Skalp
Aug 23, 2012 17:02:39 GMT -6
Post by Admin on Aug 23, 2012 17:02:39 GMT -6
Name: Skalp
Rank: Merchant, self proclaimed Mage, the Demon Doctor
Basic Personality:
He’s a good guy. No really. He’s polite, reliable, never has something negative to say about anyone, and is generous to a fault. He tends not to lie, unless of course they DO in fact look fat in that dress, in which case he takes care to step delicately. Skalp is perhaps a little too quick to make friends, but he’s also patient. He is also quite gullible; being far too trusting in others then what would generally be considered wise. To top it off he’s a devout pacifist with a bad taste in mortal music. His only real faults are; a short attention span, an enthusiasm for the unknown, and a small tendency to get a little too exited while working. It’s quite surprising a personality like this is able to survive in Hell. But like Demonlings are want to do, Skalp thrives. There’s just something about him that creeps people the hell out.
Brief History:
Skalp is the Apothecary. He lurks within the Materia Medica, an ancient building- the oldest in the market place. Once, long ago, Lucifer decreed the building a heritable treasure of Pandemonium. Ownership of the Materia Medica is a curious thing; it does not belong to the crown. Although the store produces little to no revenue, lords and merchants alike treat the deed to the old Medica as something of a status symbol. While it might seem a useless investment, the Materia Medica deals in vast quantities of money. The items the store imports range from strange to stranger. Whether it’s rare antiques or magical equipment, it’s all quite expensive. The store often goes bankrupt, but never for long. The elite of society often pour just as much money into the business as it can spend, but for what kind of service is anyone’s guess. The point is this tidal flow of money is good for Hell’s economy. The nature of the Materia Medica’s business means it never stays in the same hands long. While proprietors may be blessed with a few hundred years of good fortune, sooner or later the eccentricities of the staff and the stores upkeep will begin to eat into their coffers, and so the title is passed on.
What is little known is that those who purchase the Materia Medica are inevitably purchasing the skills of its Apothecary, the Demonling aptly named Skalp. Whatever it may be Skalp is the demon for it; prosthesis, necromancy, incisions, amputations, charms, dissections, grafts, transplants, implants, organ resecting, exorcism, neurectomy, curses… the list goes on and on. Many have kept Skalp’s existence secret, even stolen many of his methods. Skalp doesn’t mind, so long as he can keep working.
In his laboratory his word is holy doctrine. Blasphemers are punished, not by the tolerant Skalp himself, but from ignorance of the dangerous lab itself. Airborne microscopic constructs that feed on flesh might be suspended in that vile of oil. That cross-sectioned angel cadaver is trying to grab at those who get too close. Don’t step between those two mirrors, Skalp’s pretty sure he’s made a portal, and it’s ALIVE. Huh? What does it matter where it goes?
Powers and Abilities: (See Demonling)
Demonic Surgery: As long as he has the proper time, equipment and materials, Skalp has the medical skills to discover/alter/create most anything. He’s not exactly imaginative however, and perhaps a little too literal when granting requests. It is well within his expertise to reanimate dead bodies. He insists that restoring a persons mind with its original memories and personalities is practically impossible… that is, unless Skalp takes some liberties, like reviving a dead brain in a completely different body perhaps? One that’s less likely to get itself killed again. Or speak. Or move.
Telepathic: Skalp has dug around in all sorts of brains, even his own. As a result of his tampering he possesses some extra sensory perception. He is constantly aware of his immediate surroundings and everything within them, and can even communicate using only his mind. This ability has proven very handy during intense and delicate operations.
Artificial Steady state: Skalp has modified his body to achieve a peak in homeostasis; he insists that it is the logical progression of Demonling adaptability. As such he can survive in practically fatal environments, like a vacuum, and is immune to most poisons. Key points in his body house a number of secondary brains, consisting of mostly just a hypothalamus and medulla. Skalp can remain conscious and even animate his body and its parts after decapitation, which he does himself for maintenance.
Fatal Weakness(es): (See Demonling)
Harmful Healing: Skalp’s “cures” and “improvements” often end up causing more harm than good since, most of the time, he doesn’t pay enough attention to what he’s doing.
Intuition: Much of Skalp’s skill comes from intuition; it is perhaps something that has lain dormant in the Demonling psyche and has just now began to emerge, or maybe it’s the memory of an ancient and advanced civilization whose only remains are the half dreams that guide him. Regardless, the result is that Skalp is often unable to explain WHY he can do what he can do or WHY it works. He only knows HOW.
