A friend of mine asked me to write her backstory, so here it is. She's an emp/rad defender FYI. I hope you enjoy.
Princess Silver
Chapter 1
Catherine cradled the photograph of her parents in her hands. The glass was cracked and the frame bent where she had dropped it on the tiled floor of her small townhouse in Founders Falls the previous night. Pulling the picture out of the frame, she inadvertently dragged a finger across a shard of glass.
Ow, buggrit, Oh, Damn, damn, damn, she cursed in frustration as the sharp edge of the photo drew blood from her little finger.
Closing her eyes in a moment of concentration, she pushed her thumb against her finger. A green glow, faint at first then becoming brighter, emitted from her thumb and slowly covered her hand. A soothing noise, alike in sound to the hum of a hive of bees but much, much quieter, filled the room. Her cat Marvin, basking on the seat across the bay window, raised his head, looking quizzically over at Catherine. She opened her eyes, tinged with tears, and then smiled at him reassuringly.
Its okay Marv, no problems here, she said, raising the palm of her hand to him. Where there had been a deep gash in her finger a moment before, her skin appeared unbroken and in excellent condition. Marvin stretched and shifted position to get more sunshine, purring happily.
Catherine wasnt a typical resident of Paragon City. Her unusual abilities aside, which were hardly uncommon in this City of Heroes, she hailed from the tiny, landlocked country of Liechtenstein, a country with a proud history but a population of only 34,000 people. Her father was the third son of the current monarch and spent his time flying around Europe playing an ambassadorial role. Catherine herself was the second of four sisters and from the age of eighteen onwards she had spent her life attending social functions laid on by her mother, obsessed with marrying off her daughters to wealthy businessmen.
Sick of being paired up with balding accountants, slick lawyers and investment bankers, Catherine ran away from the family estate when she was nineteen. Her mother and father, distraught that their daughter had rebelled and could sully the families good name, quickly tracked her down and convened a meeting with her. In the end she was given an ultimatum. Any match would have to be vetted by her family and any inappropriate relationships would have to remain under wraps, upon pain of disinheritance. Catherine left the family mansion soon after and boarded a plane bound for Paragon City, determined to find her man.
Two months before the incident with the photograph and completing her third year as a medical student at Paragon University, she was assisting a radiographer to take an x-ray of a boy who had injured his leg whilst playing tennis.
Stay behind the screen, dear, whilst I take this, said the elderly doctor.
Okay, David, no problem, replied Catherine. She was a bit sick of his voice, having being apprenticed to him for the last three weeks. He had a habit of talking to her chest when he should have been looking at her face, but she could forgive him this due to his hunchback which meant he had to crane his neck in order to speak to her.
Oh, farts, he cursed, I forgot to fill the printer with paper. Dont go past the screen.
As he shuffled off, Catherine raised her eyes to the ceiling and sat down on the uncomfortable office chair she had been provided with, absentmindedly spinning to the left and right. She started thinking about the latest film on at the cinema and her distinct lack of friends to take with her. Suddenly the boy screamed aloud and clutched at his leg. Not thinking, Catherine rushed to him and tried to calm him, quickly checking the injured leg for more damage. She didnt hear the low crackling of electricity, but she was vaguely aware of the pulsing noise coming from the x-ray machine. Looking up, her eyes widened in alarm as the machine started to vibrate. She ran to the boy and picked him up, despite his shrieks of agony and protestations to the contrary. Spinning around to leave the room as quickly as she could, the x-ray machine overloaded with electricity and sent out a huge pulse of energy, knocking Catherine heavily to the floor and sending the boy flying out of her arms. As the machine went silent, Catherine dragged herself to her knees, suddenly feeling very nauseous. She crawled to the unconscious boy and collapsed over him, passing out.
Catherine! Catherine, wake up!
Her eyes opened slowly, her throat filled with bile and a bell ringing behind her eyes.
What the hell happened here?
She was vaguely aware of David questioning her and asked,
What? The machine. It it overloaded when I went to look at the boy and we were knocked over by some sort of blast
Catherine, the radiation count went through the roof, youve been subjected to a massive dose. You should be dead, he said.
The boy . Is he Is he okay? she asked.
