Maria Crough

"Smoke grenades are worthless against Dead Apostles, I'll give you Fangers that. That's why I made these babies to release holy water as a steam - makes you choke like a bitch on a fat cock. Now bite on the curb, you piece of shit..."

Background:

Undeniably one of the most succesful Executors in the modern era of the Holy Church. Maria Crough was abandoned on the doorstep of an abbey in the States, and raised to follow after the nuns. Her crude demeanor and personality led to numerous issues within her convent, with a particularly serious infraction resulting in her being forced to become an Executor for the Holy Church at the age of 15. Maria found this change of pace to be much more bearable, and she was one of the few to find joy in their exploits as an Executor. This was a short lived honeymoon period, as only a year after her training ended, she was horrifically mauled by a Dead Apostle - only surviving thanks to the intervention (and sacrifice) of her senior Executor.

Since then, Maria has directed all of her rage exclusively towards the Dead Apostles, killing scores of them with incredible brutality. No matter what assignment she was given, she succeeded flawlessly, resulting in praise and resources being heaped upon her by the Church. She even went so far as to take assignments from other Executors, placing many clergy in the Holy Church into her debt. Maria's most notable accomplishment was her narrowly defeating and slaying Gransurg Blackmore's Successor, Ziz of the Eclipse - a feat that she is quick to gloat about, despite it being a lucky break that only worked in her favor thanks to her having a massive situational advantage. Still, the slaughter of a rank VIII Dead Apostle is an accomplishment few can claim, leading to Maria's reputation growing to the heights it now reaches.

She has held and lost over a dozen students, an unexpectedly high number for an Executor that is only in their mid-30s. This has led to a rumor in the Church that there is a curse on the position of her apprentice, leading to many assuming the title to meet an untimely end. Maria's sabbaticals after each of her students' deaths are the only breaks she takes from her duty, though she inevitably returns to the slaughter.

Maria has recently been assigned to serve as the Lead Executor of the London Situation, the Holy Church entrusting her to lead the assault against the Dead Apostles that have taken over the Clocktower and terrorize the mundane population of the city. While most would be honored to hold this position, Maria is completely unfamiliar with the responsibilities and decorum expected of her, leading to incredibly unorthodox methods towards dealing with the Dead Apostle problem - most notably, the implementation of the Animal Spirits devised by the now destroyed Clock Tower.

"Oh you heard of me, huh? Well don't cream your pants, kid, I'm not that exciting. I'll give you an autograph, so go grab me a beer, k? Hahaha!"

Personality:

Crude, indulgent, and obscene are all words that have been used to describe Maria. She is utterly unbecoming for a nun of the Holy Church, only tolerated within the organization due to her adherence to the scripture and talent as an Executor.

Maria is an underhanded pragmatist, using whatever tools and tricks are at her disposal to reach the most efficient victory condition - with almost complete disregard for the moral and ethical stipulations it may entail. If bombing a hotel will result in the death of a Dead Apostle, she'll gladly do it - even if it means killing hundreds of innocents, the Fanger would certainly kill more over their immortal life. While this has earned the ire of many in the church, Maria's track record as an Executor is flawless, and she has killed many undead that should eclipse her in all regards.

Even amongst the church, Maria is notable for her distaste for the Dead Apostles. She suffered greatly thanks to losing a fight against one of these bloodsuckers in the past, and while she escaped with her life, she was disfigured and has never been seen without her mask since. Maria blames most of her ills on the work of the 'Fangers', even when it doesn't logically make sense - how did a Fanger give her a ticket when the meter ran out? Hell if she knows, but she'll gladly kill them all the same. Attempting to dissuade her from this hatred or even just to set it aside for a moment is a fool's errand - something only the highest authorities in the Church have accomplished, as that is why she tolerates the presence of Lanzo de Luna within her diocese.

