Hecusa

Hecusa
Identity	Gifted Artificial-Human Mechanic with a connection to spirits
Theme	Belonging
Origin	Scraphovel
Pronouns	They/Them
Classes	Arcanist (Rework)/Inventor/Invoker

Hecusa

Hecusa is a young, mischievous mechanic and a protagonist in our campaign.

Physical Description

Hecusa is a pale skinned, nineteen year old human with an uncannily perfect complexion. Their stark white hair and bright red eyes are probably the most notable feature of their appearance being the byproducts of their inception as an artificial human. Their hair is wild and looks unmaintained, though it remains relatively tangle-free. They have a waifish build with rough hands and absolutely horrendous posture.

Their usual outfit consists of a pair of heavy boots and a pair of green overalls, and sometimes leather gloves covered in splotches of black oil.

Personality

Hecusa is troublesome and mischievous little imp, having very little impulse control and ill-developed social skills. They typically act fairly blithe and naive, and have a very simple perspective on things: if they want to do something, they'll simply do it. This leads to them pulling pranks, sticking their nose into matters that don't concern them, and having a rather selfish or self-serving streak. Due to their upbringing in Scraphovel where they were surrounded by outcasts, thieves, and pirates, they have a slightly skewed view on right and wrong, thinking nothing of breaking rules or using underhanded methods to get what they want. Despite this, Hecusa is a kind soul down to the very being. They're unmistakably selfish and will do whatever they want when they want without regard, it just so happens that what they want, more often than not, is to help someone in need.

Hecusa is gifted mechanically, having a natural aptitude for tinkering and absorbing knowledge, though that natural aptitude is somewhat hampered by a lack of formal education.

They speak rather crudely with a slightly prideful tone.

Bonds

TBD

History

[SUPER DUPER ROUGH BACKSTORY SPARKNOTES]

Lady loses son in tragic accident. So sad. Decides to make a replacement goldfish through Advanced Alchemy and Magic, making a vessel that can act as a sort of lightning rod for souls so she can bring her kid back. Maybe she caught some vestiges, but the soul occupying the vessel is its own unique soul, but it does have a roommate.

Everything is New to the vessel, which makes them cause a LOT of problems and trouble, which leads to sad Alchemist Lady getting fed up and regretting all her life decisions. but uh-oh, making a literal new being from scratch who can channel SOULS kind of attracts attention, Krites Archanaea attention, specifically. Not wanting her creation to be captured and dissected (because she had #complicated feelings over the vessel), she runs with it away from the soldiers wanting to capture it and her.

Dead-end on a cliffside, the vessel's soul's roommate decides to help out and possesses it giving it SUPER COOL SAMURAI ACTION that is also VERY SCARY TO SEE. Alchemist Lady is like "oh you're a monster, a war machine, get away from me" and breaks the things heart. Then the spear of a soldier behind them literally breaks their heart. Stabby stabby. Fall off a cliff to their presumed death. Alchemist Lady is captured with the intent of trying to get her to make more of the vessel.

The vessel gets fished up from the ocean by a pirate crew, the Riptides, and they heal it up. They're suffering from amnesia and don't even remember their name or origin, so the captain of the crew gives them the name "Hecusa" since they have a hexagon shaped sigil on their chest. They spend a little time onboard as the ship has to travel a far way to find a safe place to dock, and in that time Hecusa falls in LOVE with mechanical stuff-- like steam engines, magitech, etc. all the stuff onboard the cool, state of the art fantasy steampunk magitech ship.

They get dropped off in Scraphovel, a frequent stop for the Riptides, where Hecusa grows up and learns the ways of the world. It's a wretched hive of outcasts, criminals, and runaways-- honorable thieves and scumbags type beat. The innkeeper will give you a free stew if it looks like you're having a bad day, but she'll charge you for it later for 200% interest. That kinda shit. The Riptides drop back a few times every year and Hecusa is always the first person to greet them, they consider the group to be like family and want to join them!

To prove themselves useful, Hecusa learns EVERYTHING about tinkering that they can. True to the name, Scraphovel is full of scrap, meaning its citizenry are pretty handy with mechanics and invention, so they get pretty good despite not having a formal education. Eventually, their skills impress the crew enough that they get taken on as a part-time shipwright/mechanic.

