Lucas Troy

*Heir-Apparent of the Witches Council*

* Overview
* Sheet
* Background
* Logs

 Was that me, or did the Earth just move?

— Lucas Troy

Lucas Troy is the descendant of Nessa du Valle, and comes from a long line of witches. He is a new member of the Witches Council and occasionally travels for council business.

## Personality

Lucas is a quiet and disciplined young man trying to learn a little late what it means to really have fun. He's always had a sense of responsibility and discipline that was bigger than it should be, and only after becoming a junior member of the council has realized that he really doesn't have much of a personal life.

## SIGNATURE ABILITY

### The Heir

Lucas is the designated heir of the Supreme of the Grand coven. In times of great need he can channel the power of the supreme if Fiona isn't currently using it. System wise that means that when appropriate and of his magic or powers can be elevated up to plot level as appropriate. However this does cause an extreme level of stress on both him and the Acting supreme often causing them to be out of commission for days or weeks after the situation is dealt with.

## SKILLS

Lucas is a straight-A student. While he's not the top of his class, he's one of those kids who can sleep through class or read a book, be asked a question, and give an answer without looking up from what he's doing. And even somehow manage to be polite while doing so.

After spending his whole life studying magic and supernatural lore, he's become quite adept at finding information, and he's quite fast at finding the passages in books that relate to what he needs to know.

Brewing potions is one of a witch's signature abilities. By combining various reagents, herbs, and other ingredients according to mystic recipes and using magical practices, witches are able to produce magic in a bottle, salve, or other such preparations. A major strength of potions is allowing a complex effect to be prepared ahead of time, then rendered portable for quick enactment at the time of need. This means that one of the great strengths of a witch is being able to brew up magic in advance, removing any need for casting or incantations when they are put to use.

After many years of martial arts training for meditation purposes, combined with the fact his geomancy forms all resemble martial arts form and are more demanding physically and mentally, Lucas is in great physical shape. Lucas is quite fit; he's quite a fast runner and very graceful and agile. He might not be a star jock, but most would be surprised by how strong and agile he really is.

Lucas has trained in various forms of combat, including marksmanship and swordsmanship. He's competent at both, though he's most likely to use his powers rather than traditional ranged weapons, and any sword he uses is likely to be one he fashioned himself.

Classical Witchcraft Education - Organized chiefly by Ms. Myrtle Snow and Lady Nessa Du Valle, these educational standards provide a basic framework for fundamental learning of witchcraft. From ritual work and lore to botanical studies, even including exotic subjects such as broom-riding, the role of music and expression in magic, and a special focus Ms. Snow calls "dressing for power", the curriculum incorporates an eclectic variety to cultivate a modern witch with respect for history and tradition.

Lucas has had a need to learn various dead languages, as well as those still spoken, in order to complete his studies as a witch. One does not simply cast a translation spell every time one wants to read a book. Or rather, one can, but it becomes quite tedious. Luckily he has several resources at home that most do not. Nessa and Quentin, both having been around for quite some time, have taken time over the years to instruct Lucas in the written and verbal forms of several languages. Lucas can speak with some level of competence languages that many consider dead. As they began his tutelage in the various root languages, learning others that have branched off became simpler, though at times it can get him in trouble as words don't always follow a logical progression and the same word can have different connotation in different languages.

Lucas has been aware of magic since before he could talk, and he has been aware of the supernatural world that entire time. His initial immersion in the supernatural world, combined with the fact that he's been studying with the Council at their hub of operations since he was 13, have helped him to become more aware about the magical world and various traditions of witchcraft than many witches several times his age.

One set of lessons that he for a time focused his studies on was the various runes and symbols that are used in a number of rituals and wards, from devils traps and Enochian sigils to simple lines of salt.

Lucas is well practiced in tai chi. As part of learning to control his empathy, he took up this art at an early age. He's quite graceful and took to the discipline, which has been referred to by some as "meditation in motion". Lucas is well-versed in several other meditation techniques and yoga as well, which he often incorporates into his daily training regimen. In short, he's learned through meditation, yoga, and tai chi, to keep his mind and body flexible and for the most part under his control.

Lucas has a variety of basic-level musical skills, not enough to really impress anyone but it's a fun hobby. He's also competent-level with the theremin, alone. Myrtle insisted he learn this skill when he was quite young, and Lucas suspected it was a lesson in control, but one never knows the motives of a senior witch.

The occult Craft includes herbalism, spellcraft, research, the preparation and performance of rituals, awareness of the supernatural world, and more. A practicing witch is competent and versed in all these things, understanding the properties of plants and their role in magic, knowing a variety of spells and how to use them, and certainly knows how to seek out information they don't already have. Whether based on their own knowledge or using a grimoire, they are able to recognize, analyze, and counter spells, and even come up with original spells or alter existing ones.

