Wilderlands App

[credit_not_blame]

APPLICATION

Player Name/Handle: Kaylin
Plurk Handle: owls_in_moss
Preferred pronouns (optional): she/her
Player Status: Current Player
Other characters: n/a
Invited by: n/a

Character Name: Anastacia "Stacia" Novik (Anastacia Vasilisa Georgievna Novik)
Fandom: Werewolf: the Apocalypse
Character Journal: credit_not_blame
OU, AU, CRAU, Canon OC, or OC? Canon OC/CRAU
Canon point: Shortly after she attained the rank of Athro. Also, after the full span of P90.
Age: 18
PB: Natalia Dyer

SETTING BACKGROUND
Werewolf: the Apocalypse is Captain Planet, except instead of five multicultural teenagers with magic rings working together to summon a shiny blue dude with super powers, it's about a world-wide population of secret eco-terrorist furries who can barely stop fighting each other long enough to fight their actual enemies. It's also a story about holding onto hope when you're fighting a losing battle to save the world, and making hard choices about what's important to hold on to and what you need to let go of.

Garou can be born as humans, wolves, or to two Garou parents (this is forbidden, but still happens). Their role within Garou society is determined by the phase of the moon under which they are born (i.e. new moon = Ragabash = questioner, scout, assassin). Their Tribe is somewhat linked to their heritage and ethnicity, but also describes their approach to the war and Garou Society.

Stacia also spent the last year-plus enslaved on Piper 90, an alternate universe where the military fucked reality up so hard that it broke.

OC/AU/CRAU REQUIREMENTS

OC HISTORY
➤ Georgiy and Rada Novik immigrated from Russia to the United States in the late 1980's when they were pregnant with their eldest child, Lyudmila. Two years later, they had a son, Nikolay. Eight years later, Anastacia - Stacia for short - was born.

➤ Growing up, Stacia had sufficiently low Rage that it didn't discomfit most people around her, though it did probably impact how frequently her peers were willing to let her have her way. She took up cross-country running, finding it pleasant and meditative.

➤ In her freshman year, Stacia's Homecoming date assaulted her, causing her to shift for the first time. He died as a result, and his death was covered up by the Garou who found her. She still has nightmares about it, in spite of having seen (and done) more horrible things since.

➤ Stacia was taken under the wing of a Silver Fang called Ace, and to a lesser extent, a Shadow Lord called Eddy Stormhowl and a Glass Walker called Bulletproof. After a lot of questions and deliberation, she chose to join the Shadow Lords, the tribe of politicians and manipulators.

➤ When attempting to return a mysteriously killed spirit to the Cycle of life, Stacia inadvertently dissolved it on twenty-five tadpoles birthed by an amphibian shifter to another Garou. All of them shifted, including one who went from being a frog to being a wolf, due to the type of spirit and having been at the very top. Stacia announced that she would take credit but not blame for the incident, and offered to babysit.

➤ The archangel Michael decided that all the supernatural creatures needed to be killed because reality had broken a little and demons had started to get through the cracks. Stacia was chosen by the archangel Raphael to try to talk him out of it. They succeeded, and reality was repaired...to the point that most normal people don't remember a lot of that year, because shit got crazy.

➤ Stacia met a young man named Sam who didn't know that he was Shadow Lord kinfolk. She looped him in on the existence of Garou and the two of them started dating. Sam also took up hunting Wyrm creatures in his free time, which wouldn't annoy Stacia nearly so much if he didn't keep doing it by himself.

➤ Rada revealed to Stacia that she was aware of Garou in general and that Stacia was a Garou. Stacia had figured out earlier that her Garou heritage came through her (Silver Fang kinfolk) mother, but had been keeping it secret because she'd thought Rada had repressed the knowledge out of trauma. The two of them fought, because Stacia resented not having been warned of her potential to shift.

➤ Ace brought Stacia and the rest of their pack to what was supposed to be a Silver Fang only meeting. As a result, they were targeted by Silver Fangs who felt that it was inappropriate for "lesser" Tribes to have witnessed that meeting. Bares-His-Fangs (a Red Talon) and Lilly Rockfinder (a Bone Gnawer) were both killed, and Bulletproof went into hiding.

➤ While Lilly was murdered, Stacia was attacked in her own home by the above Silver Fangs. Her limbs were cut off with silver and then burned so that they couldn't be healed. Due to a Mage ally, Stacia was healed anyway, though not without cost. Ace made a deal with a Pooka (one of the Fae) to find out who had attacked her and killed their packmates.

