Ciaran Fintan McGrath, a Fae of the Spring Court, was sent to Earth by his Court for the sole purpose of determining how to slow the advance of mankind overtaking nature. All parties having agreed such was inevitable, he was tasked with being custodian of one particular area where the Fae sensed significant supernatural activity. While it is considered impossible to stop urban life from spreading, there are still ways to soften the blow. And such is Ciaran's duty.
Personality
Ciaran is usually friendly, charming and funny. There's a certain openness about his personality that encourages others to approach and interact with him. That isn't to say he's incapable of being serious; it's just not his preferred state of being. He's quick to act when things go awry and will not hesitate to jump in and help if he can. He has an independent streak and is much more likely to lend help than accept it, but even he can admit that sometimes it takes more than just yourself.
Background
Born to the Spring Court, Ciaran always had an affinity for nature and life. It was apparent from the beginning that he felt more at home amongst plants and creatures than even amongst his fellow Fae. And, oh, did the creatures of the realm of Faerie entertain him. He showed a gift for communing with life, for nurturing and healing the world around him. No one held it against him, to the contrary it was encouraged that he form a bond with nature. He wasn't aware of it at the time, but his Court was grooming him for his future. As he developed, another interesting talent manifested itself. His very presence would cause those around him to come up with extraordinary ideas, the most cunning, the most wise, the most courageous ideas. For years the Fae of the Court deliberated over whether or not it would be best to keep Ciaran in the Court for his second gift. Ultimately, however, it was not to be.
Sensing a growing disparity between the balance of nature and man in the world, the Spring Court sent Ciaran to investigate what was the cause of growing activity in a certain area of the Earth. Unfortunately, Ciaran could only report back that the cause was the evolution of humanity and that he could not determine any particular reason for what they were sensing. Little by little, pieces of the world were being claimed by mankind and there was no stopping it. And so he was further charged with preserving what he could and to remain ever vigilant should nature be threatened on a large scale. It would be his job to restore the balance. He wasn't quite sure what the Court meant by that, as his own powers were too limited to do something of that magnitude. However, he accepted his task with grace and went back to the realm of man to watch, to wait, and to do his work when needed.
SIGNATURE ABILITY
Nature's Fury
Before sending Ciaran to Earth, the Spring Court made a pact with the forces behind the natural world itself. Should a man-made massive threat to nature's own take place in Ciaran's vicinity, he will have no choice but to react to it. If, for example, lightning were to strike a tree and begin a fire, then that fire would rage throughout the forest. However, should a person set the forest alight, then will nature's wrath overtake Ciaran. Whether he is immediaetly aware of it or not, an attack on nature will cause him to lose control of his body and being. His physical form becomes nothing more than a vessel to channel the very power and energy of nature itself. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of a fire, nature might summon a storm of such magnitude to put the fire out that the entire area might be flooded. Such a flood would surely affect many people...but nature cares not for the problems of man.
SKILLS
Athletics - Competent Level
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Being out in the wild so much, Ciaran has developed a decent level of athletic prowess. He can run quickly, climb easily, and perform other athletic feats as a result of his time amongst nature.
Just because you like nature doesn't necessarily mean nature will always like you back. As a result of some close encounters, he has learned how to successfully leap before he looks and still come out unscathed. For those moments when he is caught off guard by something, it's very difficult to truly catch him off guard. His exceptional awareness and quick reflexes benefit him greatly in urban situations as well as.
Charisma - Competent Level
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Most people can't help but like Ciaran. His positive temperament, upbeat attitude and pleasant demeanor all combine to make a pretty nice package. Some say nice guys finish last, but usually Ciaran finds it to be the opposite in his case. He's excellent at being a good friend, bringing people up and supporting others in their time of need.
Naturalism - Expert Level
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Ciaran is well versed in knowledge and lore about the natural world. He can identify a good number of plants and animals by sight alone. He can also keep track of basic properties of certain plantlife -- what is edible, toxic to humans, which can be used to treat ailments, and other things of that nature. He knows the patterns, habits, behaviors and traits of every animal he is familiar with.
Stealth - Competent Level
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Ciaran has become adept at being quiet and hard to spot. Even with glamours in the wild, there are ways for other creatures to notice you. Considering many animals use their other senses to alert them, you can't get by without developing a sense of how to remain out of the way. Whether it's the direction of the wind or the placement of his feet, Ciaran has learned how to minimize the potential to be noticed when he doesn't want to be.
Swordsmanship - Competent Level
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Many of the Fae of the Spring Court are jovial and playful, and sometimes that play extends to combat. As a result, Ciaran has learned the way of the sword. Preferring a rapier, he is nonetheless capable of holding his own with any type of one-handed sword. There are many who can fight more skillfully than he, but he won't go down easily.