Im sorry dear, he didnt make it. The strangest thing is though, his leg, its totally fine. In fact, its in a better state than his other one. This is very strange.
Catherine picked herself up and sprinted out of the room, trying to ignore her pounding head. She didnt stop until she was at the door of her car. Flooring the accelerator, she drove towards her house in Founders Falls.
Chapter 2
The crowded venue was packed with sweating bodies gyrating to the music being pumped out by the bare chested, heavily tattooed DJ. Catherine sat on a stool looking over the balcony rail at the mass of bodies below. To her it seemed that they had become one living creature, brought to life by the power of the music and the accompanying laser show. She sipped her cocktail and closed her eyes, letting the sound wash over her.
A powerfully built man, shrouded in shadow, sat across the club from where Catherine was sitting. He looked her over thoughtfully, twisting the curls of his long dark hair between his fingers.
She was wearing a long, backless red dress with a gothic pattern sewed down both sides in black and deep red leather boots. Her hair, also jet black, was braided and tied behind her head. The effect was one of a dark halo around a face of regal beauty.
Nobody had approached her for what seemed like hours. Her demeanor was one of a hunting hawk on the lookout for prey. The man smiled shrewdly, he pitied any lesser man who tried to go near such an intense countenance.
Jan Magnusson at your service, madam. May I buy you a drink?
Catherine nearly jumped off her stool, her reverie interrupted by the appearance of this stranger. She looked up at him, an angry look giving Jan pause for thought.
Are you in the habit of creeping up behind people? she demanded.
I apologise. I must admit I was hypnotised by you. You look stunning.
Well then, if you must, Id like a white wine spritzer. Before you get me that, though, who are you? I never let a man buy me a drink unless I know more about him.
As I said, Im Jan Magnusson, he smiled. Catherine smiled back, she couldnt help it. The man had such a charming yet cheeky look about him.
However, who I am is not a subject Im willing to discuss before you have a drink in front of you, so Ill be straight back, his said, his smile broadening into a rather cheesy grin. Catherine raised an eyebrow at him but hed already turned around to head to the bar. She took the opportunity to appraise her suitor. He was big. That was the first thing she noticed. Not tall, but very broad across the shoulders. From what she could see he didnt narrow a great deal, although his physique was difficult to judge thanks to the trench coat he wore. As he neared the bar, the crowds seemed to disperse around him, as if out of respect for the sheer size of him. As he returned she relaxed slightly and spun to face him, leaning slightly forward and looking through her eyelashes at him.
So Jan Magnusson, are you going to tell me more about yourself? she asked.
Well, the first thing that you should know about me is that my family owns this place. My grandfather to be precise.
Oh yes? Am I supposed to be impressed by that, Jan? Catherine said, her eyes rising to look deep into his eyes, a look designed to disconcert.
Not at all, not at all. It is simply there as a façade to hide some of my families less, shall we say scrupulous activities. He explained, his eyes full of guile.
My family are exiles you see, part of a line which stretches back over a thousand years.
Jan put his glass down on the bar and moved closer to her.
They were thrown out of the fold two hundred years ago for their insights into the occult behavior of some of their aristocratic peers. Now, as their descendants we are spread
Catherine stood up sharply, looking down at Jan with amazement.
Youre of the Icelandic Magnusson line? The one which disappeared? I thought you were all executed. You cant be!
I assure you that some of us still remain, he said, putting his hand on her forearm, although our numbers are few and we are being hunted by the forces that almost destroyed us so long ago. We have been trained to survive.
Why are you telling me this? asked Catherine, What has this got to do with me?
I know you Catherine, I know where you come from and I know your stock. I also know of the incident at the hospital. Wed make a great team, you and I.
Jan stood. Please, Catherine, will you come with me? I have something to show you.
Feeling lightheaded, Catherine followed Jan towards the exit doors. She almost walked into the back of him as he stopped suddenly and turned towards her, eyes wide and a look of rage directed over her shoulder.
