True North – The Angel of Montreal

Unlike the one by Margret Laurence, this stone angel did not traumatize 12 year old Chris.

True story, this character evolved from another one called Night.

Night starred in a short story I wrote for Guardian of Order’s  Path of the Just, I’ll admit it,  The Archer’s Skull, is IMO, one of my best short stories ever. I was graced with a reply with advice on how to make the story fit better with the anthology. It was professional and awesome, and though, ultimately, my story didn’t get picked,  I was honored to receive to feedback, from the likes of Jesse Scoble and James Lowder. They are true professionals.

The core of Night was a kindhearted young woman, who came to life in my imagination. Night, in turn, changed into The Angel of Montreal. Clara’s origin and powers are different but her kindhearted spirit remains the same.

This kindness is key. Clara, is a half-angel, a Nephilim. What’s interesting is that it’s her human half that’s kind. Angels, the way I see them, are like C.S. Lewis’ Asland; good but not safe. In my stories Angels are  powerful, beautiful, alien beings. They’re terrifying, able to bring both blessings and doom. Clara has that in her, but it’s guided by her kind, human heart.

And this is cool.

Too many heroes these days are jerks, we need more compassion.

Name: The Angel of Montreal – Clara

Affiliations: Solo: D6 Buddy: D8 Team: D10

Distinctions 

• Terrifying Beauty
• Daughter of Heaven
• Kind, Trusting, Heart

Power Sets

Nephilim

• Superhuman Durability: D10
• Subsonic Flight: D8
• Mystic Sense: D6
• Godlike Stamina: D12
• Superhuman Strength: D10

SFX

• Healing Touch: Add Endurance die to help others to recover physical stress. Or spend 1PP to automatically remove your target’s physical stress or step back his/her physical trauma.
• Purge Illness: Spend 1 PP or suffer d4 Mental Trauma to completely remove any disease or poison related condition from 1 target.

Limits

• Growing Dread:If you succeed with an extraordinary success while using your Nephilim power set, the Watcher can grant 1PP to activate Growing Dread. While Growing Dread is active all 1’s and 2’s, in die pools with the Nephilim power set, act as opportunities. You must accept at least a D6 emotional stress to turn off Growing Dread; you are horrified by your ‘shock and awe’ aspect.
• Vulnerability, Magic Wards: If you cross a ward against magic suffer a D6 psychical stress. Keep doing so every panel you’re in the warded area. Powers that are designed to shut down magic power sets instead do physical damage to you. Receive 1PP whenever you suffer damage in this fashion.

Specialties
Acrobatic: D10 Combat: D8 Mystic: D8 Psych: D10

Background

• Childhood: Clara’s father was archmage, based in Montreal, powerful enough to summon a high rank Angel. They fell in love and Clara was the result. Clara’s mother disappeared soon after her birth. Clara lived a loved, sheltered childhood; her father refused to let Clara out of his sight.
• Day Job: Clara’s independently wealthy, as such can devote all her time to being a hero.
• Origin: Clara’s father was killed by his own mystic machinations. He left everything to her, but she was ill prepared for the world.
• As a Hero: Clara had no independent hero career before True North.
• True North: One of True North’s first missions was to stop a mystic cult from kidnapping a wealthy heiress. This turned out to be Clara, the cultists wanted to bind her to power their own magics. Rather than drop her off at a meta lab True North took her in. Since then she’s been a key player on numerous missions and  become their most famous member, renowned world wide for facing down terrible evil and healing terminally ill children. She’s had offers to join prestigious American and British super teams, but she’s always refused. She knows her true home.

Personality

• Incredibly sweet and also incredibly naive.
• She’s terrified of her own power, afraid that she’ll accidentally kill someone.
• She has a true, good heart. She works tirelessly as a hero of True North and also as the bearer of hope to impoverished, sick or injured kids.
• In relation to Hallow: He pulled the necessary strings to ensure Clara remains a free and not a guinea pig in some lab. Clare, respects him greatly.
• In relation to Grave Walker: Michelle’s like a big sister, a shoulder to lean on and a kind ear.
• In relation to Nanuk: Clara is a little frightened of Nanuk. However, this fear is balanced with a deep respect.
• In relation to Trickster: Clara knows he’s bad news but he’s so charming she can’t help but be his friend.

Appearance

• Clara has a statuesque beauty.
• Her eyes glow with a silvery light. When she files she’s wreathed in a winged, silvery aura.
• Her long hair is platinum blonde.
• She’s the only member of True North with a ‘super suit’. She wears a blue and grey catsuit, reminiscent of the sky, with tall, blue, flat heeled boots. Thanks to her supernatural toughness, she’s as safe in this outfit as she would be in anything else
• In civvies, Clara dresses in an elegant, expensive, fashion.