Manmukh (Dropped)

Manmukh is a potent container of Aether, her world's magical power, and can direct that power in magical assaults against her opponents. These are non-elemental spells, focused on explosive orbs, beams, waves, and energy meteors rather than conjuration of elements. These tend to be her main form of attack, and she has a very deep well of Aether to draw from.

Manmukh's Aether can also be used to transmute non-living, mundane material she is nearby into other, similar material. She could turn copper into gold, water into wine, or burlap into silk, as some examples. She cannot, however, turn objects into a completely different consistency, such as turning stone into water, and she cannot overcome the power of magical objects or materials. Similarly, anything with an active life force rejects this transmutation, so plants that are still in the ground or animals that are still alive are immune to being converted. A corpse or a plucked flower, however, could be changed to another solid material. She also can't do this for very large items, as they must be small enough to fit in her (admittedly big) hands.

The form that Manmukh was cursed into before being sealed away is not the same form she takes now. Much like her full power, that chimeric form is sealed away from her in its entirety, but she can regain minor traits or one major trait for a short time. Minor traits are slitted pupils, sharp fangs, a forked, lizard-like tongue, or pointed ears. Major traits are beetle-like horns to skewer her foes; digitigrade legs with large pangolin claws; a pair of venomous serpent tails; and a peacock-feather cloak that entrances those who stare into its display. The hypnotic feathers are unable to truly control those who look into them, but instead fill the viewer with awe and adoration for Manmukh. The weaker-willed may believe that they could never harm her, and may even fight for her, but the strong may only be briefly distracted. Anyone who holds her bracelet is also immune to the effects of those feathers. (Edge is used to try and manipulate others with peacock feathers.)

Manmukh's inherent Aether and her bondage to the magical bracelet controlling her grants some advantages. Aside from her magical power, Manmukh can also transform briefly into the same sparkling mist that she manifests as from her bracelet, which she usually does to avoid assaults against her or slip into spaces that aren't entirely enclosed. Returning to her bracelet will also slowly regenerate any injuries she receives, though as this can take up to a day to recover from grievous wounds, she isn't able to simply retreat mid-battle and return fully-healed.

Manmukh can't fly, but she is able to at least avoid getting her feet dirty by hovering above the ground. This becomes much more difficult the higher she goes, so she can only really maintain it up to about seven feet above any given surface. This also allows her to slow her fall if she simply drops off a surface, but if she's launched or thrown, that momentum can't easily be stopped.

In a feat of karmic justice, Manmukh is forced to follow the will of whoever holds the bracelet allowing her to manifest in the physical world. If she is given a direct command by that person, she has no choice but to carry it out, so long as it does not involve directly harming herself. She is also incapable of harming this person or using her hypnotic peacock's plume to influence them, and worse still, Manmukh cannot hold the bracelet herself. The magwitch Zipporah currently holds Manmukh's bracelet and is her current master, but if someone were to steal it or if Zipporah were to give it to someone else, that ownership would pass on to them.

Manmukh's selfishness is the trait that got her into her current situation, but rather than learn from it, she has remained unchanged. Altruism is almost incomprehensible to her, and unless she is directly ordered to, or she thinks she has something to gain from it, she will need a great deal of convincing to help someone else. This comes up in the opposite way as well; if her selfishness and vanity are appealed to, she can be convinced to do something she otherwise wouldn't be interested in. She isn't an idiot, however, and if her wishes aren't fulfilled or she's given only empty praise, she won't be so easy to manipulate next time.

Manmukh believes that she is the center of her universe, and despises any slights against her or any reminders that she isn't really the most important thing in the world. Insults and slights are met with utter venom from her, and she will demand retribution through either words or violence. If the situation is one where such demands would be difficult to make immediately, she will instead harbor a deep-seated grudge against the offender. Similarly, if someone has possessions that exceed her own in wealth or grandeur, Manmukh's first inclination is to either take them from that person or deny them access to such wealth. If she can't have it, no one else should. The only question is whether she can carry out her vindication, or if something else will interfere.

While not exactly a demon or devil, Manmukh is a malevolent creature, and if a ward, binding, bane, or similar tactic is effective against evil spirits, she would fall under its effects as well.

The gauntlets Manmukh wears are not worn by choice; they are shackles, signalling her curse of bondage. While resiliant and formidable weapons, they are more often cumbersome and hinder much of Manmukh's manual ability. Anything delicate is nearly impossible for her, such as writing or handling fragile objects. The most care she could show is slicing a fruit with her claws. Until she is no longer bound to servitude, these gauntlet-shackles are impossible to remove, and cause more than their share of frustration.