Maria's personality softens when working alongside younger church members and allies, and she showcases an almost maternal air towards those she grows close to. While she will never vocalize her affections, she is happy to drive them around town, protect them from harm, and treat them to all kinds of expensive gifts. She has lost subordinates in her line of work many times, and targeting her student is one of the few ways to lure her out of hiding and engage an opponent directly.

"...You cold, kid? Here - I'm pretty warm, so you can borrow my jacket. When that Fanger shows up and we finish stomping his shit in, I'll crank up the heat in Santiago and let you pick the mix tape. Sound cool?"

You:

Master
+50

Master:

Female
Adult
Tall, Strong, Crude
An imposing figure, tall and muscular. Maria has a well-trained body that would look more at home in a biker bar than a convent. She dresses in a crude and unorthodox manner, usually a leather jacket alongside a crop top and slacks. Like most Executors, she's laden with weapons, most notably the hilts of Black Keys, countless explosives, and her grenade launcher. Maria's body is covered in scars and tattoos, and her face is almost perpetually hidden beneath a black gas mask.

"Quit lookin at my midriff, ya perv, I'm a woman of the cloth. That shit's blasphemous as fuck."

Alignment:

Neutral Evil

Residence:

Cathedral
-50.
Maria is currently stationed at Westminster Cathedral, near the heart of the conflict between the Dead Apostles and Humanity. It is only a few blocks away from the fallen Clocktower, and its innumerable wards, bounded fields, and vigilant clergy are the only reason that it has not fallen to the undead. It is a bastion in the city.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust". Psalms 91:1-2"

Skills:

Common Sense
-0
As an Executor, Maria has been deployed to all corners of the globe in her many years of service. As a result, she has learned nearly a dozen languages at a conversational level, and has picked up a basic grasp on many more. She is most proficient in English and Latin.

"Alright kid, today I'll teach you how to order a beer in 10 different languages. Tomorrow I'll teach you how to cuss a fucker out in 20."

Operating Electronics
-2.5
A skill surprisingly uncommon amongst both the Holy Church and the Clocktower. Maria makes extensive use of technology in her activities as an Executor - from using cameras to track the movements of Dead Apostles to UV lights to temporarily simulate sunlight without expending Magical Energy or time using the Sacraments.

"I swear to fucking god if you didn't record Pimp my Ride, I'm gonna beat your ass, kid."

First Aid
-7.5
The art of healing is a common one for those with the Sacraments, but knowing how to treat lesser wounds in the field is an invaluable skill when one needs to conserve magical energy. Maria is trained in First aid, and while not a replacement for Healing Magecrafts, the ability to patch up a wound while hiding out from the undead can prove invaluable.

"Here, take a sip. It- Hey, don't spit on me, brat!!! That's Spiriytus Vodka. Good for disinfecting wounds in a pinch, and also does a good job setting things on fire. Now drink more, it's gonna hurt like a bitch when I pop your shoulder back in its socket..."

Stealth
-5
The ability to conceal ones presence, allowing them to move without detection, and ambush others. For Maria's combat style of setting traps and selectively targeting an opponent's weaknesses, this skill is invaluable as it allows her to choose when to engage and, even more importantly, escape from a poor situation. A far cry from the Presence Concealment of Assassin Class Servants - but those aren't around here, are they?

"You bring those blood bags I told you about? Nice, kid - now toss them over the ledge. A Fanger's senses are geared towards finding blood - leaving an easy source will distract them, and they won't even notice us up here."

Intel Gathering
-10
Maria is talented in the ways of information gathering, able to collect details on her quarry long before stepping foot into their territory. With her connections in the Church, Maria can uncover most details on the highest ranking Dead Apostles within a day or two, and even lesser known Fangers can't keep their secrets hidden for long. Maria's talent doesn't extend to just Dead Apostles, as she has quite a bit of dirt on many members of the clergy.

"Lanzo de Luna, original name Pietro Rainalducci. You were a radical that somehow thought becoming a blood sucking fucktard was a move that would sit well with the Lord. If the papacy wasn't interested in your wellbeing, I'd love to cave your skull in..."

