A Mix of Magics

Fantasmical Character

Personal Details

Name: Kallera Blackheart

Age: 28

Gender: Female

Ancestry: Daughter of the witch, Stravania, and the cunning man, Talerian

Ethnicity: (Ethnicity is based on magic in this world) Half witch, half cunning woman, an explosive mixture, as it is alleged that magic in this world shouldn't mix

Physical Attributes: Tall, slender, strong but feminine, active.

Relationship status: Unmarried, single, and plans to keep it that way

Personal History and Background

Education / Career: Went to the town school in Venna, until her lineage became known (she had been under a spell to keep her magic hidden). 

Then she had to undergo two years compulsory study at Ravenbury to teach her about witchcraft AND two years apprenticed to the cunning guild. Side note: It was here at the cunning guild she met Zenner, with whom she fell in love and had her heartbroken.

Lives in a cottage in the forested mountains, alone. Talerian, her father built it, before he and her mother, Stravania disappeared, and Kallera was sent to live with Priyalla. Priyalla, even though she was her guardian, didn't know about Kallera's ancestry, and both loves and fears the woman she has become.

Priyalla, like most people have had their magic "quietened", a irreversible procedure that drowns out the magic inherent in a person, allowing them to lead a non-magical life. All that remains is varying degrees of intuition.

The cunning woman in her thinks a cup of tea can solve anything, and the pictures in the tea leaves once the tea has been drunk will tell you all you need to know.

The witch in her thinks there's a spell for everything, and that fortune telling for entertainment is a poor use of magic.

The different halves of her can often be at odds with each other, especially when it comes to magic as cunning folk believe simple magic is purer, whereas witches believe the more complicated magic is, the less likely others are to know of it, and so automatically it must be the strongest kind of magic.

About her parents: When Kallera was five, she was sent to live with Priyalla in Venna, and her parents subsequently disappeared, whether intentionally on their part or under mysterious circumstances, none know. Before Kallera went to Venna, her parents cast a spell on her to hide the fact that she was part witch and part cunning woman, but the spell, because it was a powerful one, could not last indefinitely, and had faded enough by the time she was fifteen for the truth to be revealed. 

Kallera has mixed feelings about her parents. She loves them greatly, and has wonderful memories of a happy childhood with them, but she is still bitter and angry that they sent her away and she doesn't know why. She is torn between wanting to find them and not, the latter being because she believes trying to locate them would be futile. If they don't want to be found, they have magic enough between them to stay hidden. Also, if something awful has happened to them, learning the truth will mean she will not see them again, and she's not ready to accept that and live without hope.

Character and Personality

Personality / Quirks: Embraces her mixed magical heritage, much to the shock of those around her which can often put her at odds with people. Can be gentle. Can be harsh.

Skills: Kallera is a highly skilled dreamer meaning she can see the past, present and future in dreams, as well as receive messages in them. She is fiercely independent and prides herself on being self-sufficient. She doesn't need anyone, she is happy on her own, and she certainly doesn't need anyone's help to get things done.

Interests: Magic mainly. Magic as a force for justice, the history of magic, other forms of magic

Hobbies: Spends her time dabbling in ways to blend cunning magic and witch magic into a usable form of magic, so far, unsuccessfully.

Likes: Everyone, depending on her mood, being out in nature, listening to the wind, swimming in the mountain lake, walking in the woods

Dislikes: Everyone, depending on her mood, people judging her because of her heritage, having to spend a protracted amount of time away from her cottage, people questioning her choices

Strengths: Is always willing to help out someone in need (being on the fringe of society because of her mixed magical lineage, she wants to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves), believes every problem has a solution, practical

Weaknesses: Is always willing to help out someone in need (sometimes her personal history blinds her to the motivations of others), can be easily distracted especially by new things or new people, believes she is stronger on her own

Fears: Being alone, letting anyone get too close, seeing Zenner again, learning the truth about her parents

Other abilities / special powers: she can pull energy towards her from the natural world but only when she's in a tight spot and doesn't know how she does it

What drives her: learning, new experiences (especially magical ones), wanting to make the world a better place, yet knowing this is an insurmountable task on her own, so making her little corner of the world a better place will have to suffice.

Extras

Music that sets the tone of the stories or brings Kallera's mountain home to life / Mini soundtrack:

- The Pierces - You'll Be Mine

- Faun - Federkleid

- Omnia - Bran (2022)

Keywords and Inspiration: pagan, witch, earth, nature, magic, witchcraft, folklore, medieval, spells, enchantment, embracing who you are

Mood board:

Credit: All images used in this chapter found on Canva