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Salt is as necessary to my life as a lack of oxygen is to yours.
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— Himself
Standoffish and occasionally crude, Sergio isn't even the square peg to a circular hole when it comes to being a heroic mismatch--he's more like an awkward, gnarled stick. He prefers to keep to his lab and own creative devices when at his day job, but when he puts on the mantle of "Vim," it's easier to see why he insists on being so salty: He's indelibly connected to the energy of life, and therefore sensitive to its global, continued abuse. It's hard to justify helping people so disconnected from the very things that keep them alive.
Personality
At-a-distance, the man's a standoffish loner best described as "grumpy," though any sense of him being bitter or intimidating usually ends with that distance. It is, however, a distance he does his best to maintain. There's a sort of understated wildness to him, like a mercurial calm that could on a dime twist into a squall. He's quick to indulge his passions, often animated, vibrant, and bold, clearly believing in the adage "complacency is death." That vigor informs his courage, fierceness, and determination, very often trending towards anger and recklessness, but never malice. The man is truly, ultimately, motivated by a deep well of empathy underneath all of that snarl.
Background
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When Sergio was young, his mother spun tales of a grandmother so distant in time, Trena had never been certain just how old the stories were. They were all cut of a similar cloth, where Amalthea--said grandmother--touched a spirit so potent, so transformative, it affected not only herself, but echoed down throughout her lineage. It wasn't a bargain in the traditional sense: Amalthea required nothing of the spirit; she desired neither its power nor its wisdom. In a darker time where spirits were much closer to the world, and humanity was much less safe from their dangers, Amalthea simply displayed a rare kindness the spirit honored with its bond.
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A young woman at the time, Amalthea had been foraging in the wilderness near her home when she chanced upon a conflict between two powerful entities--what she termed as a spirit connected to the natural wildness of life, and a demon she knew only as "The Adversary." When it become clear that the former was losing, Amalthea threw herself between them. "I have nothing to stop you, but myself," she said to the demon. "And though I know you may kill me, who am I if I do nothing?" And so the demon laughed and mangled her body with a single swipe. As her life ebbed away, it mingled with the essence of the life-spirit, who took her into its light, and together, they became something new.
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As their forms fused, Amalthea began to rise, her body transfigured. Images of all the living beasts Amalthea had ever known danced upon her skin, and she called upon them and their strength to smite the demon and return it to whence it came. Then as if to illustrate the truth of the story, Amalthea's tattoos would then blazon to life over Trena's skin where there had previously been none, and she would lift Sergio into her arms with the strength of a bear, and remind him, "Remember: Who are you if you do nothing? Life must be protected, and when it is time, I will pass this responsibility on to you."
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Many times, Trena's brother would listen to these tales, power-hungry and jealous, and swear to himself that the tattoos would be his. Amalthea's comingled spirit could only be merged with one person, and that person held it until their death. He was not so terrible as to plan the murder of his sister, but he had every intention of manipulating events to his benefit. He researched and studied, becoming an accomplished shaman in his own right, but where Marko bound spirits, Trena befriended them. Where Marko demanded and hunted power, Trena requested only what she required--a process she taught to her son.
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In the end, Trena's good standing and agreements among spirits prevented Marko from using them against her, and he was forced to bide his time. That time came in a great battle where both Marko and Trena together barely defeated one of The Adversary's minions. But this time, Marko hesitated at a critical moment, and Trena was mortally wounded. As she lay dying, "Teach him," she begged of her brother. "Teach my son." In that moment, Marko attempted to summon the departing spirit into himself, and for the first time, he heard its powerful, genderless voice.
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"Not you." He was rebuffed. Infuriated, he then tried to forcibly anchor the spirit to himself, but was again rebuffed. "Not you." And the spirit departed, navigating the ether, drawn to a now-teenaged Sergio, with whom the new merging began. In the following years, Marko would continue to accumulate power, aggressively attempting to draw Amalthea's strength from his nephew, but in the end only fulfilling his sister's dying request. The attacks would force Sergio to constantly defend himself, learning faster, becoming better, if more cynical.
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Even moving into university with the help of extant family as well his mundane father became a process of quiet warding and constant spiritual tutelage. This instruction and gentle nudging would eventually press him into the instruction of medicine and alchemy--additional ways to assist in the defense of life. In the end, he would ultimately became what Trena had always hoped for: A man never willing to stand by and do nothing, passionate and energetic in its defense, sometimes regardless of the cost to himself.
SKILLS
ALCHEMY - Expert: As an experienced alchemist and shaman, Sergio is very capable in creating most mystical compounds, materials, and potions, provided the ingredients are available.
ATHLETICS - Competent: He has some skill in freerunning and can move very quickly in most environments.
COMBAT - Novice: Much as an animal survives on raw instinct, Sergio can fight with the skill of whatever animal he is channeling, but beyond that, he's only a decent brawler.
HERBOLOGY - Competent: While not a botanist, Sergio is very competent in his knowledge of the medicinal (and mystical) qualities of various plants, and how to use them.
MEDICINE - Competent: While not a doctor as such, Sergio is competent enough in the biology of most living creatures to be able to leverage his abilities to diagnose problems and administer his own medicines.
PHARMACOPEIA - Expert: As a licensed pharmacist, Sergio is well-versed in the ability to compound and create various drugs, and understands how they affect the body.
SPIRIT LORE - Expert: Sergio has a firm understanding on the nature of spirits, where and how they exist, how to interact with and entreat them, what to expect from them, and so on. To some extent, this includes demons, but he is no demonologist.