Martial Arts
-20
While Maria is not a close-quarter-combat specialist, she is trained in Martial Arts (particularly Bajiquan) and displays impressive skill, as is expected amongst Executors. With just this and her talent with the Black Keys, she could possibly dispose of a Lesser Dead Apostle - though it would be a far closer match than someone with her talent in the Sacraments should ever allow.

"You call that an elbow strike!? Jesus Christ, that's pathetic! You gotta plant your legs firm or you're not gonna generate any torque - like this, shit for brains..."

Athletics
-5
An exemplary physical condition, the kind developed through years of combat experience and rigorous physical exertion. While it is incomparable to even a Night Fledgling on its own, a higher baseline physique allows greater enhancement from Reinforcement and bodily Sacraments. Mariah can lift more than most college athletes, and keep pace with sprinters for hundreds of meters.

"C'mon kid, we're only on hour 3 of the 8 hour arm workout! Whatever it takes, c'mon!"

Driving
-2.5
One of Maria's most notable skills, and depressingly enough, one that is almost entirely irrelevant for her job. She is an incredible driver, capable of navigating busy city streets and long stretches of highway with equal ease. Only the harshest of weather conditions can slow her down, and even then it's more out of a desire to avoid putting stress on her vehicle, rather than an inability.

"I'm not teaching you to drive stick in the streets of London, not when there are Fangers crawling around and you might get undead in the grill of my car. Get on the M20, Folkestone ain't too bad this time of year."

Speech
-12.5
Surprsing for an Executor, Maria is very persuasive with her words, able to convince even staunch enemies of the church to give up information related to her quarry. This will likely be of little value in the London Situation due to her vehement disdain for the Undead making her unable to reason with them, but it will still be useful in convincing allies of her plans and methods.

"So I wined and dined the asshole for a couple hours, whispered in his ear a bit, and he was singin like a canary. Left him blue balled after that, haha! If someone's trying to seduce ya, kid, make sure they put out before you give em what they want, you hear me?"

Tactics
-20
The ability to guide and lead ones' allies in combat. Executors often work in groups to kill Night Fledglings, and while Maria can now punch far above this weight class on her own, she retains the skill to strategize in the middle of combat. It can make the difference between a loose group of combatants and a tightly coordinated squad of Executors and Knights.

"Lanzo will act as the bait, I'm sure the Fangers are eager to smash in a traitor's skull and drain his blood - you'll lead him into the trap, where me and the kid will drop the bombs and use the Sacraments to weaken him. Then you can call in Maniac to clean up shop. All clear?"

Strategy
-25
If Tactics is the ability to win a battle, Strategy is the skill to wage war. Managing resources and engagements, supply lines and logistics, and choosing which encounters to fight and which to abandon. While Maria is skilled in all of these areas, she is used to conflicts of a smaller scale - the London Situation is far beyond what she can realistically contend with on her own.

"Suicide Mission? Well duh, send in the Dead Apostle - he's got a Curse of Restoration, after all. In the meantime, me and the kid'll move the civies to Westminster Cathedral."

Investigation
-15
The ability to deduce and reveal secrets held by people. Alongside her skill in Interrogation and Intelligence Gathering, there are few secrets that Maria is not privy to - and of those, fewer still that she could not learn if she tried hard enough. If she was more magically inclined, this would prove invaluable as an 'anti-magecraft' skill, but as it currently stands, it is little more than understanding how the enchantments on her car engine work and what lines to draw to fix an issue.

"You really thought you were slick, didn't you kid? Thought I wouldn't notice? I know you ate the leftover pizza I left in the fridge - you have a grease stain on your pant leg. Now go buy me a new pie before I kick your ass!"