Specialized: Skalp’s body may be amazing, but it’s been designed (or forcibly evolved) to fulfill a specific function and only that function. It is a medical tool and was not made for combat, acrobatic feats or even procreation (by regular means anyway). Some instruments, such as his hands, are infinitely delicate.
Life above all: No matter what, Skalp opposes the loss of life. He will never allow killing in his presence and will do everything within his haunting abilities to prevent death. Regrettably Skalp has absolutely no regard for the quality of life. This usually means he’ll cut corners when “treating” his patients, usually with disturbing consequences. Many of these patients find themselves wishing that they did die. However he’s often forced to face death and he’s not above salvaging whatever he can for later. He also plays fast and loose with the terms “death” and “stealing”.
Magical Items:
The Materia Medica’s staff: Former patients. The ones that can’t find a way to die. Those that don’t feel like they can ever be seen again. Their appearance is as diverse as the organs in the body, as are their functions. Some are constructs of the highest quality. Others are regular demons, “improved” beyond recognition. Many are insane thanks to Skalp’s “treatments”. All are strangely fond of the Demonling himself. While the constructs are all imprinted on him several are so significantly advanced that the beginnings of freewill are common. Skalp gives the staff free reign and they generally police themselves. The community is tight knit and honestly care for the store and it’s Apothecary, even the lobotomized ones (they know nothing else).
Non-magical Items:
Appearance:
His body is somewhat serpentine; much of its artificial height is attributed to a hunched spinal column from which spare “parts” twitch and flex. His spidery limbs are thin and covered in telescopic tendons and ligaments. His tail is barbed and many jointed, it often serves as a third foot or by going between his legs, an arm. Each of Skalp’s fingers and toes can divide half a thousand times each, splitting into tiny saws, needles, and scalpels. Most his body is covered entirely by a metallically synthesized bone, polished to a shine. A featureless, cowl like dome of this substance covers the upper half of his reptilian face so that those with whom he speaks can see themselves reflected off it’s surface. Skalp is usually just three and a half feet tall but can effectively add another two or three feet to that by extending his wiry limbs. As the situation requires, Skalp may even equip himself with several sets of limbs, depending on the complexity of the task.
Rank: Merchant, self proclaimed Mage, the Demon Doctor
Basic Personality:
He’s a good guy. No really. He’s polite, reliable, never has something negative to say about anyone, and is generous to a fault. He tends not to lie, unless of course they DO in fact look fat in that dress, in which case he takes care to step delicately. Skalp is perhaps a little too quick to make friends, but he’s also patient. He is also quite gullible; being far too trusting in others then what would generally be considered wise. To top it off he’s a devout pacifist with a bad taste in mortal music. His only real faults are; a short attention span, an enthusiasm for the unknown, and a small tendency to get a little too exited while working. It’s quite surprising a personality like this is able to survive in Hell. But like Demonlings are want to do, Skalp thrives. There’s just something about him that creeps people the hell out.
Brief History:
Skalp is the Apothecary. He lurks within the Materia Medica, an ancient building- the oldest in the market place. Once, long ago, Lucifer decreed the building a heritable treasure of Pandemonium. Ownership of the Materia Medica is a curious thing; it does not belong to the crown. Although the store produces little to no revenue, lords and merchants alike treat the deed to the old Medica as something of a status symbol. While it might seem a useless investment, the Materia Medica deals in vast quantities of money. The items the store imports range from strange to stranger. Whether it’s rare antiques or magical equipment, it’s all quite expensive. The store often goes bankrupt, but never for long. The elite of society often pour just as much money into the business as it can spend, but for what kind of service is anyone’s guess. The point is this tidal flow of money is good for Hell’s economy. The nature of the Materia Medica’s business means it never stays in the same hands long. While proprietors may be blessed with a few hundred years of good fortune, sooner or later the eccentricities of the staff and the stores upkeep will begin to eat into their coffers, and so the title is passed on.
What is little known is that those who purchase the Materia Medica are inevitably purchasing the skills of its Apothecary, the Demonling aptly named Skalp. Whatever it may be Skalp is the demon for it; prosthesis, necromancy, incisions, amputations, charms, dissections, grafts, transplants, implants, organ resecting, exorcism, neurectomy, curses… the list goes on and on. Many have kept Skalp’s existence secret, even stolen many of his methods. Skalp doesn’t mind, so long as he can keep working.
