Catherine Hale

**Catherine Hale** is the oldest resident in Neqville, having being bound to the place ever since the Coven performed their ritual. This is tied to her status as Lady of Neqville, which makes it impossible for her to leave the area.

## First Impression

Catherine looks very much like a ghost with her semi transparent, pale blue appearance and the slight echo in her voice. She radiates a faint blue light, which flickers every now and then as her image flickers. One could compare her to a projection, some kind of hologram she uses to make communication easy. She's impossible to touch, nor can she interact with anything other than herself, by the looks of it. Her voice is generally calm and soothing.

## Personality

The Lady of Neqville is a kind woman, willing to hear others out and offer advice through her wisdom. She feels that pride and ambition have taught her a harsh lesson, but it's one she can share with others to enlighten them and make their journey easier. In other words, she aspires to be a guide for those who feel lost, wanting to nudge them onto the right path. Her attitude tends to be calm and her advice insightful, making her a good person to have by your side. She believes in redemption and change, which has sometimes put her in a difficult spot and hasn't always worked out the way she'd have wanted... But that hasn't discouraged her. For her, it's just more experience from where to learn and grow.

Her willingness to help can sometimes turn into a detrimental, self-imposed duty that exhausts her. She tries her earnest when the situation requires, which can bring one of her flaws to light. She's perseverant and self-sacrificing to a fault.

Finally, she represents the longing of the Ladies in full. Losing the Coven was a terrible tragedy for her, specially when she considers she was the one to lead them into their disappearance. It's something she has pretty much come to terms with, but even then it's a wound she carries deep within her heart. This, coupled with the many people she has befriended and have left for one or another reason, means that Catherine feels a latent nostalgia for times past. Thankfully, this doesn't blind her form the present.

## Background

Catherine was the leader of the Coven back when they were investigating magic. Nothing is really known about her life prior to founding that group, as she has never talked about it. In any case, it's clear the Coven was a big part of her life and who she was, making it all the more painful when it disappeared after the ritual.

According to her words, she felt all kinds of emotions after that, which impulsed her to do and think things she isn't proud of. She explains that it's thanks to time and reflection that she eventually got out of that spiral, finally freeing herself from the torture of trying to find a culprit and her own self-loathing, finally coming to terms with the fact. She has mentioned being trapped inside a timeloop, which probably refers to that time she had for self-reflection.

## In Neqville

Her soul is bound to Neqville in a state between life and death, existence and non-existence. She doesn't bother going into the details of it, as she claims that it's a strange world, so what's one more mystery to it?

What's clear is that she has been there for the longest time, making her knowledgeable in many mysteries of the place and many different stories. However, she's not always present. For her, the mere act of existing in Neqville takes a toll that accumulates through time until it's unbearable. By that point, she disappears again, performing a slumber that takes an undetermined amount of time. That means she has several gaps in her knowledge of the history of Neqville, which can range from a few days to decades. Thus, it's somewhat common for her to return to a Neqville she hardly recognises. She quickly adapts though, returning to her usual role as a guide.

## Magic/Powers

The greatest limitations to Catherine's powers are her inability to exist anywhere that isn't Neqville and her need to slumber. Even then, she's extremely powerful and capable, enough to also be referred to as "the Lady of Reality". The full extent of her powers is unknown, but here are some examples:

* Teleportation of others
* Multiple presence (she can be in different places at the same time)
* The ability to feel vague sensations from anywhere in Neqville (movement, emotions...)
* She's able to tell when anyone says her full name, which can work as a summoning of sorts
* Create a small dimension where she can trap someone
* Exiling someone from Neqville, making them unable to find (and in doing so, return to) the place

All of this, coupled with the fact that she appears to have no weaknesses other than fatigue, means she's the single most powerful entity in Neqville. Not like it matters much generally, since she is adamant about not using their restrictive effect unless it is absolutely necessary. The ones she uses the most are related to helping people and being available for them (teleportation and multi-presence).

## Relationships

### Serea Vanelcia

The first friend she made on her last return to Neqville. It has been quite a while since they last saw each other.

### Winter

He was one big headache, that's for sure, one of the worst troublemakers she had encountered in Neqville. Arrogant, violent, murderous (genocidal, even), many would have given up on him changing for the better. But Catherine saw potential in him, the possibility that he'd understand the error of his vindictive spree, so she kept approaching him to offer a helping hand in that change. Time and time again, sometimes with kind words, but with harsh ones too when it was needed. Thanks to her perseverance and the different experiences he lived in his time in Neqville, Rok Sallow ended up deciding to become a new man: Winter. Naturally, she supported his decision and has been standing besides him through his redemption ever since. Even if in just the sentiment most of the time, since they can't always see each other. Catherine has many other people to help after all, and they're both content to indulge in a friendly conversation every now and then.