Trapmaking
-22.5
The art of constructing traps - both mundane and supernatural. Maria is particularly fond of laying tripwires tied to grenades, as well as using corpses to lure Night Fledglings and Lesser Dead Apostles to an area. Of the many executors in the Holy Church, few are as proficient in this field as Maria, who almost seems more interested in catching her quarry in elaborate and nonsensical traps than she is in actually killing them.

"So we'll lure the Fanger in with some dead virgins, all full of delicious blood, right? Then when he gets close, he won't even notice the trip wire that drops the Holy Hand Grenades on top of him! If he manages to survive, that's when we jump his ass with the stakes and holy water."

Firearm Proficiency
-20
The training and talent needed to fire a modern gun proficiently. Normal firearms are worthless against even minor supernatural threats, with even Night Fledglings viewing bullets as little more than an annoyance. While many choose to use esoteric methods to making these work like silver bullets or high powered rifles, Maria has opted for explosives.

"A Winchester Rifle will serve you well kid - I remember blasting a zombies head off with my Teacher when I was first starting out. I thought he'd be so proud of me, then he punched me and said I alerted the Fanger to our position. Now that was a fucking bitch to get out of..."

Handling Explosives
-22.5
The ability to handle and detonate an explosive without blowing yourself to smithereens. Maria is not only exceptionally skilled in this, she is also incredibly talented at creating explosives - both IEDs, and more mystical ammunitions for her Gammorah. Mundane Explsoives do little to Fledglings and almost nothing to Lesser Dead Apostles, but the more supernatural explosives at Maria's disposal are another thing entirely.

"Listen here Kid - there's nothing a Fanger hates more than sunlight. They hide in their hideaways and coffins, just waiting for it to go down. So what should you do? Blow it the fuck up!!! Let the sunshine in and use it to your advantage! That's why we start our hunts in the morning, you get it?"

Breaking and Entering
-17.5
The skill to deduce the easiest way to circumvent security measures and gain access to a building or other locked container. While Maria is trained in picking locks, she isn't particularly skilled in the art - instead, she prefers to identify weakpoints and force her way into whatever she needs to access. Either by kicking her way in or, for more difficult situations, by using bombs.

"Hm, a triple layer Arcane Lock with a dual pin mechanism - pretty high level stuff for a Fanger, must be a mage too. This'll be tricky."
Kicks door open.
"Alright, let's get to it."

Religious Doctrine
-0
Despite her crude demeanor and abrasive personality, Marai is a woman of the cloth and is trained in all the rites and ceremonies that a member of the clergy must be ordained in. She can listen to confessions, perform baptisms, lead a congregation, and more - though, she is not particularly fond of most of these duties. She used to dream of performing wedding rites, but has long since given that up, viewing it as an impossibility for someone that has spilled as much blood as her.

"Woah, you did that? That's sick dude! I mean, uh, say 5 Hail Mary's and you should be okay, I guess..."

Information Control
-5
As an Executor with years of experience, it is only natural that Maria has expertise in keeping the mundane and supernatural worlds separate. Allowing a Dead Apostle to reveal the world of Magecraft to the world at large would cause mass panic, and must be stopped whenever possible... a feat that is incredibly difficult in the London Situation. As a matter of fact, keeping the world at large from learning of the existence of Dead Apostles despite their flagrant acts in the city takes up a massive chunk of Maria's time, and is a major source of her stress.

"You're saying the Fanger just left half a carcass on the telephone lines!? Oh fuck, someone get a deacon to take that down before the kids go to school in the morning!"

Inner Spirit
-10
An unwavering determination and faith in oneself. The drive to push forwards. This is, at the end of the day, the main factor that differentiates a succesful Executor from a failure. One needs an ironclad constitution to witness the horrors of the Dead Apostles and come out unscathed - and thankfully for Maria, she is either psychotic enough or jaded enough to do exactly that. The only thing that can reliably shake her is the loss of a Student, which sends her into a depression that can last for months at a time.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay. Breathe. Don't look at the bodies, look at me, okay? You'll be fine kid... You'll be fine... Just breathe..."