In his laboratory his word is holy doctrine. Blasphemers are punished, not by the tolerant Skalp himself, but from ignorance of the dangerous lab itself. Airborne microscopic constructs that feed on flesh might be suspended in that vile of oil. That cross-sectioned angel cadaver is trying to grab at those who get too close. Don’t step between those two mirrors, Skalp’s pretty sure he’s made a portal, and it’s ALIVE. Huh? What does it matter where it goes?
Powers and Abilities: (See Demonling)
Demonic Surgery: As long as he has the proper time, equipment and materials, Skalp has the medical skills to discover/alter/create most anything. He’s not exactly imaginative however, and perhaps a little too literal when granting requests. It is well within his expertise to reanimate dead bodies. He insists that restoring a persons mind with its original memories and personalities is practically impossible… that is, unless Skalp takes some liberties, like reviving a dead brain in a completely different body perhaps? One that’s less likely to get itself killed again. Or speak. Or move.
Telepathic: Skalp has dug around in all sorts of brains, even his own. As a result of his tampering he possesses some extra sensory perception. He is constantly aware of his immediate surroundings and everything within them, and can even communicate using only his mind. This ability has proven very handy during intense and delicate operations.
Artificial Steady state: Skalp has modified his body to achieve a peak in homeostasis; he insists that it is the logical progression of Demonling adaptability. As such he can survive in practically fatal environments, like a vacuum, and is immune to most poisons. Key points in his body house a number of secondary brains, consisting of mostly just a hypothalamus and medulla. Skalp can remain conscious and even animate his body and its parts after decapitation, which he does himself for maintenance.
Fatal Weakness(es): (See Demonling)
Harmful Healing: Skalp’s “cures” and “improvements” often end up causing more harm than good since, most of the time, he doesn’t pay enough attention to what he’s doing.
Intuition: Much of Skalp’s skill comes from intuition; it is perhaps something that has lain dormant in the Demonling psyche and has just now began to emerge, or maybe it’s the memory of an ancient and advanced civilization whose only remains are the half dreams that guide him. Regardless, the result is that Skalp is often unable to explain WHY he can do what he can do or WHY it works. He only knows HOW.
Specialized: Skalp’s body may be amazing, but it’s been designed (or forcibly evolved) to fulfill a specific function and only that function. It is a medical tool and was not made for combat, acrobatic feats or even procreation (by regular means anyway). Some instruments, such as his hands, are infinitely delicate.
Life above all: No matter what, Skalp opposes the loss of life. He will never allow killing in his presence and will do everything within his haunting abilities to prevent death. Regrettably Skalp has absolutely no regard for the quality of life. This usually means he’ll cut corners when “treating” his patients, usually with disturbing consequences. Many of these patients find themselves wishing that they did die. However he’s often forced to face death and he’s not above salvaging whatever he can for later. He also plays fast and loose with the terms “death” and “stealing”.
Magical Items:
The Materia Medica’s staff: Former patients. The ones that can’t find a way to die. Those that don’t feel like they can ever be seen again. Their appearance is as diverse as the organs in the body, as are their functions. Some are constructs of the highest quality. Others are regular demons, “improved” beyond recognition. Many are insane thanks to Skalp’s “treatments”. All are strangely fond of the Demonling himself. While the constructs are all imprinted on him several are so significantly advanced that the beginnings of freewill are common. Skalp gives the staff free reign and they generally police themselves. The community is tight knit and honestly care for the store and it’s Apothecary, even the lobotomized ones (they know nothing else).
Non-magical Items:
Appearance:
His body is somewhat serpentine; much of its artificial height is attributed to a hunched spinal column from which spare “parts” twitch and flex. His spidery limbs are thin and covered in telescopic tendons and ligaments. His tail is barbed and many jointed, it often serves as a third foot or by going between his legs, an arm. Each of Skalp’s fingers and toes can divide half a thousand times each, splitting into tiny saws, needles, and scalpels. Most his body is covered entirely by a metallically synthesized bone, polished to a shine. A featureless, cowl like dome of this substance covers the upper half of his reptilian face so that those with whom he speaks can see themselves reflected off it’s surface. Skalp is usually just three and a half feet tall but can effectively add another two or three feet to that by extending his wiry limbs. As the situation requires, Skalp may even equip himself with several sets of limbs, depending on the complexity of the task.