➤ Stacia had dinner with the leader of the Shadow Lords, then spent the next 6 weeks tormenting her attackers psychologically before causing them to go into a Frenzy that left four of the six of them dead. Of the survivors, one was demoted due to her crimes, and the other was executed due to his.

CRAU HISTORY
RP NAME: goneawayworld
Stacia largely continued to become more of herself in this game: she made friends and allies, largely avoided the attention of those who might harm her, and orchestrated a murder that was neatly covered up and that she doesn't feel bad about. She also takes a great deal of delight in the fact that the Easter Bunny likes her.

PERSONALITY
Stacia will tell you to your face that she's a manipulative, selfish little brat. She has a short temper, a long memory, and a weakness for flattery. She's also deeply empathetic, and believes strongly in the importance of showing compassion to those in need or pain. She will always give someone a chance – but if they blow it, they're going to have to make amends before she gives them another. For all that she still wears miniskirts and low wedge heels for day-tripping in the woods, she also maintains a practical streak that has saved her on more than one occasion.

As a Questioner of the Ways, Stacia has decided that it's her duty to make people think about what they're doing and why, to hopefully prevent them from doing something stupid (Garou history is full of that). She believes strongly in personal choice and deciding one’s own fate rather than relying on dictation by outside sources.

Garou are all fueled by a wellspring of supernatural rage, and Stacia is no exception. Stacia previously was reluctant to explore her Rage, as she felt what she had very strongly and worried that she was already half-monster and at risk of becoming worse. After she was attacked and her packmates were killed, Stacia decided to embrace being a monster so that other monsters will fear her. However, just because she's a monster doesn't mean that she has to be a monster all the time - she prefers to keep her monstrousness tucked away like a retractable claw until she needs it.

Stacia will remind people that she became a Shadow Lord "on purpose", rather than because of her family or breeding. The Shadow Lords are the politicians and the backroom wheelers and dealers, the ones willing to get their hands dirty in ways the other tribes wouldn't. Stacia's decision was largely one of self-preservation: she wants power to protect herself from ending up one more warm body for the meat grinder. Additionally, Shadow Lords also tend to wield power in the human world, and Stacia has no intention of giving up her human life to live in the woods full time.

While not a pacifist by any means, Stacia responds to careless violence with withering scorn or a furious "what the hell is wrong with you?" Violence is a tool to be used deftly and precisely, not spread around with a big shovel. Her preferred method of combat is climbing a tree with a sniper rifle and taking opponents down from afar, but she's also capable of fighting with knives, claws, and teeth. She knows that she can't always choose the range at which combat takes place, and would prefer not to die as a result of over-specialization.

Stacia is reluctant to abandon others in dangerous situations, but not so much that she'll run in without a plan. Abandoning her in a dangerous situation is a fast way to get on her bad side, and it's very difficult to get off of her bad side once you're there.

People tend to like Stacia, sometimes against their better judgment. She has a way of endearing herself to people, especially those in power or who she thinks may be useful. She does genuinely care for the people she befriends, and is not unloyal to them, but she also won't hesitate to create distance to protect herself if they screw up or start behaving in ways that could damage her own standing.

Stacia has calmed down since her First Change in regards to the weird, ridiculous, and infuriating things that happen to and around her. She'll stomp and pout and complain, but these days it's more "I'll get over it, I just have to be dramatic about it first" than the tantrums she used to throw.

CANON POWERS
Shapeshifting: Stacia has five forms she can shift into: Homid (human, silver doesn’t harm Stacia in this form as it would in her others), Glabro (hulking humanoid that can only be mistaken for human in dim light, think the beta werewolves on MTV's Teen Wolf), Crinos (8-foot-tall wolf-monster with claws and opposable thumbs, basically what you get when you google "werewolf"), Hispo (direwolf AKA a wolf the size of a small pony), and Lupus (wolf).
It is difficult for Stacia to do so, but when enraged or terrified past the point of control, it is possible that Stacia will Frenzy: automatically shift to Crinos or Hispo and try to destroy or flee from the cause until either she no longer feels that she is in danger or she has exhausted herself. This takes approximately 12 seconds for her, but that's 12 seconds of dealing with a strong, fast, durable monster that was spiritually designed to be really good at making things dead.