Leaping into the air, Jan drew a large broadsword from within his trench coat. Dropping into a crouch, he started to mutter what sounded to Catherine like an incantation. She dropped to the floor instinctively as Jan looked quickly around. People began to scream and panic, less from the fact a huge, muscular man wearing a trench coat had suddenly drawn a big sword, which they for some reason seemed not to notice, but from a hissing sound coming from the back of the club. A mass of bodies started to stream past Jan and Catherine as he picked her up roughly and stood her behind him. Their eyes were glazed and some of them had bloodstains on their clothes. Jan strode forward just as a huge snake wielding a cutlass brought its sword down towards him, slicing a thin line into his chest. Parrying the following blow as best he could, Jan twisted the huge sword around and flung the cutlass up in the air. Catching the snake creatures sword in one hand, he brought the two swords together across the torso of the beast, severing it cleanly in half. A fountain of blue blood erupted from the creature and doused the ceiling. Jan threw the cutlass aside and turned to Catherine.
Thats not what I wanted to show you, he said, a grim look crossing his face.
Catherine realised her mouth was agape and closed it quickly.
Um? she said, both her hands raised in front of her protectively.
Jan smiled sympathetically and pulled her towards him.
Your hands, please, he requested.
Catherine looked questioningly at him as he pulled her hands towards his wounded chest. Pressing them against himself and closing his eyes, he began to chant again. She felt something welling up inside her chest then a great peace come over her. Her fingers started to glow green and she began to feel nauseous. Jan finished chanting but Catherine couldnt hear anything anyway. Her eyes closed and she began to hum. Suddenly opening her eyes she felt incredible power filling her hands. Drawing them back she closed her fists, then a flash of green light enveloped Jan. Catherine fainted.
Chapter 3
She awoke in her bed at home, feeling the same headache and nausea that had affected her the day of the x-ray accident. Standing, she spotted a note.
Dear Catherine,
Ill be in touch regarding our future relationship. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance. You really are a truly impressive young lady.
Yours truly
Jan
She smiled. Shed have to teach him how to speak to a lady. It was all well and good telling girls that you were the heir to an ancient Icelandic dynasty but youd have to follow it up with some proper conversation. Pouring herself a glass of wine, she picked up the framed photograph of her parents and dropped it on the floor.
I dont think my life will be as you wanted it to be. Im sorry, mum, she smirked and lay back on her sofa.
Posted
thank you huni
princess silver perfectly..still looking for her beloved..but getting there
xx
A friend of mine asked me to write her backstory, so here it is. She's an emp/rad defender FYI. I hope you enjoy.
Princess Silver
Chapter 1
Catherine cradled the photograph of her parents in her hands. The glass was cracked and the frame bent where she had dropped it on the tiled floor of her small townhouse in Founders Falls the previous night. Pulling the picture out of the frame, she inadvertently dragged a finger across a shard of glass.
Ow, buggrit, Oh, Damn, damn, damn, she cursed in frustration as the sharp edge of the photo drew blood from her little finger.
Closing her eyes in a moment of concentration, she pushed her thumb against her finger. A green glow, faint at first then becoming brighter, emitted from her thumb and slowly covered her hand. A soothing noise, alike in sound to the hum of a hive of bees but much, much quieter, filled the room. Her cat Marvin, basking on the seat across the bay window, raised his head, looking quizzically over at Catherine. She opened her eyes, tinged with tears, and then smiled at him reassuringly.
Its okay Marv, no problems here, she said, raising the palm of her hand to him. Where there had been a deep gash in her finger a moment before, her skin appeared unbroken and in excellent condition. Marvin stretched and shifted position to get more sunshine, purring happily.
Catherine wasnt a typical resident of Paragon City. Her unusual abilities aside, which were hardly uncommon in this City of Heroes, she hailed from the tiny, landlocked country of Liechtenstein, a country with a proud history but a population of only 34,000 people. Her father was the third son of the current monarch and spent his time flying around Europe playing an ambassadorial role. Catherine herself was the second of four sisters and from the age of eighteen onwards she had spent her life attending social functions laid on by her mother, obsessed with marrying off her daughters to wealthy businessmen.
Sick of being paired up with balding accountants, slick lawyers and investment bankers, Catherine ran away from the family estate when she was nineteen. Her mother and father, distraught that their daughter had rebelled and could sully the families good name, quickly tracked her down and convened a meeting with her. In the end she was given an ultimatum. Any match would have to be vetted by her family and any inappropriate relationships would have to remain under wraps, upon pain of disinheritance. Catherine left the family mansion soon after and boarded a plane bound for Paragon City, determined to find her man.
