The Puppeteer
"Araphel Maveth"
A simple puppet master pulling the strings.
Basic Lore
A child of unfortunate circumstances, "Araphel" grew up in a secluded home out in the forest with their father after the passing of its mother. Their father was unloving and unforgiving, frequently even forgetting the young one was even there. To cope with these hardships, the child would make up stories of strange and fantastical places, trying to soothe their mind of harsh realities through adventure or through reminding itself that this could always be worse.
After a particularly nasty argument, their father forced void outside on a freezing winter evening and locked all the doors. Trapped in the cold exterior, the child was forced to search the forest in hopes of being able to create a fire for warmth, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Their frozen body was found curled beneath a large willow tree about a half mile from their father's home weeks later.While their body perished, their soul took on a new existence in a strange void between waking life and reality itself, a place the growing spirit dubbed 'Hysteria'. It remained in this emptiness for many years, only ever able to observe reality through cracks in the darkness.After years of silent observation, the storyteller, now mentally about 18 years old, was summoned forth into a new body by a small collection of corrupt scientists obsessed with the study of the soul and of life itself. More peculiarly to god, these very scientists were the ones they'd made up stories of in their youth.
Now, it was thinking of themselves as something of a god of this world; it was the one who brought this reality into being by creating the tales of it so long ago, after all.The Puppeteer found themselves with the peculiar ability to take control over other people for a limited time, quite literally puppeting their bodys by strings that latch to the soul itself. The only apparent drawback was that use of their true name, a name they had foolishly allowed the doctor who resurected them to know, would in turn grant the user the ability to briefly puppet god.
With this newfound power and knowledge of the weakness, void set out on an adventure all their own.Years after their explorations began, the now roughly 23-year-old "Araphel" found their partner, a powerful manipulator of time named Magnus Abital, and fell in love with this peculiarly kindred spirit. The two coupled themselves in peaceful union and the Puppeteer became a parent to Magnus's two adopted children, a 9 year old girl named Molly and a 17 year old named Oli.
Oli felt strangely familiar to void. They later came to realize that was because Oli not only came to Magnus from the same lab that had brought it back to life, but because god was quite literally Oli's patron deity.For a time, life was happy. But good stories never stay happy for long, do they?
A looming figure from Magnus's own past came back to haunt the little family, and that's where its memories grow fogged.String knows something must have happened, but the next thing it remembers is standing at the manor gate, light luggage in one hand and a strange letter in the other.
Birthday letters
September 5th
Connections
Violinist | Antonio Pangini - Close friend. The first friend they made in the manor. The two have more in common than they might believe.
Smiley Face | Joker - Close friend. One of the first friends they made in the manor. The two have partially bonded over the horrors of their respective pasts and hold promises not to betray one another's trust in such information.
Photographer | Joseph Desaulniers - Friend. The two don't speak often, but they seem to trust him to some degree.
Tranquility | ??? - Friend(?). A new bond with another of perhaps similar power. They are trying to be mindful not to get on his bad side.
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Weeping Clown | "Weepy"/Joker - Frenemy(?). They have had off and on again conflicts considering god's treatment of Mike. It has made a promise to him not to use their puppeting abilities outside of matches. They are working towards properly earning forgiveness.
Acrobat | Mike Morton - Friend(?). He was one of the first they puppeted in the manor. It is trying still to earn honk's forgiveness properly.
Embalmer | Aesop Carl - Friend. (Depends on who is playing him, of course, but usually.) Possible rival(?).
Animal Tamer | Natalie - Friend(?). They have made a promise not to cause her harm.
Cosmic Witch | Emma Woods - Friend. She may know more than they think, but such is unclear as of now.
Abilities
Pen - A simple writing tool repurposed as a weapon. With this, I shall write your end.
Puppet strings - A ranged attack using the very strings it uses to capture one's soul. Requires charge to be used.
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Control - Puppeting a survivor they have wounded at least once during the match for a brief period of time. This can be used to lure survivors in range for attack or to attempt to sew disharmony within the survivor's team to promote vulnerability.
Artwork
Official
Fanart