Supernatural Healing: Unless in Homid form, Stacia heals within minutes from any injuries not caused by silver, fire, radiation, or the claws or teeth of other supernatural creatures; and even injuries from those causes heal within a week if she’s allowed to rest. However, if she is in her Homid form, she heals at the same rate a regular human does.

Rage/the Curse: Stacia is a font of supernatural Rage and, as such, she gives people and animals the willies. Her Rage is currently such that those most vulnerable to its unsettling effects are prey animals, teenagers, and children; all but the most sensitive adults are oblivious to it. Children and teenagers with particularly strong personalities are also unaffected.

Stepping Sideways: In the World of Darkness, reality is a thing of many layers. As a Garou, Stacia is able to pass from reality as is understood by humans into a reflection of reality inhabited by spirits.

Rite of Talisman Dedication: This mystical rite allows her to bind objects to her spiritual essence so that she doesn't lose or destroy them when she shifts. She uses it to avoid the "naked" problem.

Rite of Cleansing: Working in tandem with two other Garou, Stacia can cleanse a creature of the effects of the influence of the Wyrm. It's basically an emergency shower for your soul.

Gifts
Gifts are magical abilities taught to shifters of Stacia's world, usually by spirits. Generally these Gifts are categorized by species (Garou), breed (Homid), auspice (Ragabash), tribe (Shadow Lord), and rank (up to Athro).

Gifts that are "always on"
Aura of Confidence: Stacia projects an aura of superiority, preventing attempts to find flaws or read auras (but not to read the werewolf’s thoughts).

Seizing the Edge: Shadow Lords don't acknowledge the idea of the draw. If neither competitor wins, then they both lose. This Gift allows Stacia to swing the balance, ever so slightly, in her favor.

Salaryman: Given a group of three or more humans or human-like creatures, it is very easy to lose track of Stacia. She blends in easily with a crowd, even if she's bleeding heavily and wearing a clown mask. This is generally a Gift limited to Nuwisha (Coyote shifters), but one taught it to Stacia.

Spirit Speech: this Gift allows Stacia to intuitively understand and speak with spirits. Particularly alien spirits may be difficult, or even painful, to understand.

Pulse of the Prey: If Stacia knows anything about her prey — even a nickname, initials, or crude description — she can track it as fast as she can travel. If the target is actively hiding, then Stacia would have to "activate" the Gift to use it.

Gifts that must be activated
Persuasion: this Gift imbues Stacia's words with intrinsic credibility and conviction.

Shadow Weaving: Flexing her fingers/claws, Stacia can warp shadows within 100 yards as she wishes. This can aid in her being stealthy and intimidating, among other things.

Blur of the Milky Eye: Stacia becomes a shimmering, indistinct blur, as though seen through heavy cataracts — even in the midday sun. She is not truly invisible, and if spotted, this Gift’s protection fails until the observer is distracted.

Fatal Flaw: Stacia must study an opponent for a full turn (approximately six seconds) to learn their physical weaknesses, granting an advantage in combat.

Open Seal: Stacia can open nearly any sort of closed or locked physical device. If it is sealed with magic, Stacia must make a spiritual effort.

Hush: this Gift makes the target fumble for words, lose their train of thought or become momentarily distracted.

Slip of the Tongue: Stacia can engage the target in a conversation relating to a suspected crime or action, causing the target accidentally remark on what they wish to hide.

Whisper Catching: Stacia may supernaturally eavesdrop on whispered conversations within 200 feet.

Jam Technology: With a slight gesture, Stacia unbalances the energies within technological devices, either tipping them into destructive chaos or causing them to lock up. The more complex the device, the easier it is to unbalance: computers are relatively easy, knives are very difficult.

Paranoia: This Gift gives Stacia a heightened sense of awareness, and also reveals a few details about the enemies she's about to face.

Liar's Face: Stacia may make a single truthful statement, and no human who hears it will believe her.

Rooftop Sprint: can jump up or down one story (3 meters) or 3 meters horizontally, without danger or difficulty, until she touches the ground at street level.

Taking the Forgotten: Stacia can steal something from a target and cause them to forget that they ever possessed the stolen item.

Speech of the World: Stacia may speak and understand any human language she encounters, though she speaks with an obvious accent, marking her as an outsider.

Blissful Ignorance: Stacia can become completely invisible to all senses, spirits or monitoring devices by remaining still.

Cold Voice of Reason: a clever remark will divert briefly an attacker from attacking Stacia.

