Aura Crush
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| "...Well enough." | |
| Aura Crush | |
| Player: @Dead-ish | |
| Origin: | Natural |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Stalker/Arachnos Night Widow |
| Threat Level: | 50/50 |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Aura Canterbury |
| Known Aliases: | Night Widow Scourge, CC, NWS, "Commander" |
| Species: | Post Human or Mutant (Debated/Poorly Researched) |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 5'7'' |
| Weight: | 119 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Emerald Green |
| Hair Color: | Black (Dyed White) |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Night Widow/Spec Ops Commander (Wraith Spiders) |
| Place of Birth: | London |
| Base of Operations: | St. Martial |
| Marital Status: | In a Relationship |
| Known Relatives: | Alberto and Elisabeth Canterbury (Parents), Aleera & Aurelius Zihla (Children) |
| Known Powers | |
| Invisibility, Physiotelekinesis(Term invented by Aura), Superhuman reflexes | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Confidential | |
| Equipment | |
| Ninja-Sword, Various Grenades, Webley Revolver | |
| No additional information available. | |
Contents |
Personality
Aura tends to carry herself in a fairly mild and formal manner that tends to keep her distant from those who aren't hellbent on associating with her. This social attitude is likely what dooms her to chronic depression and apathy. She is also notoriously bad at small talk. She believes herself to be a paragon of class and refinement, but that doesn't stop her from swearing like a sailor when frustrated. Despite all of this, she does maintain close loyalties with some and enjoys working for them. Aura suffers from intense intimacy issues stemming from what she claims to be asexuality. All who have become romantically involved with her sum the experience up with the word "difficult". She will often withhold a piece of critical information from a loved one and save it for use of veering the subject of conversation away from anything too interpersonal.
These problems cause her to constantly fear and dread a madness that may never settle upon her mind.
History
Early Life
Aura Elisabeth Canterbury was born to wealthy diplomats in London, England. At a young age there seemed to be little about her that was remarkable along the lines of metahumanity. Moderately intelligent and brilliantly crafty, she easily made high marks in school. However, around the age of fifteen her two-faced manner manifested itself as she began stealing away from her family's posh apartment to enjoy the mischievous nightlife. A taste for heavy metal music and deadly weapons began to take hold of her as preoccupations when she wasn't playing the "Perfect Diplomat's Daughter" shtick in public.
The "Oxford Incident"
While obtaining an education at Oxford University, she developed a knack for ninjutsu and "Black Ops" practices. These interests were inspired by a cousin during her teenage years. One evening while preparing for a night of sneaking around and trespassing near harmlessly, a raid took place on her dormitory for suspected terrorist plots (that were later proven a false alarm). The door to her dormitory was kicked in, leaving her in the awkward position of being dressed in a black stealth suit and having various weapons on her table. While complying with the orders to "get on the ground", she heard some of the officers wildly exclaiming things to the effect of "Where'd she go?!". Discovering she was practically invisible, she took the time many would use to wonder "how and why" this was to kill the officers. She shortly after fled England for Paragon City in the United States in hope of making amends for her crimes, at least to her conscience.
The Heroic Stint
Four years of her life were spent in Paragon City as a minor hero. The need to hold back from killing causes a nearly unexplainable handicap to her ability to fight, leading to her being largely unhelpful in the ongoing fight against crime. She later described the whole situation as "frustrating on a level deeper than I can fathom." It was during this time that she finished obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in medicine and fell in love with a now deceased man who's name she witholds.
"Why me?"
As an otherwise unassuming heroine, someone with darker intentions saw a use for her that she could never imagine. It is at this time that her records become hazy, contradictory, and unreliable. Arachnos gave up trying to make sense of her recorded history, finding her not worth the trouble. At any rate, Dr. Vahzilok found her suitable to test a new parasitic biological weapon. However, he could not get to her so he devised a plan to lure her to him. By having her romantic interest brutally butchered, he succeeded in sending her into a rage that cost her humanity in the end. After injecting her with the first stage of the parasites, Vahzilok had her dumped on Mercy Island, where she'd find no help or reliable medical attention.
