The Trickster Priest

[/b] Xellos

TITLE: "The Trickster Priest"

GENDER: Male*
(*Technically, Mazoku are genderless -- any appearance to the contrary is just a manifestation of some preference or aspect of their personality. That, and Xellos looks just as good in a dress as in a suit, so in all likelihood "he" is extremely mutable.)

RACE: High-Rank Mazoku

ORIGIN:

[/i] within the Barrier Lands and has spent most of his life there also.[/ul]

AGE: +1000 years

CLASS: n/a

SECONDARY CLASS: n/a

LEGENDARY CLASS: Mazoku General-Priest

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APPEARANCE:

[/i] gaze to be seen there.[/ul]



EQUIPMENT:

• Staff of Xellos (Enchanted)
  

[/b] Power of the Trickster Priest
DESCRIPTION: This is a 'top tier' 'Mazoku' weapon enchantment. Xellos' trusty wooden staff is, in fact, neither wooden nor a staff. As with every part of his appearance the staff is merely an extension of his manifestation, a "solid illusion" that houses his dark, malevolent being. Still, it tends to perform much like one would expect of a staff -- it can deliver a good solid whack and, when he deigns to use his powers in public, the orb seated within the wooden frame will often glow as though it were a spell-foci of some kind. This, however, is all mere stage presence for the Trickster Priest, stylistics for his chosen persona and little more; in truth he doesn't even need to move to use his powers, much less chant an incantation and point his "magic staff" at the enemy. Since the staff is part of his being, however, it is just as dangerous as the rest of Xellos and capable of inflicting terrifying damage.
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PERSONALITY:

[/i] human Xellos comes off as a somewhat dodgy but good-natured eccentric -- to those who do know his real nature he becomes somewhat more pragmatic while still keeping an affable veneer. One of his quirks is a strong disdain for telling lies; he generally prefers to use his favorite catchphrase, "that's a secret", instead, and when he does lie typically either drops some hint or owns up to it once the lie has served it's purpose. It's almost like he's playing a game with himself, honestly. True to his nature as a manipulator and deceiver Xellos will very commonly bend the facts to suit his needs or keep key information secret to induce a certain reaction. This penchant for playing others to his advantage while staying in the shadows has earned him a reputation even amongst his own kind for being incredibly sly and resourceful. To be Xellos' ally is a risky proposition... but to be his enemy is often a very grave mistake indeed.

Like all Mazoku Xellos feeds on the negative emotions of mortals: fear, anger, despair, jealousy, greed, suffering. The stronger the emotion the more Xellos benefits; conversely, an environment of overwhelming positive emotions is anathema to the Trickster Priest and, in a strong enough dose, can actually make him feel ill. This connection to emotional energies means that, when he does step into battle himself, he will generally cause as much fear and pain as possible (once he's confident of a tactical advantage). Against groups of foes this typically means outright slaughter, a display of power and cutting down of their numbers that leaves no question as to why this otherwise peaceable person should be feared. Against a single foe Xellos' favored approach is "death by inches", gradually cutting down a strong enemy with countless weak but relentless attacks that leave them wounded pretty much everywhere and badly demoralized; after that, he typically takes his time and wrings every possible drop of suffering out of them before the final coup de grace.

Whether it's merely part of his act or a genuine personality trait is unsure, but Xellos seems to have an affinity for tea and sweet deserts. His eyes are nigh-perpetually closed unless expressing surprise... or giving someone a knowing, sometimes evil glance. His manner of speaking is overly formal, choosing to put "miss" or "mister" in front of a person's name no matter how familiar they are with him (or insist to the contrary). Although he is in possession of incredible and terrifying power Xellos shuns using it overtly in most cases, preferring to work his will through others or make the most inconspicuous moves possible to advance his agenda. To this end he will often feign mortal weaknesses and deliberately mislead both friends and allies regarding his thoughts and intentions.[/ul]

PERSONAL STRENGTHS:

PERSONAL WEAKNESSES:

COMBAT STRENGTHS:

COMBAT WEAKNESSES:

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TRAITS:

[/b] Immaterial
DESCRIPTION: This is a 'top tier', 'astral', 'Mazoku' trait. Mazoku are not flesh-and-blood creatures; especially for those of ascended rank like Xellos, purely physical attacks are something of a silly notion. Xellos' physical body is a material projection of his true "spirit" being which exists primarily upon the Astral Plane; as such, you could beat his face in, snap his neck, and break every "bone" in his "body" and, though he'd be quite annoyed at being manhandled so uncouthly, he'd simply get back up and dust himself off as though nothing had happened. No matter how mangled his body gets, it has no real effect on Xellos himself. This goes similarly for his clothes and staff, which are also manifestations and not "real" physical objects. The only notable exception to this is attacks from Gods or other Mazoku, as their bodies are manifestations much like his own.

