eye. Where Markel would prefer to just leave her to her own devices and try to get on with his life, Darkweaver feels the need to act on his anger. And her besting him at least twice now (one of which resulting in his death and subsequent reincarnation), has only solidified that into a singular hatred. Will he learn? Who knows?
Organizations
None... for now.
[edit] Trivia
Little tidbits that do not fit anywhere else.
[edit] IC
- On Pritchard's body, Darkweaver has a scar on his lower back resembling the scar on Maris's face. Additionally, the veiny scars on Darkweaver's face cover a good portion of the rest of his body.
- Darkweaver sports a black star-shaped tattoo around his left eye, which typically hides when he is "off-duty".
- While Darkweaver hates many things, he particularly despises meathooks.
- Three important dates
- March 1, 1969 - Markel Smythe was born
- April 27, 2009 - Lady Myth split Markel into two souls.
- July 8, 2009 - Bad Dream ripped Darkweaver from Markel.
[edit] OOC
- The Dark/Dark Corruptor Markel Darkweaver was the first toon I ever rolled and the first to reach 50. Though personality-wise, he was Markel Smythe.
- Darkweaver is often referred to as R-41 Incinerator's brother because of their shared interest in burning and killing. As a joke, I created Markel Firestarter, a Fire Blast/Kinetics Corruptor (like Cinny), to illustrate this. The toon is entirely in-character, though, as Firestarter is a throwback to Markel/Darky's history with the Legacy Chain and Kinetics is RPed as dark magic. Consequently, Firestarter may apply to either Markel Smythe or Markel Darkweaver. So if I am on Firestarter, pay attention either to his appearance or his personality. ;)
[edit] Credits
I originally intended to put this in the Trivia section, but it eventually grew large enough to merit it's own section. Darkweaver wouldn't be who he is if it weren't for two very awesome people.
The first goes to @ScarletRedemption, the mastermind behind the Relics of Power. The Relics have greatly shaped my characters from the earliest months. I spent many hours ICly and OOCly with Moira (past both our bed-times!) discussing Relics. The lore behind it is remarkable and deep, and I have latched onto it and devoured it. Moira is amazing. :)
And the second goes to @Talisien Nightbane, the man behind Bad Dream. I broached the subject of placing Darkweaver into Black Tie if he could find a way to extract him from Markel and keep him from running off. The "Ghost Widow"-style binding was his idea. Roleplaying it has been both a challenge and lots of fun.
Darkweaver is still under development as I make him my own. But I wanted to give credit where credit is due. Without them, Darkweaver 1) wouldn't exist and 2) would just be a footnote in Markel's profile page.
[edit] Views and Opinions about Darkweaver
Leave in-character views and opinions here
- "You... you......... We'll meet soon enough. So I can offer my congratulations on your freedom in person."
- "Patrick Batemen..?"
- "I haven't quite put my thumb on Darkweaver. What makes him tick, what motivates him, et cetera. But I can guess, and it seems my guess was correct. With that being said, let the Heavens tremble in terror."
- "Darky and I, we're mates. Real pals. Heh. Yeah, he won't admit it, but he likes me. One of these days we're just going to take a trip to Vegas and tear the place up. I keep trying to buy him hookers, but he either rejects them or says he's going to kill them. I tried the other kind, but... heh, guess he doesn't go that way either."
- "Two to nothing, Markel. Have you learned who you're dealing with, yet?"
- "He burns things, I burn things. Not much else needs to be said."
- "Markel Darkweaver puts on airs and acts like he's an individual, but at the core, he's no different then myself, Dream, or many of the people he 'hates'. He is a hypocrite, a fraud, and a fool by that fact, and that fact alone. However, I must thank him, for without his meddling in my life, I wouldn't have the power I do today."
- "Me no stoopid cha-yuld! You cha-yuld! With no friendieness!"
- -Kage Hebi (After Markel called him a "Stupid Child")
- "I like Darky. A lot. I find him charming, eloquent, and impossibly difficult. I want to help him but he is.. well.. hard headed. Fine by me if he wants to fade out of existence."
Categories: Character | Villain | Male | Magic | Corruptor | Magician | Cursed | Clone | Reincarnated | Murderer | Black Tie | Shadow Spiders | Relics of Power | Mature Roleplay