A Hero No More
For weeks she walked the streets of Mercy Island confused, sick, and hungry. Her costume and ego were viciously ground away as she had to adapt to brutality. Her nights would be spent on rooftops, staring up at the sky and furiously pondering what she had done so wrong to deserve all this. She managed to steal most of what she needed, namely a sword. Eventually after many months she had gained herself momentum in the Isles, aided heavily by her allies in the arcanely oriented Sadist's Blade. However, life as an assassin in the Rogue Isles left a bitter taste in her mouth. The speed at which she took to "villainy" disturbed her, but she put it behind her and moved ever forward.
A Lone Knife in the Shadow
Aura's commanding ability and keen mind led to her attaining leadership of the crumbling Sadist's Blade organization, but this only held her attention for a while. One morning she simply issued a statement of resignation and walked away from it all. It was at this time that she began to foster a sever distaste for the thuggish and brutal nature of most of the Isles' population. The idea came to her to establish an Academy, much like the ones common in Paragon, to take in the superhuman youth and educate them. In her case, some would use the term "educate" as her planned criteria to be taught included cunning and manipulative arts in a subversive fashion. The Academy was established, but was done away with before construction on the building itself even began. This failure was immediately followed by her joining up with the Dread Aces, with the only reason being to watch over Vexx Vandal and possibly have something to do.
Blacklisted
Being contracted to work for Arachnos gave Aura access to small rights of command. On the first day of the Rikti invasion, she redirected a squad out of the way of fellow Dread Aces, leading to that squad's demise. Shortly after, she was captured by Arachnos agents. While being transferred through Grandville, her captors were assaulted by Arachnoids, giving her a chance to escape. This entire event led to her being blacklisted from troop command and the rights to dual membership with other groups and Arachnos simultaneously. It is still a mystery as to how she avoided the typical execution often bestowed upon traitors. Shortly after, while searching for someone lost in the Rikti Warzone, she was ambushed by a sizable force of Rikti and taken prisoner. She sat there for what felt like hours waiting to be executed when an acquaintance, Huntsman Fury, spotted her and freed her from the grasp of the aliens.
Jumping Ship to Become a Spider
Faced with the decision of becoming an enemy of Arachnos or to break and join them exclusively, she chose the latter. Huntsman Fury quickly took her for his squad, the Wraith Spiders. Within mere weeks, she ascended to the coveted rank of Officer. She offered medical knowledge, combat skill, and much needed tact and wisdom. Her medical skills happen to be somewhat reckless and unorthodox, but effective. She has been quoted as saying "Conventional medicine has no place in my ward." She is currently still enlisted with them and treated with high respect due to her role and standing (or perhaps just the fear of an ever vengeful lizard-man who loves to punch things). She now holds the highest attainable rank of Commander and oversees the Spec Ops Division as the Wraith Spider's prime Night Widow. Upon completing Night Widow re-orientation, she was given the option to take on a new name: "Night Widow Scourge".
As a Commander
Aura's Spec Ops division takes in only the best in specialized combat that the Spiders have to offer. Although the admittance trial is brutal, so far none have died taking it. This is due to the fact that she refuses to have the lives of soldiers wasted on just an exam. Unlike many Arachnos commanders, she doesn't get some sort of twisted high off of expending people's existances at a whim. This leads to much controversy as to how she runs things, causing troops to either respect her more or less. However, the thoughts and opinions of bloodthirsty fools has never been something she cared for. Over time though, the stresses of her position have begun to wear on her. Her patience and refinement have been eroded to a noticable degree and after a certain point of insubordination from a soldier, she's been known to assign extensive and torturous punishment. Time will tell if she'll eventually succumb to annoyance and do away with her sympathetic reasoning when dealing with problems.
