fatal_lancer

Name: Jes.
Contact Info: HMD.
Other Characters Played: Anri Sonohara.
Preferred Apartment: None.

Character Name: Judith.
Canon: Tales of Vesperia.
Canon Point: Post-game.
Background/History: even pretty things have thorns.

Personality:

Judith manages to straddle the difficult line of being cool without being cold, and the line of not giving much way without being reserved. Her emotions are understated and she never loses her temper or her nerve. At best, she’s calm and collected in even the most troubling scenarios. At worst, she’s nearly inhuman, all emotion suppressed in exchange for monotone and purpose. Judith is very much a woman made up of a mission and a goal and has clung to the idea that those were all that mattered, for many years of her life. Exchanging interpersonal relationships and wellbeing for the mission, the goal, was something she did readily, if not happily.

As a Krityan, Judith maintains a strong empathic connection with her partner, Ba’ul. Having rescued her when she was a child during the Great War, Ba’ul has remained her close friend and companion for many years. Despite being what most would consider an animal, Judith never refers to Ba’ul as her pet or her ward. Ba’ul is always, “my friend,” and “my partner.” No matter what, she and Ba’ul are on equal terms. However, this connection is a bit of a double-edged sword: after all, why would you need to form new relationships when you already have an intrinsic partnership? Add in her mission: to destroy Blastia, the technology by which the world runs itself in the manner to which it’s accustomed, without prejudice. Well-aware that such a goal will not endear the public at large to her, no matter how noble her intentions, Judith keeps primarily to her own company. Her intimate thoughts, her beliefs, her intentions are all kept tight under wraps, although that has lessened somewhat recently. Letting people in is a learning curve.

When Judith does reveal her more hidden machinations, either by the situation demanding it or making a rare show of trust, her confidence in her own person doesn’t waver, but merely changes. She may apologise or regret, but she will not back down or crumble. She will get from Point A to Point B no matter what the cost, even if she has to get by on sheer determination alone. Judith would like to believe she doesn’t need others, but has grown enough to recognise it as a fable. She can’t live alone; she knows this much. Compromise with her, let her keep what’s hers. She’ll appreciate you all the more for it.

She has an impulsive streak and loves a good fight. Judith is no stranger to getting her hands dirty, able to handle herself in all sorts of close-quarters combat. Give her a weapon and she’ll gut you with that. Leave her without one; she still has four limbs and an impressive pair of combat stilettos. It is important to note, however, that Judith is not cruel or malicious. She does not initiate violence against the helpless. She engages those who engage her and she fights those who can fight back. Ask her about this, she’ll simply tell you that fighting an unarmed opponent wouldn’t be any fun at all. While that’s probably true, it underestimates the kindness of spirit that guides her actions – such as the mission to destroy Blastia, which were slowly poisoning the world through causing excess aer output. Judith is, at her core, kind and nurturing. She may never admit it, but it’s not difficult to see. She prefers to be seen as whimsical and flighty but doesn’t get too upset when that image is poked at, either.

Another Krityan trait Judith has inherited is an inherent chillness (not to be mistaken with “chilliness”). It wouldn’t be difficult to describe Judith as perpetually relaxed. No matter what the situation, Judith never gets angry, never raises her voice or loses her composure. She greets most, if not all, situations with complete and utter tranquility. When she feels someone needs to be corrected, she does so in the same tone she uses when imparting information, or flirting, or in simple casual conversation. Rarely will she try to control the actions of another on her own, however, Judith is much more the type to offer a suggestion and let the other party reach their own conclusions. The single exception is when she feels someone may not be quite aware of the impact their choices are having on others. A small incidence of this would be her comments to Estelle, “I wasn’t aware we were still following this girl’s whims,” when Estelle had made the assumption that the quest still revolved around her. Even then, she simply let it go with one (and then two) comments, trusting that Estelle could reach the right conclusions herself.

Socially, this can make her seem a little spacy. If something distracts her, Judith will just wander off without a care and return with a smile and a, “shall we?” It is also worth noting that Judith is no stranger to the pout, either. She, like everyone else in existence, enjoys getting what she wants. She loves to flirt and troll in equal measure; her tranquil nature and subdued expression a perfect mask for her utter playfulness.

By her own admission, Judith is a poor liar. While this may be true, a great deal of her nature comes from simply not talking about things. She defers to a pleasant, calm state, making it seem as if nothing is ever wrong. When the mask comes off, Judith is considerably more weighed down: with guilt, if not regret; with an apologetic sort of resignation. In her own way, Judith will not stop until the world is “fixed” – it’s only the method that might change. Judith knows the difference between bending and breaking.

At the end of the day, Judith is far from unkind. It may take a while for her to consider someone a friend, but being a friend of Judith’s is a lifelong arrangement. Take the bad in with the good: she’s straightforward to the point of blunt or inappropriate, a wicked tease, and sometimes utterly without shame… as well as capable, unwavering, kind and wise. It all works in the end.

Abilities/Powers:

Judith is very skilled in close-quarters combat, very proficient with a spear. She favours aerial combat, amazingly, and many of her "artes" — attack spells — are based around something that could be called "flying", because why not. She can jump a high distance to attack her opponents from overhead. With a substantial amount of arm and length strength, she either attacks with her spear or her shoes. (Here is a video of Judith's combat abilities, lifted straight from Tales of Vesperia.)

Overlimit: In times of high adrenaline or emotion, Judith can go into overlimit. Essentially, it's a brief burst of arte-powered energy that renders her unstoppable for a brief period of time. When in overlimit, she does not grow fatigued like she would in regular, unassisted combat.

Burst artes and mystic artes: When in overlimit, Judith can also access her mystic arte, Radiant Moonlight. It's a strong burst of electric energy pushed down in an overhead swing on her opponent, and deals a significantly punishing amount of damage. Burst artes are the precursor to mystic artes: stronger than regular artes, but not as powerful as mystic artes.

Judith is also a skilled cook, able to concoct meals from basic ingredients and a rustic environment, and a renowned poker player with a world famous poker face.

Items/Weapons: (1) Brionac, her spear. (2) Ba'ul antenna accessory. (3) Combat stilettos.

Sample Entry:
one. post from a former game.
two. morning after meme musebox thread.

Sample Entry Two:

When the weight of the city’s terror starts to sit poorly in her, Judith takes to the highest point she can. A tree, a rooftop, even a balcony. It helps to be closer to the sky, even as it feels more like a ceiing.

This place – Haven – holds her too tightly. Every day, a new potential threat, new loss, new damage, new opportunities. Do this, and everything stays the way it is. Do this, and all those privileges could be taken away. It’s a fine line and there are days when Judith hates it.

There are days when she thinks she might not mind it, either.

Her eyes skim green, and she knows it for fake green. Even paved sidewalks can start to look like grass when she stares long enough.

It could be terrible, and she knows it. It could be boxed in grey walls and the whims of a jailer. It could be starvation until death. It could be blatant, unrepentant cruelty.

Cruelty in disguise is only that much kinder – but it’s a margin she’ll take. It’s a prickly, bittersweet sort of hope.

Regardless, there are still days when she needs to be up as high as she can. She twists through tree branches, gentle with her efforts. She doesn’t especially want to hurt the tree, when it’s a much more accepting prisoner.