Abracadabrella
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Mistress of Magic! | |
| Abracadabrella | |
| Player: | |
| Origin: | Magic |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Controller |
| Security Level: | 1 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Abigail van Moulton |
| Known Aliases: | Mistress of Magic, Princess of Prestidigitation |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 28 |
| Height: | 5' 6" |
| Weight: | 125 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Stage Magician, Licensed Super Hero |
| Place of Birth: | Stamford, Connecticut |
| Base of Operations: | Overbrook, Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | John Chauncey von Moulton (Father, estranged), Margaret von Moulton (Mother, estranged), Neville von Moulton (Brother) |
| Known Powers | |
| Illusion creation, Spell casting | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Escape Artist, Sleight-of-Hand | |
| Equipment | |
| Crossbow | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Personality
A daughter of high society, Abigail von Moulton tends to be well-spoken and polite, but aloof. She has a distinctive sense of humor, but often buries it beneath an assumed "stage" persona of a stereotypical magician. She does not volunteer information quickly, and keeps her own counsel.
Powers
Illusion Creation
When she began her magic career, Abracadabrella's illusions were typical magic "tricks" reliant on sleight-of-hand, specialized devices, and misdirection. However, she has since studied the forbidden texts of her instructor, Presto the Inconceivable, and has learned to manipulate true magical energies. Her "illusions" are now much more dangerous, and capable of inflicting severe psychic and physical damage.
Spell-Casting
In addition to the creation of illusions, Abracadabrella has learned numerous magical cantrips that she utilizes while crime-fighting. The most notable of these is a spell that grants the ability to fly.
Abilities
Escape Artist
As part of her magical training, Abracadabrella learned the art of escapology. When she is properly prepared, it is very difficult to restrain her with handcuffs, straightjackets, locks, or enclosures. She is seldom without several lockpicks and other implements secreted on her person.
Sleight-of-Hand
Though she seldom uses the ability while crime-fighting, Abracadabrella is an expert at legerdemain, or sleight-of-hand.
Equipment
Wand
Abracadabra is never seen without her wand. This appears to be a typical stage magician's wand. It is unknown whether the device has any bearing on her spellcasting abilities.
Crossbow
Abracadabra carries a small, short-range crossbow. In addition to utilizing this device in her act (the "Phantom Arrow" trick), she carries a small quiver containing numerous "trick quarrels". The heads of these quarrels contain a number of non-lethal countermeasures, including nets, glue, and cryonite gas.
Weaknesses and Limitations
Normal Human
Without her spells or weapons, Abracadabra is a normal, human woman. If she is caught unaware, unprepared, or simply outnumbered, she is extremely vulnerable to threats as mundane as gunfire or knives.
Character History
Youth
Abigail van Moulton is the daughter of John Chauncey and Margaret von Moulton, of the Stamford von Moultons. Her great-great-grandfather, Chester Plenworth von Moulton, was a steel magnate in the early 20th century, amassing a vast fortune that has perpetuated through several generation to the current crop of idle rich. While John Chauncey von Moulton and his brothers and sisters sit on the Board of Directors of Global Steel, their life is one of high society idleness. Abigail was born into this world, and groomed from a young age to be a New York socialite.
However, her parents dreams were shattered when, at age 9, they took her to see a magic show performed by master illusionist Presto the Inconceivable. A working stage magician since the 1930s, Presto was an expert on all manner of illusions, performing feats that puzzle the magic community to this day. Abigail was enthralled with his act, and began to research and practice legerdemain in her free time. Meanwhile, she excelled in her studies at the Mount Rosemary School for Girls.
By age 18, Abigail was sneaking out several times a week to perform at small magic clubs as illusionist "Trixie Deville". It is during this period that she discovered the advantages to wearing fishnet stockings during her act -- her predominantly male audiences paid much less attention to any mistakes. However, she was a very capable illusionist, and her excellence in academics had earned her admission to several Ivy League colleges. Her father, a Princeton man, was urging her in that direction, while her mother held out for Harvard.
Student of Magic
Abigail shocked them both when she announced that she was not attending college, but had chosen to seek out a magic instructor and devote herself full time to the study of illusions. After a week of argument, her father disowned her (much to the delight of her brother, who stood to inherit a much greater fortune). She pawned all of her jewelery to obtain a substantial nest egg, and then left the United States for Europe to seek out Presto the Inconceivable.
After several near misses, and two abortive apprenticeships to sub-par (and lecherous) illusionists, Abigail located Presto living in semi-retirement in Florence, Italy. She concvinced the elderly magician to take her under his wing. Envigorated by the presence of youth, Presto began a new tour of Eastern Europe with Abigail as his assistant and student. They soon brought the show to the United States. Oddly, many of their stops were in middle-of-nowhere towns, or at military bases -- venues much smaller than the larger concert halls Presto was accustomed to. Abigail became suspicious.
Turning Point
In time, she discovered Presto's secret: since the early 1960's, he had lived a second life as a spy and assassin called "The Red Spider". His touring schedule, access to high society, and mesmeric abilities made him an ideal candidate to obtain secrets or infiltrate highly secure facilities. He exchanged these acts for true magical secrets -- not content to be a mere illusionist, his desire to learn genuine magic had driven him to the brink of madness.
Abigail informed the FBI, and assisted them in planning a sting. Presto, however, learned of the impending attack, and prepared a number of deadly spells to unleash on their current venue -- Paragon City. In desperation, Abigail secretly modified the components of his first spell. When the FBI struck, Presto unleashed his "Wave of Death" spell -- and was horribly immolated when the tainted components backfired upon him. The FBI, content to chalk it up to mis-timed explosives, left Abigail with all of Presto's magical possessions -- including his tomes of forbidden knowledge.
Magician and Crime-Fighter
For a year, Abigail studied Presto's journals. From these, she learned the origin of her stage name, "Abracadabrella" -- a modification of a magic word, but also a variety of spider that disguised itself as a fly. As she learned the depths of corruption and evil her master had plumbed, she became convinced that it was her duty to make amends for his evil. Resuming her work as a stage magician, she began to devise new ways to utilize her tricks and illusions -- ways that could be used to apprehend criminals, and help average citizens. With growing confidence, she took to the the streets, wielding her magical abilities in the name of justice as the Astonishing Abracadabrella, Mistress of Magic!