Presence Awareness
-20
An incredible sensory awareness, rendering Maria nearly impossible to ambush. Even high grade concealment Magecrafts have a chance of being seen through, especially when Maria is properly utilizing her Sindone Crough. This allows for Maria to act as a capable sniper.

"Smell that? No? Try and focus, kid - metallic, almost coppery. Like a junkyard. That's how you know a Fanger's nearby. If you smell the sweet stench of rot, their ghouls aren't far behind..."

Black Key Mastery
-25
An incredible talent with the Black Keys. The serve as Maria's 'melee' weapons, despite their initial creation as throwing weapons. She is particularly fond of using the Shadowbinding Rites, as it allows her to pin enemies in place before launching explosives at them.

"Yeah, it's a bitch to get the hang of at first. But hey, once you get good with the things, you're gonna be annoying as fuck to deal with. If you grow your hair out, try using one of the handles as a hairpin, that saved my life once y'know?"

Church Intrigue
-17.5
Over her long career, Maria has built a network of clergy and other executors. If she finds herself in a dire situation, she's more than willing to call in favors and reinforcements, deploy Holy Relics and Knights, and even request aid from the Vatican if necessary. She's loathe to embarrass herself with the bigger displays, but will do so if forced to confront an Ancestor or her Student is at risk.

"You remember the time I killed that little fuck nugget for you? Blackmore's Successor? Yeah, the eight winged torso guy. I nearly lost an arm during that... and while I was fighting, you were fucking the Mother Superior of the local abbey, isn't that right? Well since you got your nut in the nun, maybe you can throw a couple of your Knights my way for the next few weeks, yeah? London ain't cleaning itself."

Interrogation:
-15
The ability to extract information from unwilling targets. Maria excels in this field, her knowledge of the vulnerabilities of Fangers and their weaknesses making her incredibly skilled at getting what she wants from even the most stalwart opponent.

"Don't want to tell me where your sire is? Pretty ballsy for a Fledgling. Alright then, have it your way... Only nice thing about that Curse of Restoration your ilk is so fond of is I can pry those fingernails of yours off as much as I want."

Magic Circuits:

Composition:
Normal
Quality:
B
-65
Quantity:
B
-75

Command Spells:

0

Elemental Affinity:

Fire

Origin:

Action (Detonation)

Foundation:

Profane
+100
Maria is trained in only the most basic of Magecrafts, the likes of which are non-blasphemous to the Holy Church - most notably, the art of Reinforcement. She is somewhat talented at reinforcing her body with Magical Energy to perform physical feats, but compared to a mage that specializes in this field, her attempts are incredibly basic.

"Witches are bitches, kid, the sooner you learn that the better."

Priest:

Executor

Sacraments:
A+
-145
An incredible aptitude with the Holy Sacraments. Maria's prowess is comparable to a lesser Saint, allowing for miracles like calling down beams of holy light, or temporarily negating a Dead Apostle's Curse of Restoration. She mostly uses her talents to craft the grenades for her Gomorrah, leaving her exceptionally talented at the 'preparatory' aspects of the Rites, such as creating Holy Water and performing Blessings. Given time to prepare for a fight, she can significantly increase her physical capabilities, shroud herself in holy energies that burn the undead and evil, and display great talent in using all manner of Holy Relics.

The number of practitioners in the modern era that surpass Maria with the Sacraments number less than 3 dozen. If one only counts those that are currently alive, the number drops significantly.

Damaging a Dead Apostle Ancestor with the Sacraments alone is possible at this rank, though finishing a high-level Rite before they bisect you or tear your head off is another thing entirely. Maria's talent with the Black Keys, her Gamorrah, and the Sacraments allows her to theoretically fight one-on-one with Greater Dead Apostles if she has sufficient prep time, though she would certainly lose against Successors unless the deck was stacked in her favor.