Adventures! Fun! A few expeditions pass and just as many years, then Riptides find Super Duper Cool MacGuffin treasure map, but its also SUPER DUPER DANGEROUS and they can't bring Hecusa along with them for it, so they drop them off in Scraphovel and promise to come back to pick them up after...

2 years go by without a word from their crew. They get a little mechanical bird one day with an SOS message. Call to adventure!

Projects

Writing

Character Questions

Arcanist

• Where do your powers come from? Are they a gift from your bloodline?
  • Hecusa's powers come both from their nature as an artificial human created specifically to channel spirits and from their kind personality. Those aware of the former would think its solely due to that affinity, however the Arcana would not be as eager to aid them if not for their warm, welcoming soul.
• Have you ever communicated with an Arcanum, or are they silent and distant?
  • At first Hecusa was unaware of their sole Arcanum, Semblance. As far as they knew, whenever they were in trouble they would black out only to wake up to see their situation solved. As time progressed, they gradually became aware of and began communicating with Semblance, sometimes able to see and converse with an apparition of the Arcanum taking the form of their appearance while possessed, though manifesting as such is quite draining for the spirit, so it's rarely used. (Think. Yugi and Yami Yugi) Other Arcana would behave similarly as they grow to trust Hecusa more.
• Do people see you as mysterious, powerful, or otherworldly?
  • Hecusa is seen as uncanny and inhuman while channeling an Arcanum.
• Are there many practicing your art, or are you the exception?
  • Hecusa is a prototype for mass-produced homunculus soldiers which would be able to channel the knowledge and abilities of spirits, thus requiring little to no training for serious power. The research required for their creation was completely destroyed, and their creator remains silent, so there might not be other beings like them, or in such a complete state.

Tinkerer

• Š Did you learn your craft from someone? What is your relationship with them?
  • Hecusa learned to tinker with and craft magitech due to tutelage from Captain [INSERT NAME HERE] of the Riptide Pirates who personally built and designed her magitech ship. They refined their skills growing up in Scraphovel. Hecusa admires and respects the captain, who is probably the only person whom they don't speak rudely towards.
• What have you lost in the pursuit of progress and innovation?
  • They've been scolded and chased while trying to learn all the tricks of the trade, but haven't lost anything from learning to innovate, instead it has given them personhood and identity.
• Is your craft something revolutionary, or is it an established field of work?
  • Magitech and mechanical marvels are still somewhat rare, so their work can be seen as innovative and new. However, some parts of Raytalia are more advanced and thus would consider Hecusa's inventions as rather crude and scrapped together
• When an item or effect is created through your abilities, what does it look like?
  • Disorganized and rough, like digging through their pockets and hastily slapping together bronze and worn pieces of machinery. All their inventions spout out steam and glow with excess magical energy.

Invoker

• How did you develop the art of invocation?
  • Hecusa developed their art of invocation as a way to give Semblance/(Their Arcanas) some rest. Instead of letting themselves be possessed fully by a spirit for power, they borrow a slight amount of their Arcanum's power and supplement the difference by channeling the nameless and formless spirits in the world through a magitech armament.
• Is there a spirit or elemental creature you have a special bond towards?
  • Semblance, the first Spirit they bonded/merged before they were born.
• How do your invocations manifest?
  • A two-fold process equally spiritual and magitechnical. The hexagonal shaped magic circuit over their chest flares with mana before spreading down their arm towards their magitech armament, which channels the ambient spirits of their surroundings into a physical phenomenon empowered by the strength of their Arcanas' spirit.
• Are your abilities relatively common, or are you the exception?
  • Invokers are rare, but by no means singular. Each unique wellspring possesses a small conclave of invokers who guard the land in secret. Hecusa is unique in that they discovered the most SCUFFED way to invoke natural spirits. For the conclaves, Invokation is an art that Hecusa brute forced their way into.

Arcana

Semblance (Sembly)

Sad Girl Hours. It kinda sucks being dead, and sucks even more when you always have to bail out your vessel whenever they cause trouble on purpose. Gives Samurai or Gladiator vibes, turns Hecusa's magitech armanent (usually a magically projected whip/hookshot thingy) into a sword-like form whenever using a pulse. Unfinished business.

When possessing Hecusa, their hair gains a tint of red and is tied up in a long braid.