Leif is a descendant of the Greek demigod Periclymenus on his mother's side, and the son of the Norse god Thor. Never one to play the active hero, he's devoted his life to the study of magic, both his own and that which is wielded. Now he uses that knowledge as an instructor at Queensmouth Academy.
Personality
Leif is haunted by the night his mother died, even nearly two decades later. He occasionally has nightmares, which can result in some pretty powerful overnight storms. Otherwise, he is an affable young man, friendly and smart, who enjoys his extensive knowledge of magic without being obnoxious about it. He is fiercely competitive when it comes to sports and games (and, to some extent, magic), and can be short-tempered in that regard. All in all, though, he's generally likable and approachable.
Background
The Greek demigod Perclymenus was gifted by his grandfather Poseidon with the ability to shape-shift into various animals. This ability is one that abided as the sons of Periclymenus went into the world. Most were unfortunate enough to meet with a dire fate, but some survived and propagated. Some went to the East, and some went to the West. One of those who went West prospered, his family name eventually becoming Applewhite.
Maureen Applewhite was born and raised in Beacon Hills, California, where a lot of weird things tended to happen. Strange noises in the night, citizens who disappeared and were never seen again...the weirdness of the energy and feel of the woods that surrounded the town. It was all weird. That was fine. She was weird, too, with her family gifts.
So it wasn't -that- weird when she met a handsome young man on her eighteenth birthday who claimed to be the Norse god Thor. Whether she truly believed him or not, she had to admit that he was charismatic and dynamic and he gave her sweet memories of that night. He also gave her a child.
Leif Applewhite was born to a single mother in the town of Beacon Hills. From an early age, he knew he was different than most. The weather seemed to respond to his moods, and electricity never seemed to bother him. He had no fear of thunderstorms or lightning, and he was always a bit more athletic than the other kids in his grade, with the exception of the Hales.
When he was thirteen, his house was attacked by a group of hunters. After the werewolves in the area, they learned of Maureen's gift, and they killed her. They would have killed him, as well, but he found his mother's family gift, and shifted into a mouse, slipping through the cracks of the house to escape into the woods, where he watched as his family home burned to the ground with his mother inside. (The hunters would eventually find their quarry years later, but by then Leif had moved on.)
He eventually turned back to human, and passed out. He was found there by the Hales, a prominent family in Beacon Hills. They took him in for a short while, giving him a place to stay and finish out his his current school year. It was at the end of that year that his father revealed himself. It was indeed the god Thor, who informed him of his demigod status and the inherent dangers of that, and presented him with the hammer Margkunnigr as a symbol of his birthright.
He also told Leif of a school on the East Coast that was built for the magically and divinely-inclined. A place for them to study and hone their abilities. He'd arranged for Leif to attend. So, Leif thanked the Hale family for their help and support and left for Queensmouth Academy. (He would remain in contact with the Hales up until the tragic fire that claimed most of the family, at which point he lost touch.)
The academy opened the door to a lifetime of learning about magic and its applications, in so many forms. And he seemed to have a talent for it, even if he wasn't a magus like most of the other students. Leif finished school there, as well as college, and did his graduate work there. At some point it became obvious to him that the logical next step was teaching, and that's where he is now: a teacher, still at Queensmouth Academy, and still learning about magic and himself.
SKILLS
Academics - Competent Level
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Having spent the majority of his life in study, Leif has a skill and thirst for acquiring knowledge. All knowledge is essential, nothing is trivial, and a question asked deserves a proper answer, even if it takes days to research it.
Armed Combat - Competent Level
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Leif has been trained in combat with ancient weapons like swords and maces. His weapon of choice is a battle hammer given to him by his father.
Athletics - Competent Level
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Leif has played sports most of his life. This has given him heightened reflexes and dexterity, as well as great skill at running, jumping, and other athletic endeavors.
Camping - Competent Level
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Leif loves camping, and has been doing so since he was a young boy. He knows outdoor survival techniques well enough to serve occasionally as wilderness guide.
Driving - Competent Level
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Leif has a valid driver's license. He is capable of driving any two-axle vehicle, including motorcycles and dirt bikes, with a full degree of capability and competence.
Mechanics - Competent Level
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Leif has a relatively good understanding of mechanics, including motorcycle maintenance and repair. He used this knowledge one summer to restore his current ride.
Occultism - Competent Level
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Leif has dedicated most of his education to learning all he can about magic and mysticism in all its forms. This was the subject of his graduate work, and the focus of his teaching career.
