Helen Magnus

=Basic Information=
Name: Helen Magnus
Nationality: British (English)
Age/Birthday: 160 274 (August 27, 1850)
Canon Point: 316 Awakening 411 The Depths
Residence: The Old City Sanctuary
Arrival: September 2, 2011
Canon Updated: January 1, 2012
Played By: Kerry
=More Information=
Race: Human (Abnormal)
Abnormality: Longevity
Eyes/Hair/Height: Blue / Brown / 5'9"
Skills: Medicine (M.D. D.T.C.X.B.), weapony, combat, many languages
=Personality=
One of the first things to know and remember about Helen is that she is first and foremost a Victorian woman. While she may not hold high many of the standards expected of a woman from that time it doesn't change her upbringing and overall demeanour, and whilst she has adapted to integrate herself with the changing times she is still the same woman at heart. She is a particularly private person, a mix from her need for privacy in her work, her experiences but also due to her upbringing. Helen doesn't talk freely about her feelings and will take care of others before herself. If Helen does talk about herself or her past it is usually in brief detail and the conversation is rapidly cut short if it takes a turn into matters that she is unwilling to discuss. Even those that Helen considers herself friends with know very little about her life, barring her long-standing friends.
Etiquette is something that Helen holds to the highest regard and will let you know should something that you do or say cross her boundaries into disrespect or bad etiquette. A testament to this was in an alternate timeframe when, even though the world was ending, Helen requested that the young girl that she was with told her her name – stating that “proper etiquette would be to offer your name in return”. Helen also has a lot of pride for herself and her work and does not take kindly to anyone demeaning that or her authority. She's an intelligent woman and very loyal - if she cares about you or you're a friend she will protect you and will do so regardless of any other influences. Helen employs a strong "do no harm" ethic due to her status as a medical doctor and her wish to protect any abnormal and person. She is unwilling to harm or even kill any individual without a spectacularly good reason, often placing her own life in danger above that of whom she would rather save, an example of this being John Druitt whom she has tried to save for over a century despite his actions towards herself and others.
In her work Helen employs some strict sensibilities which aide in protecting both her work and her patients. While she may not relax often, and only takes a weekend long break every seven years, Helen does know how to relax and enjoy herself. She knows how to make light of a situation and has a distinctive sense of humour, though it's only seen when the time is appropriate. As well as being protective over people’s lives she is also protective over their beliefs or interests. Helen has long understood the personal dangers of the job, the lack of being able to communicate it to others (“dinner parties are hell”) and allows her staff the relaxation and personal time that they so need. Her protective nature is also very compassionate and though it may be hard for Helen to relate to others she does truly try.
Helen is a strong woman both physically and mentally. It takes a lot for Helen to lose control over herself in a situation or to act rashly or without calm. One thing, or rather person, which does alter this is Helen's daughter Ashley. Whenever Ashley is in danger, or even when she was kidnapped by the Cabal, Helen fought for her and even placed her work in danger to rescue her daughter. Another individual who causes Helen to lose clarity in situations is John Druitt. Despite his actions Helen was unable to fully sever her feelings for him or truly hate him due to their past, instead burying them deep. Whilst Helen may have feared John when he first came back into her life, his actions and events that unfolded have shown that he will not hurt her or the Sanctuary. While she may not fully be able to trust him, Helen is able to place enough trust in him to allow him to help. Her own actions of wishing to help him shows that she does still care for him also, whether or not she will admit it.
Helen is an incredibly proud woman, something that she has been ever since she was a young girl. One thing that Helen prides herself on most is her knowledge and skills, as along with day to day life she requires them for her work. She is also proud of them because they are statements of what she has accomplished in life and her dedication to what she does. Helen is dedicated not only to her work but also to those that are involved in it. It is her job to protect not only her patients but those that she works with.
Helen is also incredibly stubborn and has admitted that she is incredibly used to gtting her own way, and it has been mentioned that there hasn't been a compromise that she hasn't just steamrollered through. By having worked independently for so long (despite the government funding) Helen has been able to act for herself and built up the Sanctuary Network through her determination. An example of this is when Helen first studied to become a doctor. Despite having the knowledge, skill and becoming licensed the Royal College refused to allow Helen to practise medicine, although that did not cease Helen nor her quest to become a practising doctor. Helen requested that her father share his work with her and began to help him research, later legally practising medicine after further laws changed and she was permitted to do so.