Willpower - Competent Level
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It's not easy to sway Ciaran. It isn't so much that he's stubborn. He just has ethics and morals that he will not compromise without a good reason. Convincing him to do something that goes against those is extremely challenging. Even those attempting to use special abilities against him may be able to coerce him somewhat, but to cause him to do something completely out of character would take a great effort.
ABILITIES
Innate: Buffed Senses - Basic Level
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Ciaran benefits from enhanced senses. His sight is sharper both during the day and at night, his hearing is more likely to pick up faint sounds and his sense of smell is heightened. Of particular note, his sense of smell has the ability to tell if something is natural or not. The smells of nature are pleasant to him, whereas anything created by people smells slightly off to him. He's learned to live with it, though.
Magic: Conjuration - Enhanced Level
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Ciaran can engage his magic to conjure using the primary elements of nature: earth, air and water. He cannot create fire, although he could potentially cause it with a lightning bolt striking a tree. He can conjure wind and rain, a thunderstorm with lightning, or even create dirt and earth out of thin air. This particular gift focuses on creation rather than manipulation. If a kite is being blown away by a strong wind he would have to conjure a stronger wind to blow it back; he would not be able to halt the existing wind.
Magic: Glamours - Enhanced Level
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Ciaran's gift with glamours is stronger outdoors than indoors. The more he is surrounded by nature, the more pronounced his gifts. When surrounded by the urban world he can make changes to his appearance, although not as much as some with similar powers. He can mask his features in order to appear as if he were another person entirely, which is particularly useful given his ears are naturally pointed. When out in nature, he can fade into invisibility amongst the life of mother Earth.
Innate: Immortality - Basic Level
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As a Fae, Ciaran does not age and is everlasting. This does not grant him immunity to harm, however. Although resistant to many injuries, he can still die from sources other than old age.
Power: Muse - Enhanced Level
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Just being in Ciaran's presence is enough to inspire those around him. Those who already lean towards the creative, whether it be music, art or the written word, will often find themselves having a flurry of ideas. Similarly, individuals trying to sort out a problem may come to the correct conclusion much more quickly than they otherwise word.
NOTE: This ability is more of a tool for other players who wish to make use of his "inspirational" nature, or a plot device to progress things if people are stuck.
Magic: Nature's Hand - Supreme Level
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Ciaran has a vast knowledge of the natural world already, but he also has the power to discern the qualities of any living thing by touching it -- to a degree. It extends to plants and wildlife, but not people. He cannot discern the nature of a person through touch, but he can diagnose what is ailing an animal who is sick. The gift goes both ways, allowing him to have an impact on the natural world around him by encouraging growth and life. He can make flowers bloom, cause trees to bear fruit and even heal sick plants and wildlife -- so long as that sickness is not found within nature. An animal plagued by man-made toxins can be healed, but a plant being eaten away by parasitic insects cannot.
Innate: Physique - Basic Level
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Ciaran's body is naturally sturdier than a normal human's. He benefits from a Fae physique, which makes him more resilient to wounds that would cause more serious damage to a normal person. He is also slightly faster and stronger, although not to the same degree as some other Fae or supernatural beings.
Power: Sense Life - Enhanced Level
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Life is everywhere, and Ciaran can tell. He is acutely aware of all the life around him, including people; this being one of the few gifts that does extend to them. As a result, he can easily identify beings that are not alive: ghosts, undead, golems, you name it. If it does not have the spark of life then he can tell, no matter how cleverly it masks itself. This also allows Ciaran to gauge the health of those sparks he sees. Loss of health, life or other similar suffering sets his radar off. He cannot completely turn off this ability, although he can suppress it. As such, a large loss of life near him will have a severe impact on his state of mind.
ADVANTAGES
As a Fae of the Spring Court, Ciaran has the backing of his Court. To date, he has not done anything to cause unrest or upset amongst the other Fae and therefore benefits from the Court's full support in any action he takes.
WEAKNESSES
Ciaran is weak to iron in its purest form. He's not a fan of metal at all, but such is the world we live in. Iron will burn his skin if touched directly with it and being surrounded by iron suppresses all of his gifts. If it weren't bad enough that he needs to be close to nature for most of them to work, iron will render him weaker than some mortals.
Ciaran can lie to a degree -- although he would rather not. But, if asked the same thing three times, he cannot lie at all. He mostly banks on that little fact being unknown and will be as evasive as possible to keep from being put in that situation. And, worst case scenario, he'll just stay quiet.
As a magical creature, Ciaran cannot cross certain magical barriers, wards or areas charmed against entry by such types of creature. Magic directed at Fae is particularly unpleasant, whereas general charms and protective spells just block him.
As a Fae, Ciaran cannot break an oath or his word once given. For this reason, he is very cautious about what he promises and to whom.
As a member of the Spring Court, Ciaran's powers tend to be at their strongest during the spring and their weakest during the fall. This is not to say he loses his powers, however, he will not be able to influence nature as strongly in autumn as he would be able to in the other seasons.