As soon as his second power developed, he took up various styles of art that involved clay, later on progressing to stone, metal, and even crystal. As his teachers would all attest, he's an amazing sculptor and makes beautiful works with combinations of colors and textures that few could match. That's without his powers. With his powers fueling it, he can make amazing works of art, taking a fraction of the time and effort it would take most.

After over a decade of meditation and empathic control, and year of the personal attentions of Fiona Goode, Lucas now has nearly unheard of level of willpower. He's able to resist most effects that would affect his mental or emotional state. This effect is boosted further by his Mental Defense power.

## ABILITIES

Lucas has been an empath since he could toddle. It's shaped him into a young man with a firm control of his emotions. For most of his life he was simply a protective empath able to calm others, and always afraid his own emotional state would be contagious. Now however his power has equaled out and he can if he so wishes access the emotional state of a room, be able to tell what everyone is feeling if they're not shielded, then if he so chose manipulate those feelings. As he's getting older, though, he's using those powers less and less. The idea of controlling someone just does not appeal to him. He only uses his powers to the benefit of others.

This is Lucas's thing. Every witch has a focus or an innate power that's far beyond the other things they are capable of. For Lucas it's geomancy. He can control the earth with a thought, moving it as though literally swimming in it. He can create objects out of rock with negligible effort. Metal, depending on the kind, can take more effort, but he can still make it melt like mercury or fly over his head. Crystals and gems are much harder to control. Their very nature being one of complexity, it takes much more effort to do more than simply move or polish crystals. Lucas practices every morning when he wakes up and before bed, a mixture of meditation, martial arts, and geomancy that strains himself to the very limit, always pushing forward.

While this power is rated at a supernatural level, an important factor that he has to remember is that the earth is one whole. Creating huge upheavals or earthquakes is something that he could do; however, there would be consequences and potentially devastating chain reactions, so he seldom uses his powers beyond in a non-contained and very localized way.

Due to several factors including rituals and his ancestry, Lucas has achieved a low level of immortality. His body will not age or experience any form of entropy from natural causes, and he's immune to almost every illness and poison, getting at most minor symptoms of a cold or similar detrimental effect. He also has various magical protections that make him tougher than a regular human, but should those fail he is likely to wake up in his bed at Rowanwood and need an extended period of rest before he is strong enough to leave its grounds.

After a year of some rather harsh and unconventional training by the Supreme, Fiona Goode, Lucas is very competent at defending against any sort of mental, empathic, or mind control attack. He's always had good shields; now, however, he recognizes outside influences from all but the most subtle and skilled. Combined with his willpower skill, he's able to resist basic effects effortlessly, most enhanced level skills for a time, and even up to supreme level effects for very brief time. Resisting supreme level is however very draining, and it leaves him exhausted afterwards.

Lucas has a strong connection with the earth. Using this bond, he can appear anywhere on earth. The downside is that it has to be actual earth. He can appear on rocks, in gardens, or even through concrete slabs covered in carpet if enough effort is used. But he can't appear any place that isn't touching the ground. So no second-story apartments, boats, or cars. Even houses with wood floors are quite a challenge. As a side ability of this power, he can, in the process of moving, combine it with his empathy and a few other abilities to ensure the coast is clear before he transits, so he doesn't accidentally appear in a crowded room or in front of a camera.

Perhaps as a offshoot of his geomancy power, Lucas is an enhanced-level telekinetic. He can move objects, as well as create telekinetic fields and the like, though in most cases he'd prefer to use his geomancy to do the job if possible.

Born with a talent for magic, a witch can accomplish quite a variety of effects through spellcraft. These range from conjuring, enchantment, transformation, warding, or illusion to the summoning or banishment of spirits or creatures, to a variety of other effects. For thematic, role-play, and plot purposes their abilities are nearly endless so long as they have the right spell available. For practical purposes, their castings all operate at the Enhanced level in most instances. With ritual preparation these may all be expanded, but any exceptional use would have to be approved by staff.

## ADVANTAGES

His family has a peculiar tradition. At age 16, if they've shown the competence, young witches are emancipated in the non-supernatural world. The reason for this being that their family mostly have skills of a passive nature, and few had active powers or abilities. They guarded and unearthed magical relics from all over the world. This made them targets, and quite a few young witches ended up orphans. So Lucas is now legally considered an adult in the eyes of the mortal world. This is also useful as Lucas frequently spends his time away for the Council and will likely never age apparently.

Lucas has access to all the resources of his family magic shop and vault. Coming from a long line of magical lore-keepers, they have an impressive amount of books, potions, ingredients, etc.

Nessa Du Valle is his godmother, as she has been over most of his family, and has taken a particular interest in his welfare and education. Anyone who would harm him would be risking the wrath of that rather formidable lady.