Although Helen doesn't regret her actions that brought about her longevity there are many things in her life and many actions that she has taken that she does regret. She has commented that in her life she has taken many risks, but after having to 'watch' her life for 113 years (after travelling back in time), this has allowed her to see that not all of the decisions that she has made were the best choices ("Watching everything unfold again, for better or worse. Watching every mistake I made play out again. I had to let terrible things happen, Will, and do nothing to change them").
Due to Helen's extended life she has seen the world change many times and knows that she will again. Though she keeps herself apprised of global affairs, mainly to protect the abnormal community, Helen herself is less involved with them than she was in past years. Political affairs also hold less of an interest to Helen and, unless she is specifically asked, she will keep away from them. When Helen is not researching abnormals she makes time to present lectures on varying abnormal theories, though she has been told that her lectures are rather boring.
=Abilities/Weaknesses=
==Abilities==
Helen possesses the abnormality of longevity which has permitted her extended lifespan and youthful appearance - as told by James Watson she hasn't changed since spring of 1886. Her longevity comes from her blood, something which is unique in itself. Due to injecting a serum derived from the Source Blood Helen's blood contains Vampiric properties (although she is not a Vampire herself). Along with longevity, the properties within her blood grant Helen extra 'perks' within her extended life. Helen is able to survive with very little sleep, stating previously that she only requires a couple of hours each night and only does so when her patients are asleep themselves - although Helen often goes without that when things are busy or of a pressing nature. The Vampiric properties also provide Helen with a heightened immune system (she was immune to a toxin that had been designed to infect abnormals) and likely has a heightened immunity to colds and illnesses also. Helen's immunity, however, has limits. As Helen is not immortal (and does not possess accelerated healing likes the Vampires) and is only human she is capable of dying, something that has happened previously. The Vampiric properties also make Helen extremely durable. An example of this comes from John Druitt (who had also been injected by the Source Blood along with Helen's own blood) who was still conscious after receiving a 10,000 volt stun and three tranquilisers. Helen herself has also shown this - after being caught in an explosion she received only minor injures and was able to continue moving after being hit by a sonic blast. Finally, Helen's blood also has the capabilities of extending life (as it is her blood that extends her own life).
Helen is also a medical doctor and specialises in xenobiology, cryptozoology and teratology (along with human medicine). She studied and became a licensed doctor in the ninteenth century, pushing the boundaries of science with her research into abnormals - research that she continues today. Helen is also knowledgable in most areas. Given the need for secrecy within Helen's work she cannot call in a specialist to the Sanctuary and therefore has needed to know and learn the skills herself (for example canon has shown her conducting autopsies, delivering abnormals, conducting brain examinations, surgeries and genetic research). Helen is also skilled in chemistry and it was her own work and research that allowed The Five to derive a serum from the Source Blood.
Helen is also a polyglot and speaks many languages (more than we'll ever know). In canon she's shown speaking eight languages (including English) and is also knowledgeable in Ancient Vampire, forms of Sign Language and Latin. Due to her position in the Sanctuary Network (including her travelling and setting up Sanctuary's in other countries) it can be assumed that she is knowledgeable (to a passable level) in various other languages - especially those where her Sanctuary's are located.
Helen is also a very capable woman and a fighter. She's quick at thinking on her feet and shows little fear, mostly due to the amount of things that she's seen in her life. She's stronger than she looks (she took on Jack the Ripper and won), far more durable (she was caught by the fire and blast of a plane explosion and sonic blast) and has been described (on multiple occasions) as a threat. She's skilled in hand to hand combat as well as various weaponry (although she favours either a stun gun, tranquiliser gun or a regular gun). She's also a skilled pilot, can manoeuvre a submarine and drive in both left and right hand drive cars. She can also ride a motorcycle. Her fake (and foreign) accents are also not too shabby.
==Weaknesses==
Helen's first, and main weakness is that she is still human. Despite the Source Blood and her abnormality she is still human and susceptible to injury and death. She can be killed by normal means (and has been previously) and despite her heightened immune system can still become ill (for example radiation sickness).