SURVIVALIST - Competent: Living on the land regardless of geography or climate is something Sergio has taken a great deal of time to study and practice.
WILLPOWER - Competent: From practiced communion with spirits and dealing with his own spiritual and bestial connections, Sergio has become competent at honing and focusing his will.
POWERS
ALCHEMY - Basic: With his practiced understanding of Alchemy on a theoretical level, Sergio has the ability to create alchemical items and potions with basic magical effects, such as healing potions or enchanted metals, turning lead into gold, etc.
ANCESTRAL MEMORY - Basic: Through the spirit he has merged with, Sergio can attempt to access the memories and knowledge of his ancestors. Navigating an untold number of memories and personalities is exceptionally difficult, however, so this is not a casual affair.
FERAL INSTINCTS - Enhanced: From years of using his tattoos and succumbing to his baser animal a few too many times, Sergio's natural senses have permanently improved. He can see, hear, scent, and sense danger in much the same ways as the animals he channels.
SHAMANIC MAGIC - Supreme: Due to his own spirit-bond and spiritual connection, Sergio has the ability to communicate with spirits directly or through the veil. Due to his reputation as a fair negotiator and spirit-friend, spirits in general are inclined to treat Sergio kindly and fairly in return (or at the very least, not violently; but there are always exceptions). Communication can be as simple as having a simple conversation or as complicated as entreating the spirit to produce some kind of mystical effect within that spirit's purview. These effects are absolutely dependent on the power of the individual spirit (from Basic for common spirits to Supreme for exceptionally powerful ones). If a spirit is not immediately available, Sergio can take time to prepare a ritual to summon it.
SHAMANIC TATTOOS - Enhanced: Invisible to those without some kind of mystical perception (or until they are activated), Sergio's body is covered with tattoos of various animals he and his ancestors have bonded with over the years. By focusing for a moment, Servio can activate any tattoo to gain the special characteristics of that animal (enhanced strength, speed, toughness, regeneration, the ability to fly, etc). Only one tattoo can be activated at a time, but any one tattoo can provide several benefits (though they must be in accordance with that animal, and always (and only) at Enhanced strength). Focusing on any tattoo for too great a time runs the risk of the man succumbing to the nature of that particular beast. Should the beast win a contest of wills, Sergio abandons his mental faculties and acts in accordance with that animal's demeanor. New tattoos can be added (that are not just animals), but doing so requires using a very specific, mystical ink, and forging a link with the appropriate spirit or animal or mythical beast.
THE SIGHT - Enhanced: Connected to the Earth's natural life force as he is, Sergio can sense life around him (such as where they are in relation to him, how healthy they are, and recieve basic emotional impressions). This ability also supplies basic information on the general state of the land (such as if it's healthy, polluted, haunted, etc.). Most importantly, it allows Sergio to see and sense spirits. It does not allow for mind-reading or telepathy.
ADVANTAGES
PHARMD As a legitimate holder of this advanced degree, Sergio holds down a job as a hospital compounding pharmacist.
PROTECTED HOME Sergio has a home that is protected by wards and spiritual agreements to keep out unwanted visitors, malicious spirits, and the servants of The Adversary.
SECRET LABORATORY For his special contracting needs, Sergio has a secret, personal lab at his home for any alchemical, herbological, or more mundane medicinal purposes. It's not stocked for mass production, but it's supplied with all the necessary ingredients and equipment such as a centrifuge, alembics, beakers and the like for practical compounding and magical alchemy.
SECRET LIBRARY Along with his lab, Sergio maintains a secret, spirit-protected library with information for his compounding, occult, and spiritual needs. Many of the books are ancient volumes he inherited from his family.
WEAKNESSES
ADVERSARY Since the beginning of his family's history, Sergio's ancestors have been hunted by a particular demon known as "The Adversary" with designs on the spirit that has inhabited the chosen shaman of that generation. He has made every attempt to seduce, cajole, or outright enslave the shaman to get at the spirits they hold (and probably punish them, too). He frequently sends his lesser minions to approach Sergio's family directly, or indirectly through other avenues and intermediaries.
BAD SPIRITS While spirits are, in general, predisposed to like Sergio given his fair and kind treatment of them, not all spirits are kind by nature, and seek out the spiritually sensitive to manipulate and abuse them; this includes Sergio.
FAMILY Much of Sergio's extant family are also shamans, though less powerful than he. While he intentionally keeps his distance from them, and they can take care of themselves to some extent, they remain a soft target.
FERAL MIEN Use of his tattoos and getting a little too close to the animals they represent has caused some of their features to stick around more permanently. For now, these are minor things, such as larger-than-normal incisors, too-sharp nails he has to constantly trim, and a slightly predatory aura that can make others uncomfortable around him. Anyone with mystical senses can easily note this aura.
INNER BEAST Having succumbed to the animal nature of his tattoos in the past, there's a beast that lurks deep inside Sergio's subconcious, always urging him to let go and give into his power to savage and usually violent consequence.
SECRET IDENTITY The separation of Sergio and Vim exists largely because of Sergio's understanding of the danger he can potentially pose to others at his worst. He fears what could happen if trouble should follow him home and he happens to give in to his inner Beast.
UNCLE His primary adversary, Sergio's uncle has made it his life's mission to claim Sergio's spiritual essence for himself, convinced his sister had no right to pass it down.