Spellcasting - Competent Level
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Through a lifetime dedicated to learning about his own abilities, Leif learned of his talent for casting spells. While not technically a magus, he nevertheless has studied ritual and developed his ability through rigorous practice aided by his own heritage.
Teaching - Competent Level
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Leif has been an instructor for about six years. His student success rate is something in which he takes pride.
Leif has written many papers in his lifetime. They all had to be typed. Leif has gotten very good at typing. He averages 100 words per minute.
Unarmed Combat - Competent Level
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Leif has been trained in various fighting techniques, including a number of martial arts. He can skillfully defend himself against most assailants.
Willpower - Competent Level
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Years of disciplined study and meditation have given Leif extraordinary willpower, which is invaluable for conducting magic and controlling storms.
ABILITIES
Power: Atmokinesis - Supreme Level
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As the son of Thor, Leif also has a lesser version of his father's ability to control the base elements of a storm (i.e. rain, wind, thunder, ice, snow, etc.). He can generate a severe thunderstorm or howling blizzard that covers several city blocks, or disperse or lessen an existing storm of the same size and intensity. He can also generate air currents to actually fly without a broom, or channel them in such a way to deliver concussive blows to an opponent. As a result of this ability, he is less bothered by frigid temperatures or oxygen-thin air.
Power: Electrokinesis - Supreme Level
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As the son of the Norse god Thor, Leif has the ability to generate and manipulate electricity in all its forms. This is most often as a lightning bolt, either from his hand, but he can also manipulate electricity from the atmosphere into a functional bolt. He can also disrupt electrical circuits or drain power from generators...if it's got electricity, he can make that electricity do what he wants. It has yet to be seen if this ability has an upper limit, but the more powerful the current he generates from his own power, the more exhausting it is for him, and can fatigue him greatly afterward. This ability also makes him immune to all electrical damage, whether natural or magical.
Power: Magic Sense - Enhanced Level
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Leif's godly heritage gives him a natural sense of magic and magical auras, such as those that surround creatures veiled by the Mist. While his sense is not strong enough to identify spells or charms from their energy alone, he can definitely tell when something's been ensorcelled and what type of magic (white, black, other) has been used to do it.
Magic: Shape-Shifting - Supreme Level
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As a descendant of Periclymenus, Leif has the innate ability to shift into any living creature as long as needed, although the longer he stays in an animal form the more like that animal he becomes. Long enough, and he could be so far lost that only magic could bring him back. His favored forms are a raven and a black wolf.
Power: Strength - Enhanced Level
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Being the son of Thor, Leif has higher-than-average strength, although it is no greater than a very strong human being. He can bench press about 300 lbs, and can dead lift about 500 lbs in a pinch.
ADVANTAGES
Leif is a demigod, and a legacy (that is, the descendant of a demigod). This gives him a slight advantage in athletic endeavors, as well as granting him a hardier constitution. He is not immortal, but most demigods who live past their teens enjoy a very long life. Being a Norse demigod, he does not suffer from ADHD the way some Greek and Roman demigods tend to do.
Leif has a battle hammer given to him by his father, named 'Margkunnigr' (or 'Learned'). It is not magical, but it is made of carbon steel, with an unbreakable handle hewn from the World Tree.
A restored 1940 Indian Chief motorcycle, complete with sidecar. Leif restored it one summer and now it is his primary mode of transportation. It can only hold himself and one person in the sidecar (or two bags of groceries, more commonly). It can, on occasion, fly - but that's terribly hard on the engine, so Leif saves that only for emergencies.
Demigods and other mythical creatures benefit from The Mist, a supernatural aura that hides their true nature from mortal eyes, although a normal human -can- penetrate it with enough concentration. Demigods, gods, monsters, and others with supernatural sensitivity are not blinded by the Mist. Once the Mist has been penetrated, it no longer has an effect on the mortal viewer.
WEAKNESSES
When Leif shifts into an animal, he takes on many aspects of that animal's nature. The longer he stays in an animal form, the more his thoughts and mannerisms become like that animal. It's possible that if he spent enough time in one form, he might forget who he is completely and only magic would be able to restore him.
Demigods of certain bloodlines--notably Greek and Roman and, to a lesser extent, some Norse--bloodlines are, generally, prone to monster attacks. The more Leif exercises his demigod abilities, the more likely he is to invoke interest from nearby monsters ('nearby' being relative and 'monster' meaning a mythical creature).
For all his magic and godly heritage, Leif is shockingly and completely mortal. He can be wounded and killed like any other human being.