Two months before the incident with the photograph and completing her third year as a medical student at Paragon University, she was assisting a radiographer to take an x-ray of a boy who had injured his leg whilst playing tennis.
Stay behind the screen, dear, whilst I take this, said the elderly doctor.
Okay, David, no problem, replied Catherine. She was a bit sick of his voice, having being apprenticed to him for the last three weeks. He had a habit of talking to her chest when he should have been looking at her face, but she could forgive him this due to his hunchback which meant he had to crane his neck in order to speak to her.
Oh, farts, he cursed, I forgot to fill the printer with paper. Dont go past the screen.
As he shuffled off, Catherine raised her eyes to the ceiling and sat down on the uncomfortable office chair she had been provided with, absentmindedly spinning to the left and right. She started thinking about the latest film on at the cinema and her distinct lack of friends to take with her. Suddenly the boy screamed aloud and clutched at his leg. Not thinking, Catherine rushed to him and tried to calm him, quickly checking the injured leg for more damage. She didnt hear the low crackling of electricity, but she was vaguely aware of the pulsing noise coming from the x-ray machine. Looking up, her eyes widened in alarm as the machine started to vibrate. She ran to the boy and picked him up, despite his shrieks of agony and protestations to the contrary. Spinning around to leave the room as quickly as she could, the x-ray machine overloaded with electricity and sent out a huge pulse of energy, knocking Catherine heavily to the floor and sending the boy flying out of her arms. As the machine went silent, Catherine dragged herself to her knees, suddenly feeling very nauseous. She crawled to the unconscious boy and collapsed over him, passing out.
Catherine! Catherine, wake up!
Her eyes opened slowly, her throat filled with bile and a bell ringing behind her eyes.
What the hell happened here?
She was vaguely aware of David questioning her and asked,
What? The machine. It it overloaded when I went to look at the boy and we were knocked over by some sort of blast
Catherine, the radiation count went through the roof, youve been subjected to a massive dose. You should be dead, he said.
The boy . Is he Is he okay? she asked.
Im sorry dear, he didnt make it. The strangest thing is though, his leg, its totally fine. In fact, its in a better state than his other one. This is very strange.
Catherine picked herself up and sprinted out of the room, trying to ignore her pounding head. She didnt stop until she was at the door of her car. Flooring the accelerator, she drove towards her house in Founders Falls.
Chapter 2
The crowded venue was packed with sweating bodies gyrating to the music being pumped out by the bare chested, heavily tattooed DJ. Catherine sat on a stool looking over the balcony rail at the mass of bodies below. To her it seemed that they had become one living creature, brought to life by the power of the music and the accompanying laser show. She sipped her cocktail and closed her eyes, letting the sound wash over her.
A powerfully built man, shrouded in shadow, sat across the club from where Catherine was sitting. He looked her over thoughtfully, twisting the curls of his long dark hair between his fingers.
She was wearing a long, backless red dress with a gothic pattern sewed down both sides in black and deep red leather boots. Her hair, also jet black, was braided and tied behind her head. The effect was one of a dark halo around a face of regal beauty.
Nobody had approached her for what seemed like hours. Her demeanor was one of a hunting hawk on the lookout for prey. The man smiled shrewdly, he pitied any lesser man who tried to go near such an intense countenance.
Jan Magnusson at your service, madam. May I buy you a drink?
Catherine nearly jumped off her stool, her reverie interrupted by the appearance of this stranger. She looked up at him, an angry look giving Jan pause for thought.
Are you in the habit of creeping up behind people? she demanded.
I apologise. I must admit I was hypnotised by you. You look stunning.
Well then, if you must, Id like a white wine spritzer. Before you get me that, though, who are you? I never let a man buy me a drink unless I know more about him.
As I said, Im Jan Magnusson, he smiled. Catherine smiled back, she couldnt help it. The man had such a charming yet cheeky look about him.