Powers
Ninja Blade and "Physiotelekinesis"
The bulk of Aura's offensive power comes from her skill with the ninja blade. Her ability to augment her own strength and speed by using telekinesis on herself(and only herself)makes for deadly strikes. Although skilled at swordplay, she tends to prefer to strike her targets unaware. Aside from conventional stealth methods, she can bend light around her body to essentially become invisible. Her "Physiotelekinesis" also allows her to fly or leap incredible distances by lifting her own body.
Ninjutsu and "The Plague"
Her Physiotelekinesis allows her to move as fast and as adeptly as she can imagine. In theory, one would think this would grant her super speed and nigh untouchability, but that assumption would be false. Her body is practically human, and therefore the stresses of super speed would do horrendous damage to her muscles, possibly tearing them to the point of severe injury. Regardless of this, she can duck, weave, and jump with noteworthy ability. The viral parasites in her body serve to instantly replace damaged tissues in her body and to assault foes by bursting from her and blinding, entangling, or even terminally diseasing her enemies.
"The Plague"
"The Plague" is the general name Aura has given to the mysterious Necregenerative Hypermorphologic parasites that have been forced upon her. They reside in her veins and organs, thriving off of the food she eats as opposed to feeding on her from the inside out. They seem to have a mind of their own and seem to enjoy tormenting her if she steps too far from what they allow. At first uncontrollable, she's learned to whip them into general obedience and to turn them into what is possibly the most dangerous weapon she posesses. Due to the fact that the parasites are coupled with a viral zombifying agent, she exists in a fairly well hidden state of undeath. Her habit of biting the dust only to sit back up asking "What the bloody Hell did I miss?" have made her the butt of many jokes in the Wraith Spiders.
Contacts
Huntsman Fury: Although she originally feared and avoided him, they eventually became friends and she accepted his invitation to the Wraith Spiders. Her will to remain single broke down and the two became a couple. Although she questions his judgement on a near hourly basis, she still stands at his side.
Tessella: Aura has alot of respect for Tess. She sees her as a person of equal merit that has exceptional leadership ability. Whenever Aura wants something handled logically, she goes to Tess. (Note: Aura is currently competing with Tess for who can "Die the Most and Come Back". Accurate numbers have not been tallied and I conjecture that the two are about neck and neck.)
TH-114: Regardless of strongly disapproving of her methods and brashness, Aura considers Rosamia Clark to be a friend. Aura can often be seen drinking with and having her sexual orientation questioned by TH in Pocket D.
Death-Master: Aura easily considers DM her right hand when it comes to business and a close friend. This is possibly the only person other than Fury she will go out of her way to assist on a non-"Life or death" mission. She knows little about him and is curious to know more about the man behind the mask (and hood).
Plague GraveWidow and Pathogyn: Considering that they are her children from the future, she has little choice in the matter on what to feel.
NightWidow Lysarien: Aura does not understand her and nor does she want to. She is merely thankful that she's on her side.
Xilla.: The prospective brother-in-law. She considers him a mad wrecking ball and uses Huntsman Fury as a buffer between them.
Project Kestrel: Kestrel is a time traveler who seems to get himself into situations a time traveler should avoid. Aura trusts and respects him, and as a product of such has put much at risk to ensure his survival.
Graffiti Samurai: Possibly the person she's known the longest and still has contact with. Although they've had an illogically rocky friendship/nemesis-ship, she's made a vow to never kill him regardless of circumstance.
Vexx Vandal: Possibly the first indication that she wasn't the cold, efficiency machine she tried so hard to make herself be. The two treat eachother like adopted family and Aura has made it extremely obvious that touching the child in any malicious fashion will incur the most tenacious wrath she can muster.
Trivia
- Aura was originally intended to be a stereotypical assassin/henchwoman, hence the now unfitting name. (I'll eventually get a name change.)
- Aura is paralyzed from the waist down, but can manage and hide this due to her powers. She goes to great lengths to keep this a secret.
- Is a fan of metal and was even in a band in her later teens. Another detail she has "swept under the rug".
- Is one quarter Spanish.
- Thinks Nictus are adorable.