Luna's Armor: Stacia invokes the moon’s sacred power and her body is briefly wreathed in a shimmer of moonlight, granting her Luna’s protection. This is the only way she can resist damage from silver.

Silence: Stacia can muffle any sound she makes, the better to creep up on an enemy or escape unnoticed.

Command Spirit: Stacia can give commands to spirits she meets and expect obedience. As always when dealing with spirits, clear wording is essential, as some clever spirits may attempt to twist the spirit of issued commands while obeying them to the letter. The spirit cannot be ordered to leave a place or object to which it is bound.

True Fear: Stacia displays her full, terrifying might — baring teeth or claws, howling, or simply looming ominously over a foe. Terror strikes one foe into quiescence.

Direct the Storm: Stacia can direct the primal instincts of a Garou in Frenzy, friend or foe, causing him to attack targets of her choice. Using this Gift on a Garou in the Thrall of the Wyrm is possible, but doing so may also cause Stacia to Frenzy.

Cowing the Bullet: The spirits of tools recognize man as their master; as a result, they become reluctant to harm Stacia. Weapons not made of silver do Stacia less damage.

Divide: Stacia can exacerbate divisions between individuals or groups. Note that the Gift cannot actually create anger and divisions; they must already exist to be exploited. It is even more potent when used against creatures with Rage.

Icy Chill of Despair: Stacia appears to grow larger and more imposing, becoming a terrible, shadowy version of herself. This change in aspect can severely intimidate any onlookers.

Liar's Craft: Stacia can tell the most outrageous of lies and have them accepted as truth — for a while, at least.

Impunity: With this Gift, Stacia may tell a respected leader they screwed up without becoming a target of their ire. The statement must be clearly and completely true from Stacia's point of view, no prevarication or double entendres are possible.

Only Applicable in the World of Darkness
Open Moon Bridge: Stacia can open a moon bridge, with or without the permission of the totem of that caern, no more than 1000 miles away.

Sense Wyld: Stacia can sense nearby manifestations of the Wyld, the spiritual embodiment of creation. This Gift involves a mystical sense, not a visual or olfactory image. It does not necessarily sense dedication to the Wyld, merely contact with its spiritual essence.

Sense Wyrm: Stacia can sense nearby manifestations of the Wyrm, the spiritual embodiment of entropy and destruction. This Gift involves a mystical sense, not a visual or olfactory image. It does not necessarily sense dedication to the Wyrm, merely contact with its spiritual essence, which can cling to even blameless souls.

POWER SELECTION

POWER TYPE
Native Superpowers

FREEBIE POWERS
Stacia is stronger in Glabro and Crinos than she is in Homid, relative to her size. Her sense of smell is also somewhat heightened in Crinos, and particularly so in Hispo and Lupus. Also, her ability to talk to spirits through Spirit Speech.

GAME POWERS
Native superpowers: I'd like to keep shapeshifting with associated penalties and supernatural healing with associated penalties. Rage/the Curse is mostly just penalties, so I'd like to offer that to the mod team as well. I'd also like Stacia to be able to perform the Rite of Talisman Dedication, and access to the gift Direct the Storm.

Direct the Storm is limited in that it takes spiritual effort on Stacia's part: system-wise, she has to spend a Gnosis point to use it, and Gnosis can only be regained through meditation or visiting a sacred site. As such, Stacia can only use Direct the Storm five times before she's out of Gnosis, though she can keep herself topped up if she has the opportunity to meditate between uses. It also requires that her target be in an unthinking berserk frenzy; if they have decided to kill someone or destroy something, she can't use the gift to change their minds.

ABILITIES
Shooting (rifle and pistol); sneaking; brawling with claws, teeth, and fists; knife-fighting; screaming; computer programming; pick-pocketing; grifting; bossing people around; endearing herself to people against their better judgement; wilderness survival (largely as a wolf); field medicine; a will strong enough to resist mind control (WoD vampire whammies and shifter Gifts don't work on her); a knack for talking her way out of trouble; upper-class European etiquette; cross country running (on two- and four legs); and wearing heels in the woods.

SETTING/SUITABILITY
n/a

SAMPLES
You only have to do 1 sample and it's your choice whether it's log or network, prose or actionspam.
Stacia's toplevel in the Test Drive Meme

ADDITIONAL INFO
The presence of wolfsbane makes it more difficult for Stacia to shift to any form but Homid (her breed form)