However, who I am is not a subject Im willing to discuss before you have a drink in front of you, so Ill be straight back, his said, his smile broadening into a rather cheesy grin. Catherine raised an eyebrow at him but hed already turned around to head to the bar. She took the opportunity to appraise her suitor. He was big. That was the first thing she noticed. Not tall, but very broad across the shoulders. From what she could see he didnt narrow a great deal, although his physique was difficult to judge thanks to the trench coat he wore. As he neared the bar, the crowds seemed to disperse around him, as if out of respect for the sheer size of him. As he returned she relaxed slightly and spun to face him, leaning slightly forward and looking through her eyelashes at him.
So Jan Magnusson, are you going to tell me more about yourself? she asked.
Well, the first thing that you should know about me is that my family owns this place. My grandfather to be precise.
Oh yes? Am I supposed to be impressed by that, Jan? Catherine said, her eyes rising to look deep into his eyes, a look designed to disconcert.
Not at all, not at all. It is simply there as a façade to hide some of my families less, shall we say scrupulous activities. He explained, his eyes full of guile.
My family are exiles you see, part of a line which stretches back over a thousand years.
Jan put his glass down on the bar and moved closer to her.
They were thrown out of the fold two hundred years ago for their insights into the occult behavior of some of their aristocratic peers. Now, as their descendants we are spread
Catherine stood up sharply, looking down at Jan with amazement.
Youre of the Icelandic Magnusson line? The one which disappeared? I thought you were all executed. You cant be!
I assure you that some of us still remain, he said, putting his hand on her forearm, although our numbers are few and we are being hunted by the forces that almost destroyed us so long ago. We have been trained to survive.
Why are you telling me this? asked Catherine, What has this got to do with me?
I know you Catherine, I know where you come from and I know your stock. I also know of the incident at the hospital. Wed make a great team, you and I.
Jan stood. Please, Catherine, will you come with me? I have something to show you.
Feeling lightheaded, Catherine followed Jan towards the exit doors. She almost walked into the back of him as he stopped suddenly and turned towards her, eyes wide and a look of rage directed over her shoulder.
Leaping into the air, Jan drew a large broadsword from within his trench coat. Dropping into a crouch, he started to mutter what sounded to Catherine like an incantation. She dropped to the floor instinctively as Jan looked quickly around. People began to scream and panic, less from the fact a huge, muscular man wearing a trench coat had suddenly drawn a big sword, which they for some reason seemed not to notice, but from a hissing sound coming from the back of the club. A mass of bodies started to stream past Jan and Catherine as he picked her up roughly and stood her behind him. Their eyes were glazed and some of them had bloodstains on their clothes. Jan strode forward just as a huge snake wielding a cutlass brought its sword down towards him, slicing a thin line into his chest. Parrying the following blow as best he could, Jan twisted the huge sword around and flung the cutlass up in the air. Catching the snake creatures sword in one hand, he brought the two swords together across the torso of the beast, severing it cleanly in half. A fountain of blue blood erupted from the creature and doused the ceiling. Jan threw the cutlass aside and turned to Catherine.
Thats not what I wanted to show you, he said, a grim look crossing his face.
Catherine realised her mouth was agape and closed it quickly.
Um? she said, both her hands raised in front of her protectively.
Jan smiled sympathetically and pulled her towards him.
Your hands, please, he requested.
Catherine looked questioningly at him as he pulled her hands towards his wounded chest. Pressing them against himself and closing his eyes, he began to chant again. She felt something welling up inside her chest then a great peace come over her. Her fingers started to glow green and she began to feel nauseous. Jan finished chanting but Catherine couldnt hear anything anyway. Her eyes closed and she began to hum. Suddenly opening her eyes she felt incredible power filling her hands. Drawing them back she closed her fists, then a flash of green light enveloped Jan. Catherine fainted.
Chapter 3
She awoke in her bed at home, feeling the same headache and nausea that had affected her the day of the x-ray accident. Standing, she spotted a note.
Dear Catherine,
Ill be in touch regarding our future relationship. It was a pleasure making your acquaintance. You really are a truly impressive young lady.
Yours truly
Jan
She smiled. Shed have to teach him how to speak to a lady. It was all well and good telling girls that you were the heir to an ancient Icelandic dynasty but youd have to follow it up with some proper conversation. Pouring herself a glass of wine, she picked up the framed photograph of her parents and dropped it on the floor.
I dont think my life will be as you wanted it to be. Im sorry, mum, she smirked and lay back on her sofa.