[Mystle] Saphentine of the Scarlet Rain

Name: Saphentine █████████
Aliases: Saphira, Saphentine of the Scarlet Rain
Age: Unknown
Gender: Female

Visual Appearance:


Clothing

Summer


History: Saphentine's first landfall occurred one cloudy night, offshore from a quiet coastal town in Greece along the Mediterranean. It was the light that she could see, a beacon shining from so far away. Even though the moon was hidden in the sky, even though it wasn't the same kind of natural, alluring silver light, it was a beacon all the same. In the depths of the sea, the darkness was her home, but for those that lived on land, undoubtedly the light was the guide home, the solace in which their travelers could rest their weary eyes on, and know that they were home. It was out of curiosity that Saphentine traveled ashore in the middle of the night, to scale the impressive watchtower they called a 'lighthouse', and gaze out upon the sea. She knew that it was her home out there, beyond the horizon, beneath the waves, but to view it from the perspective of the humans that lived here, in this town, would surely be a beautiful scene in its own right. It was then that it occurred to her the sheer scale of how large the world truly was. There was a whole world above the water, yet all Saphentine knew was the life deep down.

For some time after, Saphentine began routinely visiting the town, primarily during the night, but eventually during the day as well, presenting as a foreigner and slowly learning the language of the people of the land. She was initially taken aback at the warmth and kindness of the welcoming people of the town, who shared with her their favorite foods and showed her to their favorite places to visit and sights to see. Yet, she refused to stay anywhere besides the lighthouse, if even in the town at all. The figure of a silver-haired woman gazing out towards the sea was something that became less of a phantom and more of a routine as time went on. But, as time went on, it became quite clear to Saphentine that, despite the fact that the kindness that she had been shown was genuine, it was still only scratching the surface of the human society. Her true nature, that of a combatant, a guardian of the abyss, could sense that the land above the waves was no more peaceful... just more expertly hidden.

Evil in the ocean was quite simple and straightforward. It was power above all, where might makes right, the right to enforce one's will on others. As an Abyssal Hunter, Saphentine was one of many whose entrusted duty it was to fight back against other monsters of the sea, those that wished nothing but to destroy. Of course, such a duty didn't make Saphentine, nor any of the others, not a monster either. It was simply the way of the world in where an ecosystem balanced itself. In this way, they could also prevent sea monsters from escaping to the surface, causing destruction until they were stopped. Such incidents were incredibly rare thanks to the efforts of the Abyssal Hunters, the exceptions to which had more commonly involved seafaring humans, journeying out on the waters and exposing themselves to such risks. Yet, from Saphentine's experience on land, the dangers were not so simple as giant and powerful creatures doing what they pleased. No, these were beings that had to keep themselves and their plans hidden, doing their work behind the scenes.

Humans were not the kind of creatures that could often grow powerful enough to take on armies by themselves. The few exceptions that did, were most often hardworking, talented champions fighting for what they believed in. Human culture appeared to Saphentine to be incredibly resilient, where those under stress had the capacity to band together to take on anything. Those that wished to disrupt society, out of their own desire, grudges, ill will, or other such motivations rarely had the power to do so themselves. As a result, it took planning. It took resources. It took power. And most often, it took some time to put these plans together. Saphentine was sensitive enough to magic that she could tell when something felt out of place. For most of the people living in the town, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. They wouldn't know when they were in danger until it was too late, staring them down in the face. Of course, the sea was much more dangerous, but it was also much more up front about the danger. Here, most of the people lived peaceful lives. It was hard for them to understand what danger was. So, Saphentine took it upon herself to sniff out these traces of evil, and extinguish their flames before it could ever set the world ablaze.

It was a thankless task. It was an ugly task. But it was something she felt that needed to be done. The sights of swimming in the ocean and gazing out towards the illuminated coastal town at night. The sights of standing on the lighthouse balcony and gazing out towards the illuminated moonlit sea. Why anyone would want to threaten such a world was beyond her. Over time, it became clear to Saphentine that this town was only but a tiny pocket of the world. That much she could glean from the travelers and traders that arrived to and from the town, by sea or by land. And it was through these travelers that she would come to learn of some rumors, of a treasure sought by many: a magical item that could grant wishes. It didn't sit well with her. The Holy Grail, if such an item existed, would be sought most fervently by two kinds of people: those that were desperate, and those that needed unimaginable power. Neither of those circumstances gave Saphentine an image of a selfless person who would use such a power for the good of the world. Anyone who would, that sought this kind of power to do so... couldn't exist.

Saphentine started traveling. Primarily along the Mediterranean, as she could travel through the water much easier, but travel she did. It was enough to resolve herself to learn more about this 'Holy Grail', and the magical rituals surrounding it. It reeked of a fool's chase, a wanderer's mirage, a risk only the truly mad would undertake. And if Saphentine found anyone who would attempt to seek the Grail... she would make it her duty to ensure that their journeys would end at her hands.



Personality: Saphentine is the solitary type, one who typically avoids people, is hesitant to speak, and often declines invitations to work together. She does not necessarily turn away those that would seek her out, but she is well aware that she is a being who does not belong among the people who walk the earth. The only place she believes she belongs is beneath the surface of the waves, but she also believes that staying within her territory only to turn a blind eye to the happenings of the rest of the world would border on negligence to her, an existence whose duty it is to keep the abyss a safer place. Her preference for isolated action can be regarded as a consideration for the safety of others — she is aware of her monstrous strength, and is intent on making full use of her capabilities as needed, so she would rather be avoided entirely than cause unintended collateral damage. She regards the world as something that should be kept safe for others to live in peace, but she also identifies herself as a danger to that peace, resulting in a self-degrading mindset that guides her to take care of matters by herself, and only by herself. She does not want to be a 'hero', just that there are things that need to be done.

Magical Preference: Saphentine is a Lamyros, a high-class Phantasmal Species within the Vampire class derived from the Mediterranean Lamia, although they are quite different from True Ancestors or Dead Apostles, originating from mythology and legends instead. She is not required to drink blood, but can gain considerably enhanced power temporarily by doing so. As an aquatic species, she can also breath underwater. Lamyros can also permanently gain power by absorbing spiritual cores. As a high-class Phantasmal, Saphentine has immense supernatural strength, speed, reflexes, and extreme regenerative abilities that render her effectively immortal (with rare exceptions, such as the Black Barrel), although her recovery time can vary depending on the incurred damage. Lamyros have intelligence on par with or exceeding that of humans, and also possess the ability to cast spells, capable of advanced magecraft such as summoning. Saphentine, if going by traditional magecraft measurements, has an affinity for Water and Wind element magecraft, and commonly fights by interweaving makeshift spells with her overwhelming physical strength, veteran swordsmanship, and Blood Magic. She is also adept at sensing mana, detecting fluctuations in it, as well as the relative density of mana in localized areas. Saphentine's greatsword is seemingly constructed from ordinary materials, but its otherworldly craftsmanship is impossible to explain. Even just holding this giant weapon would be difficult for most people, but she effortlessly wields it one-handed. It seems to be layered with three separate enchantments: a reinforcement-type magecraft that physically strengthens the weapon's power and durability, a reinforcement-type magecraft that appears to be an equivalent to an A-rank Magic Resistance trait, and an unknown-type magecraft that seemingly reverses any damage done to the sword, not by restoration, but by true regression, as if it had never been chipped.