Florence Hayward

A recent resident to the timeless settlement Alabaster, Florence Valerica Hayward is a secluded vampire with bigger plans than she lets-on for the quaint little town. Keeping her circle small while away from her family, Florence lives in an apartment with the bustling socialite Eleanor Forester. When not working at the White Dragon Pub in town as a chef, Florence spends her time alone in her apartment studying, in the local bookstore with Eleanor or stargazing.

Raised in the forgotten religion the cult of The Shaded Moon, Florence has been identified as the Chosen One by the leader, The Oracle. She has been sent to Alabaster conspiratorially during it's time of political uncertainty after the falling of the Morningstar Monarch to fulfill his prophecy. Her mission is to bring The Shaded Moon back to it's former power and ignite it's new golden age.

Faceclaim: Adelaide Kane

## Appearance

Florence has been raised in an unembelleshed, modest existence with her family, The Shaded Moon. Her nature is clear with only a glimpse of her. She has pale, almost sickly, skin and a frame that is on the more slender side. She has long, black hair that she either has tied into a neat bun at the base of her neck or loose in its natural waves. She stands at 5"7, with steel gray eyes and mostly colourless features. Her malnourished appearance is mainly due to her limited diet of small animals and other huntable creatures, as the consumption of human blood is reserved for sacred rituals and ceremonies.

Her style is also limited, as she tries to stay close to her family in any way she can due to living in Alabaster being her first time away from the Isle of Wight in her life. She wears all black, loose fitting clothing. Since moving to Alabaster, she has tried to adapt this style slightly, and favours bell-sleeve tops and culotte trousers, however will still mostly be seen in either gray or black clothing. The only jewellery Flo will wear openly is the symbol of The Shaded Moon on a necklace. As the cult has been in hiding since the 19th Century, this usually appears as an interesting token to those who are unaware of the group's existence and historical occultists.

More decorated fashion is only allowed for rituals or sacrifices to the gods. Florence favours long, black dresses with lace detailing and beaded hair pieces such as pearl hair beads or accessorising with lace headbands. While she is a very pale vampiric, Flo's skin has warmer undertones, so she favours gold jewellery for her ritual garbs.

## Species and Abilities

* ***Glamouring*** -*Mind compulsion, controlling the mind of another through eye contact ~* An ability taught to all trusted members of the cult, Florence is able to hypnotise beings with low psychic ability, such as humans, to do as she pleases without any memory of what had happened in this period when she releases them. This ability is mainly used for, but not limited to, luring human sacrifices for rituals and ceremonies, as one can imagine, it is quite difficult to persuade someone to die from being bitten.

* ***Telepathy*** - *The ability to recieve and transmit information with one's mind ~* Florence has relatively basic telepathic abilities, as The Oracle ensured this skill was not developed for members of The Shaded Moon so he was able to maintain his privacy.

## Family

### The Shaded Moon

Florence refers to the cult of The Shaded Moon as her *family,* with her mother and father, and every other member her brothers and sisters. Florence was raised in a small settlement in the Isle of Wight that had been secluded from other civilisation, and therefore was subjected to a lifetime of brainwashing which she is still heavily influenced by. While history books describe the organisation as a cult steeped in blood, sacrifice and legend, Florence believes their connection to the stars and moon phases is a beautiful origin, and that their human sacrifice rituals are merely offerings to their gods to bring good fortune, luck and show appreciation for the life she lives.

### The Oracle

While in history The Shaded Moon began to gain following is unclear, The Oracle has always been the prominent leader. Not much is known of him. He is a pureblood vampire, who claims to be a descendent of god-like ancestors who's bloodline is of pure sanguine vampires. Only ealdormen have the priviledge of meeting him on a one-to-one basis, and he is described as being wise, all-knowing vampire who is capable of communicating with his ancestors to deliver their prophecies to the organisation. In truth, The Oracle's only ambition is power, and for vampirics to be the rulers over the mythical kingdoms, and he the almighty ruler. Florence has only met the Oracle once, after growing up preying and worshipping to the mysterious leader. When Florence was identified as the Chosen One, her father presented her as an offering to The Oracle, in a ceremony in which the ealdormen would witness him dominate Florence in *all* ways to claim ownership of her over other cult members, named as a sacred ritual to begin her journey to fulfil his prophecy. Despite the humilation and brutality of experience, Florence has been taught to believe that this ritual was an honour to endure.

### Mother: Valerica Hayward

Valerica Hayward is a very prominent figure in Florence's childhood. As the men and women of the cult live very separate due to different duties, Valerica almost completely raised Flo on her own. Although Florence was raised in The Shaded Moon from birth, Valerica was sired into the cult after falling in love with one of the ealdormen, Augustus Hayward, who had originally captured her to be a sacrifice for a ritual. While she was the prominent carer in her upbringing, Valerica had little involvement or choice in Florence's offering to The Oracle when she had come of age and was identified as the Chosen One. Despite the brutality of the ceremony and essentially losing her daughter to the organisation and the prophecy, Valerica has always been Florence's biggest supporter, and Florence's most trusted friend.

### Father: Augustus Hayward

A life-long devout follower of The Shaded Moon, Augustus Hayward is a pureblood vampire and was one of the organisations biggest donors before eventually becoming an ealdorman and a member of the cult's council, The Moon Phases. He is heavily involved in the financial income division, though how this division actually *make* enough money to fund the branches of The Shaded Moon around the mythical world is kept a secret, thus us expected to be highly illegal. Because of this, Augustus was the primary influence of The Shaded Moon for Florence. He assisted her abilities training, education, and when Florence was identified as the Chosen One, offered her to The Oracle in a dominating ritual to gain the mysterious leader's favour for the family bloodline.