Lucas was making art long before his family joined the Grand Coven. However, most of it just sat around or was on display at his family's shop. Once his education began in earnest and he learned that personal gain was a more vague notion than he thought, he allowed the agent who approached him to start selling his work, and it really took off. The art world is a rather unpredictable place, and his art started selling for big money. Lucas could see no one being harmed from this. This money went into accounts and was invested by various people chosen by his family and the Council. Several years later after living at Rowanwood, where all his needs were provided for, his portfolios grew and grew.

Witches are well known for the "Power of Three." That is, they are especially adept at combining their individual strengths in order to cast much more powerful, impactful magics. Some of the most powerful spells a witch can cast require a circle of others to cast, and a circle is usually formed out of triads of witches, each wielding the Power of Three. Power of Three spells can be done by any three witches, but they have to have the same focus on their goal and ideally be on the same page. Witches who are at odds with each other may even have the spell fail or go wrong. For even greater effect, various groups of three can assemble into larger circles of nine or twelve, and a circle of thirteen is particularly potent.

Lucas spent most of his childhood at Rowanwood, under the protection and tutelage of his godmother Nessa, and the entire council. As such he still has access to all the protections and resources of Rowanwood, from the near endless library, to the seemingly endless supply of lovingly cooked food.

As the heir apparent to the Supreme, Lucas is a junior member of the Council. While he can have a vote if he so wishes, he typically prefers to listen and learn if possible. However, if asked he will act as his aunt's or the Supreme's agent in such matters. As a member of the Council, he has access to all the resources of the coven should he need them.

## WEAKNESSES

Lucas is a rather powerful empath. This can be more of a burden than a power, as he has to keep himself shielded at all times so he doesn't feel everyone else's problems, and so he doesn't affect the moods of the ones around him. He also has the potential to get caught in an infinite loop, as he feeds into his own emotions and inflicts them in larger and larger amounts on those around him, causing absolute chaos.

Lucas is beginning to attract attention in the supernatural world as the heir to the Supreme of the Grand Coven. That makes him a tempting target for those who want to take advantage of him and anyone who wants to move against the Witches Council. His proximity to the Council also makes him a tempting target to their enemies. All in all, fame is a burden and as Lucas is getting to the point where he's wanting to explore the world beyond his duty and magic, he often finds the extra scrutiny a severe handicap.

He also has a similar problem in the mundane world, where his art is quite popular and more and more people want to know about the reclusive artist, and it can create annoying mundane issues.

Typical of the heroic breed, Lucas will not betray a loyalty. However, beyond that, he will go to any lengths to aid or rescue a friend in need, even if it means marching into "Certain Doom" to do so. The term "unfaltering" could easily be applied to him, and he can seldom, if ever, deny a friend who is truly in need. Anyone who he is close to could be used against him by anyone ruthless enough to do so, as villains so often tend to be.

Many traditions of witches are taught to fear personal gain. For Lucas, at least, it goes back to an older rule: the rule of three. He must be ever wary of the rule of three, which has many forms and translations, but it basically states that whatever you sow you reap times three. If you always do good things for people, then you aren't likely to receive negative reactions if you cast a spell for personal gain, but if you are selfish and use your magic constantly for such things, then the world will likely make you pay for it.

## Family Legacy

Lucas grew up in a family of lore-keeping witches who were archaeologists and scholars for the most part. Lucas had a rare gift for empathy that showed up at a very young age, able to make crowds feel what he wanted them to with ease, and in time he'd also prove a prodigy for geomancy. He started to be trained to guard his family as needed at a very young age, and when he was a bit older, he was introduced to the Grand Coven. Once he had access to their library and to the members of the Council, he moved in to their headquarters at Rowanwood, learning various forms of magic and witchcraft as well as many other things. In time his power got noticed by Fiona, who took him under her wing after failing to find any other appropriate heirs, and unlike them he didn't fold, he didn't cower, he fought back in training. He never gave up, and in time was recognized as the heir apparent. However, he had no desire to take her power or her place, so they worked the ritual so that he also had access to the power of the Supreme in times of great need, but he would not take it from Fiona until she relinquished it. In time his training was completed and he started going elsewhere to gather information for the Council, to send messages, etcetera.

During his training he was also taught practical things, and he went to a mortal high school. He had shown from a very young age a talent working with clay and earth for artistic purposes, and after some reluctance he began to sell his art through an agent. In time his art grew in popularity, and all his needs were taken care of by his godmother, so when he finally was ready to venture out on his own, with his age a little murky in the mundane world due to various trips to places such as Faërie, he had amassed quite a little fortune, along with the money he got from the Council for working for them. So, when in time the Council named him a full if junior member, he suddenly had freedom to figure out who he was, apart from a witch, and what being a witch meant to him, beyond protecting others.

Logs featuring Lucas Troy:

*Coming soon!*