"These are all you need. The Eighth Sacrament might look fancy with their arcane bullshit, but at the end of the day, all you need to put a Fanger in the ground is a well-thrown Black Key and a good verse of scripture... But if you see anyone offering a tune up for Santiago, let me know, y'hear?"

Unique:

Teacher and Student
Free from Role.
Maria, like most Executors, works in a pair, acting as a teacher to her ward. While Maria is far kinder and more caring than most Executors are to their students, she has lost over a dozen students thus far - an experience that breaks her every time. She will share everything she knows with her student, and if she's lucky, this one will outlast her.

"Hm? You want to bum a cig? No way, these things will fuck up your lungs. I don't want you to need one of these masks when you're my age, you get that, brat?"

Acting Presbyter
-50
Maria has been designated as one of the lead Executors to handle the London Situation, a rank equivalent to a Bishop. A testament to her talent, especially considering she is a woman being granted such a title in the Holy Church. While she is a veteran with years of experience under her belt, Maria is unused to the responsibilities and formality that accompany the role of a Bishop, and often delegates her less militant tasks to other members of the clergy. She commands the bulk of Westminster Cathedral's Executor population, as well as dozens of priests and other clergy, ironically making her one of the highest ranking figures from the church that is currently stationed within London.

"Yeesh, you know you don't gotta call me 'your excellency,' right? Gives me the creeps... How bout just Sister Crough? Or hell, I'd take Maria if you buy me a drink first."

Mystic Codes x3
-165

Mystic Codes:

Gomorrah
Weapon
Combat
A powerful conceptual weapon, originally designed for mass production and use within the Burial Agency in an attempt to modernize and faze out the Black Keys. This plan fell apart when the cost of producing ammunition was factored in, leading to only a few prototypes ever being made - and of those, only Maria regularly uses the weapon, favoring the power it displays despite its decadence and excess. Gomorrah takes the form of a grenade launcher, capable of propelling explosives over very long distances with incredible precision and power. It has enough Mystery to reliably land shots on Dead Apostles, even without the support of the Sacraments, and is incredibly versatile thanks to the wide array of ammo types that can be fired from it. Smoke grenades that release thick clouds of steam made from holy water, explosives that release shrapnel 'stakes' made from Palo Santo, and even incense-dispensing rounds that enhance Sacramental Rites within the haze they produce. Or, of course, simple explosives that are powerful enough to shake large buildings. These and far more are possible, the only limit being the amount of money and time Maria is willing to sink into their creation... and, of course, how many rounds she can carry on her person at any given time.

"'In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.' Psalms 73:19."

Sindone Crough
Clothing
Healing?
A gas mask. Few have every seen Maria without it, leading many to believe it has some kind of life-support functionality - though the validity of this claim is unfounded at best. The most known attribute of this Mystic Code is its function as a sensory augmentation device. The lenses are capable of entering different 'modes', such as night vision, thermal, and even the ability to see magical energy (and thus, see through illusions). It additionally functions as a high-powered respirator, allowing Maria to breathe regardless of aerosols, and even underwater. How she eats and drinks with this on is a mystery amongst many in the Church.

"'If you took off the mask, would I die?' No, but it'd be extremely painful... For you."

Santiago
Other
Transportation
A 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback. It has been heavily enchanted with all manner of spells, granting it a far larger interior and trunk space, allows it to reach speeds upwards of 400 mph and accelerate to that within 5 seconds, absurd miles per gallon and reduced wear, and durability and grip that allows the vehicle to mow over lesser undead with ease - it can even withstand a few strikes from Greater Dead Apostles, though a sustained assault will quickly render it little more than scrap. While the Church is usually incredibly averse to the works of Mages, they have seemed to allow Maria this indulgence. Maria is incredibly fond of Santiago, going so far as to name the vehicle, openly gush about it with fellow car aficionados, and spend most of her free time working on it or showing it off to coworkers.

"Oi, Pastor - put those fucking chips away right now before I break your wrist. You trying to get crumbs all over my precious Santiago?"