Meltdown
Ms. Clémence Rose Landry
Written by: Null Kit
The novelty of the awakened might have worn off in the prior decades, but that doesn't impede such people employing a facade of mystique and esoteric knowledge to entice and fool the common man, often to fruiitful affect. Of the figures in Raleigh's underground, nobody has employed this with quite as much success as the Troll calling themselves Meltdown, leader of the Nuclear Warlocks, who would have us believe that the ultimate grasp of the arcane in Raleigh comes down to habitual consumption of deepweed and snack-cakes, as much as money and death. In person, Meltdown is a loud, bombastic hedonist whose presence is far larger than their (admittedly already noteworthy) physical size, treating any visitor to her sanctum under the RUG 107.9 Radio Station, invited or not, as if they were a beloved guest invited to dinner: Fried food and recreational substances are doled out in generous quantities throughout whatever business is being discussed or proposed, and she rarely deters from the chirpy, ever ready to giggle tone of voice she speaks with to friend and foe alike.. The only hints to her true nature as a violent gang leader come from the maze of scars running across her entire head, and the dissonant tone she happily speaks with even on the most grim and morally-dubious of topics. Despite the esoteric and pseudo-religious trappings of her sanctum and her gang, and despite the cult-of-personality Meltdown happily professes to have, I do not believe her to be a true cult leader: She makes little effort to fool or dominate her flock, and her desires of hedonism appear as truthful as claimed. She is however, one individual whose presence should never be discounted whenever something unnatural goes on in Raleigh's underground. I would advice watching her carefully, as I intend to do.Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Meltdown has on two occasions saught the medical expertise of our own Frangelico to alleviate personal health issues, allowing a rare opportunity to see what makes the leader of the Warlocks tick. Her physical condition is mostly what you would expect from a Troll in her thirties, albeit a sedentary and openly hedonistic one with issues of long term substance-use and a less than stellar diet. What interested me most however, was the presence of cybernetics: Most of the magically inclined to my knowledge avoid substantial body-modification as it supposedly interferes with their abilities, and yet Clémence posesses numerous pieces of Ares brand cyberware, including an implanted commlink and even polymer bone-lacing.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Like any charismatic leader, Meltdown went to substantial effort to conceal the facts of her upbringing as, but little of her precautions would deter any serious seeker of knowledge. Meltdown was was not a native Raleighite but born in Louisiana under the name Clémence Landry, to parents Mary and Timothe, corporate citizens of Ares and known primarily for a feirce advocacy of atheism and anti-theism, calling the peculiarities of the sixth world 'simple unknowns' with a rational explanation that could be discovered in time.
Surprisingly, this zeal showed absolutely no signs of slowing when their youngest showed prodigous levels of magical aptitude. If anything, it only fanned the flames of their shared goal of 'proving' that all we think as magic is some form of higher scientific discipline: Their treatment of the young Clémence suggested by newscasts at the time as a result of this was... unsettling. I will spare you the details but rest assured, it was of little surprise that Clémence left her arcology home, albeit not before leaving a considerable trail of destruction in her wake.
Much of her life in the interim between her departure and arrival to Raleigh is unverifiable, owing to a semi-nomadic lifestyle. What we know for certain is that she picked her first members of what would become the Nuclear Warlocks in an area of Barrens outside of Raleigh, finding common-ground with her future lieutenants in being awakened individuals, and seeking others she felt were 'in need' of likeminded companions. By the time she had arrived in Raleigh, Clémence was in charge of a motley crew of mages and shamans - had they SINs, they might have been a considerable force in Raleigh's legitimate businesses, but their SINless nature (along with Clémence herself being a wanted individual in Louisiana) forced them to remain lawless in their existence, eking out a living in seldom-visited parts of the barens selling magical services and goods to Raleigh's underworld.
Clémence, now called 'Meltdown' by her new subordinates, was eventually able to build up sufficient connections to erase her arrest-warrant from Ares and acquire mostly legitimate-looking SINs for herself and her friends, but made the personal decision to remain an element of Raleigh's underworld instead of goind legitimate, stating a professed 'affinity' towards the outcasts of the city and its surrounding Barrens.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
If I am to trust Meltdown's words, her motivations are as straightforward as her means to attain them, focusing on consolidating a considerable base of power and influence for the purpose of ensuring a pleasurable and introspective existence for herself and her subordinates.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
While the exact scope of Meltdown's abilities remains unknown as of yet, it's no secret that Meltdown posesses enough personal magical aptitude to act as a one-woman bulwark for her gang, should the need arise, supported by a great degree of charisma and eloquence sufficient to ensure the absolute loyalty of her gang. Her most well-known failing comes from her technical aptitude, or lack thereof: Even the majority of commlink functions are beyond her skills and patience, leading her to deligate such matters to her underlings as needed.
Current Location
Year of Birth
2042
38 Years old
Children
Pronouns
She/They
Eyes
Green
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Height
8'3''
Weight
828 lb.
Aligned Organization
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