Another of Helen's weaknesses is her compassion. If Helen cares about you (which is likely if you don't anger her nor piss her off - with exceptions) it will cloud her judgement somewhat and she will place saving your life above anything else - especially her own life. Two of her sorer subjects for this are her daughter (Ashley) and her former lover (John Druitt). In the case of Ashley she would do anything to save her. When offered the trade of Ashley's life for the Sanctuary Network Helen declined, as although Ashley is important to her and she wished to save her she couldn't sacrifice her work - but she did this with a plan in mind to save Ashley (and doubts that the Cabal would have given Ashley to her). After Ashley died she remarked (when seeing visions of her) that she was her life, even going so far later as to find a way to end her longevity so as to be able to die of 'normal' ageing. In regards to John? Despite what happens and what he does she is unable to kill him. Speaking of him, particularly negatively, despite his actions will result in an unpleasant look from Helen or provoke some irritation in her. Despite her attempts to hate and revile him for his actions it is hard to fully cut off all other feelings for him. He is the one person that she has truly loved and it's possible that she still feels that love for him - something that she will never admit nor wish to act on due to the pain, anger and their (especially his) past. It is these feelings that make Helen prefer to help him rather than put an end to him, especially after Ashley's death - she was their remaining connection and now he is her remaining connection to Ashley and she couldn't bear to lose them both (especially not after the losing Nigel, James and then almost Nikola also). Additionally to this, Helen will place the lives of both abnormals and humans above anything else, preferring to stun or sedate something rather than kill it - her gun is more often stocked with tranquilliser rounds than bullets. Helen will only kill something as a last resort or in the face of extreme danger.
One other thing that Helen seems to do badly with is looking after herself. Despite caring for others and the role that she takes within the Sanctuary and in others life Helen is spectacularly terrible at looking after herself - something which is exacerbated in a crisis. Helen often has to be reminded to eat - which sometimes still becomes forgotten due to the crisis - and often refuses to sleep whilst something is happening or until she knows that all of her residents are safe and/or asleep themselves.
=History=
Linked for length here
*1850 August 27: Helen was born to Gregory Magnus & Patricia Heathering
*1866 Helen questioned her father as to why Board members of the Royal College were afraid of him
*1880's Helen attended Oxford and learned medicine, although she was denied from receiving her degree despite her high marks. Helen later met James Watson, John Druitt, Nikola Tesla and Nigel Griffin and formed a group known as 'The Five'. Helen persuaded her father to show her his greatest work, taking her first steps into the abnormal world. After obtaining a pure sample of the blood of ancient vampires, The Five began working with it to create a serum - the one which gave them their abnormalities
*1888 Jack the Ripper began terrorizing London. Helen tried to stop him to help him and failed. Her engagement to John was broken off and with the help of James and Nikola 'paused' her pregnancy by freezing the embryo
*1898 Helen & James' help was sought by Adam Worth in the hopes of saving his daughter Imogene from death. Due to the nature of her condition there was little that Helen could do and subsequently both her and James were blamed for Imogene's death. The (UK) Sanctuary also gained its first permanent resident
*1900's Following Imogene's death Helen and the other members of The Five were sought out by the King for their 'talents' (although rather as freelance assassins than their actual abilities) in the hopes of stopping Adam Worth
*1909 Helen's father travelled to Bolivia in search of a feathered serpent (Quetzalcoatl)
*1912 Helen was aboard the Titanic and was saved by Emily Brown
*1917 Helen went to Egypt with Nikola in search of the tomb of Tutankhamen where they spent five years searching for it before Howard Carter discovered it
*1932 Helen recruited Barney to the Sanctuary Network
*1943 January 7: Helen faked Nikola's death, January 18: Helen was in Poland when the Nazi's entered the Warsaw Ghetto and watched as they raised it to the ground
*1944 June 5: Helen, James and Nigel travelled to France (Carentan) as part of a resistance group, aiming to stop a plan that was being put into place by the Nazi's
*1945 May 7: Helen was present in Reim when the Nazi's surrendered
*1950's Helen treated a Bigfoot after he'd been shot, giving him a place on her staff after he refused to leave
*1985 Helen rescued Will Zimmerman from an abnormal which killed his mother
*1986 December 8: Gave birth to her daughter, Ashley
*1990's Helen 'adopts' Henry and brings him to the Sanctuary, keeping him under her care
*1998 The north tower of the Sanctuary underwent renovations
*2008 Helen recruited Will Zimmerman to the Sanctuary. The team also run into trouble as they catch the attention of the Cabal, a centuries old organisation whom also holds an interest in abnormals - but not for the same goals. Despite keeping tabs on the Cabal they manage to set off a deadly virus that turns abnormals into vicious killers, something that needs more than just Helen's help