TRAIT: Conflicting Powers
DESCRIPTION: This is a 'top tier' 'Mazoku' trait. To damage Xellos requires power, the kind of power that can damage his true being. As a spirit of dark nature, then, a capable attacker has two 'power' options when fighting the Trickster Priest: opposed powers and higher (sometimes darker) powers.

Xellos has been seen to have immunity to most forms of magic in his home universe, vulnerable only to spells that draw on the power of a greater Mazoku (such as the Dragon Slave) or energies of light (such as the Sword of Light or the powers wielded by the Golden Dragon priesthood). Conceivably he is also vulnerable to Astral Plane spells such as the Ra Tilt, though such spells still may not do very much damage. Common magic has no effect whatsoever.

Alternately, Xellos' power is insufficient to repel dark or demonic energies at a level of power greater than his own. This is not about how much energy is applied, but rather about the strength of the source -- quality, rather than quantity. While it's safe to say that lesser dark/demonic powers can do him some damage their effects are typically diminished; to overpower his innate defenses requires a dark force equal to or greater than his own power.

Two other methods for fighting Xellos are available, and it is worth taking note. One is psychic attacks; as a spiritual being Xellos has a heightened vulnerability to attacks on his psychic essence. He cannot be mind controlled -- his power and his will are one and the same -- but psychic assault can disrupt his spiritual cohesion and cause him significant pain, making this one of the Mazoku's few true Achilles Heels. The other method is an attack that harmonizes 'holy' and 'black magic' energies; such a chaotic union reflects upon the very nature of the Lord of Nightmares herself and is able to tear open any barrier or defense, even cutting across the fold of dimensions and making retreat to the Astral Plane -- one of Xellos' favored escape tactics -- a moot point.[/ul]

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ABILITIES:

[/b] Mazoku Powers ★★★★★★★
DESCRIPTION:Xellos' power very seldom takes the form of named attacks or repeated techniques; since he is his power he tends to apply it free-form, manifesting it as suits the situation. He has been witnessed causing devastating explosions and creating a thousand black needles to materialize and stab at his foes, conjuring protective barriers with a gesture and "blinking" his physical form into and out of existence like a kind of high-octane teleportation, not to mention flying and gliding freely. His powers can even imitate common magic, though there have been no instances of him using any power to heal himself or others -- likely this runs against the Mazoku's very nature. All of this, combined with his innate resistances and immunity to physical damage, makes Xellos an exceptionally versatile, cunning, and swift foe for anyone to face.[/ul]

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HISTORY:
It was roughly one thousand years ago -- the War of the Mazoku's Fall. As four of the five great Mazoku Lords anchored their powers to four chosen points, readying the trap that would be sprung to end the Dragon God Ragradia, they also set about creating those who would fight the coming battles in their place: servants of great power and devastating potential. Amongst them seven new Mazoku were created. Three would serve their masters as Generals, leading armies of lesser demons and petty Mazoku to battle the divined dragon tribes favored by the Gods; three would be Priests, attending to the desires and needs of their makers as the great barrier was set and held.

And one, the sole servant of Greater Beast Zelas Metallium... would serve a unique purpose.

In that ancient war Xellos became an agent of both destruction and guile, both outright slaughtering an entire tribe of black and Golden Dragons and quietly pursuing and destroying copies of Clair Bible manuscripts (to keep dangerous secrets of higher magic from falling into the hands of the Mazoku's enemies). Despite his battlefield exploits his only true reputation is with the Golden Dragons, a testament to his apt balancing of the dual roles of Priest and General. Ever since Xellos has been an active, if subtle, force in the world, prosecuting his master's will with a gentle and deft hand such that oftentimes he needs only nudge the slightest factor for events to unfold to his desires.

In recent times Xellos has taken to the company of Lina Inverse and her companions; even though their paths seldom cross, she is undoubtedly one of the very few who has encountered him frequently AND knows his true nature. What his continuing interest in the young sorceress is remains to be seen... yet one thing is for sure.

When Xellos is involved, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
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