*2009 After defending abnormals from an attack by the Cabal The Five meet, travelling to Bhalasaam in order to retrieve the Source Blood in order to devise a cure. Following this Helen's daughter Ashley is taken by the Cabal, using the stolen Source Blood to turn her into a weapon. Helen defends the Sanctuary Network against the Cabal and with no choice left Ashley sacrifices herself in order to save both her mother and the Sanctuary. Helen at first struggles to grieve for Ashley, refusing to let her go. When Ashley's birthday comes round she struggles with it again, unable to ask for the help and comfort that she needs
*2010 Months later saw the world nearly destroyed after an abnormal known as Big Bertha was discovered and was used to create tidal waves. Although originally stopped in her efforts Helen, along with Will, managed to calm Big Bertha, getting her to rest again. After communicating with the spirits Will received a message from Helen's father, one that opened up a whole new world - and brought back a former enemy - to them all
*2011 After travelling to Hollow Earth Helen attempted to keep relationships open, although they were yet unable to trust 'surface dwellers'. After believing Adam Worth dead Helen continued regular Sanctuary operations, although when problems arose - particularly with temporal fields - it was discovered that Adam was in fact not dead. After learning of his plan and being unable to stop him Helen followed him through a portal that he'd created, travelling back to 1898
*1898 After following Adam Worth to London Helen had to try and prevent him from curing his daughter, Imogene, from her illness to prevent any alterations to the timeline. After doing so, and realising that she was unable to return home, Helen travelled to Napal under the name of Helen Bancroft
*1916 Helen travelled to New York to meet up with Nikola Tesla, securing a position at Lahore University
*1921 Helen attented a private symposium in London hosted by Viscount in honour of Albert Einstein
*1948 Helen worked with Fuller at Black Mountain University, North Carolina
*1956 In Peru Helen was on the Board of Directors in the Great South American Mining Corporation
*1964 Helen opened a provisions store in Cooper Pedy, Australia
*2011 Helen returned to Old City, making her way back to the Sanctuary in order to tend to the problem that had arisen from the Hollow Earth abnormals after the original Helen had left for London. Putting her plan into motion, Helen cut of ties and funding with the world's governments, taking the Sanctuary Network 'rogue'. This ran into troubles after the government retaliated by creating SCUI - a government division that aimed to capture and 'study' abnormals, although not in a way that Helen liked. By working against them, by freeing abnormals and stopping them where possible, along with trying to help the Hollow Earth abnormals to set up their own living arrangements Helen ran into trouble. Although it would seem unexpected Helen knew that the possibility for it was there. When there appeared to be no way to go, with conflicts on both the human and abnormal sides Helen put her end game plan into motion; the final culmination of her plan involved the destruction of the Old City Sanctuary, with all residents from the Sanctuary Network and those under her protection from Hollow Earth returning to a new Hollow Earth
==In Picture Form==
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==The Present==
=The Sanctuary=
==The Sanctuary Network==
The Sanctuary Network is a global network currently comprised of sixteen Sanctuary's, which are located in:
*Canada (Old City)
*Paraguay (Asunción)
*China (Beijing)
*Germany (Berlin)
*Egypt (Cairo)
*Russia (Grozny & Moscow)
*Nigeria (Lagos)
*India (Mumbai & New Delhi)
*America (New York)
*Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
*Australia (Sydney)
*Japan (Tokyo)
*United Kingdom (England)
*Norway (Unspecified)
=Factoids=
==Languages Known==
Whilst much of this is unclear/unstated it can be assumed that due to Helen's work with the Sanctuary Network, her travelling and lifetimes that she is fluent (or rather passable) in many languages - especially European ones. Due to the large Sanctuary Network it is also probable that she speaks the language (passable/fluently) of each country. Headcanon languages will be noted with an asterix, those seemingly logical due to Sanctuary locations will be left blank
*English (first language)
*French (spoken in Normandy)
*Italian (spoken in The Five)
*Japanese (spoken in Kali Part One)
*Zulu (spoken in Haunted)
*Cambodian (Spoken in For King and Country)
*Norwegian (Spoken in Vigilante)
*Spanish (Spoken in Acolyte)
*Latin
*German
*Serbian
*Russian
*Egyptian Arabic
*Chinese
*Hindi
*Portuguese
*Swedish*
*Guarani
*Swahili*
*Welsh*
*Gaelic*
*Ancient Vampire
*Morse Code
*British Sign Language
*American Sign Language
==Other==
Helen has known many notable figures including H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Emily Brown, Mahātmā Ghandi and one of The Beatles, and of course not forgetting Nikola Tesla, John Druitt, James Watson and Nigel Griffin, along with Jekyll and Hyde (Adam Worth). Helen owns a submarine by the name of Nautilus. Helen has only had two helicopter/plane crashes in 158 years (161 now).
=Taxonomites History=
==September==
*2: Arrived in Taxon
=Relationships=
==Canon==
==Taxonomite==
Category:Characters
Category:Sanctuary
Category:Contemporary
Category:Humans (Earthlings)
Category:Abnormals