Appearance:
Code Name: Lich Queen
Secret Identity: None following transformation (Real name is Rhys Ryan)
Age: 28 (Has since halted aging)
Gender: Female (Mentally, physical body is neither)
Race: Other (Transformed Human into undeath)
Personality:
[Rhys] Compassionate, Tender, Helpful, Serene, Realistic, Practical, Blunt, Loyal, Driven, Curious
[Lich Queen] Driven, Manipulative, Cruel, Dark, Morbid, Bloodthirsty, Idealistic, Loyal, Compassionate, Curious
Has two distinct personalities as a result of the mind sundering during the process of becoming a lich. Rhys is the usual personality and struggles to keep Queen in line when insulted or endangered. If unable to resolve a problem, Rhys often retreats to allow Queen to deal with the problem. Despite Queen being far more violent, both personalities value friends and allies and will work to protect them. Rhys and Queen often temper each other and are not antagonistic, but they have different agendas and methods. Both have a morality that dictates they protect and care for friends while stopping enemies. Rhys tends to kill them humanely. Queen tends to either crush them or prolong death until they snap. To determine which personality is active at a glance, Rhys has glowing blue eyes while Queen has red glowing eyes.
History:
The first five years of Rhys's life was spent learning, interacting, and playing with her parents. On her fifth birthday, her parents enrolled her in martial arts lessons. For the next fifteen years, she trained with masters of many styles for weapons and unarmed combat. She also studied surgery, first aid, and trauma care. She obtained certifications for medical practice at the age of twenty-three. From the age of twenty-three until twenty-eight, she became a vigilante crime fighter. She was by no means a Boy Scout, but she did use non-lethal means to apprehend. As expected, her nemesis escaped constantly. One day, her nemesis, known as Plague Doctor, managed to knock her unconscious. In the dim and musty warehouse, the Doc injected a compound into her body. He thought Rhys would die from it. However, he mistook the recipe of lichdom for a death poison. When he realized his mistake, Rhys was too far along to kill. Rhys, meanwhile, was consumed by agony and burning sensations across her body. She could feel her organs and skin disintegrated. It felt like each atom fell apart to this arcane onslaught. The pain grew each moment, her mind desperately trying to block it out and deal with it. The mental stress ripped her mental state apart. She lost herself in the pain, the tatters of her mind feebly piecing itself back together. Plague Doctor beat on her body with a pipe, but her transformation progressed too quickly, the wounds simply disappearing as arcane energy reformed her body to its liking.
Then, after an agonizing ten seconds, the pain left. Her body felt different, stronger and tougher. She felt the magic coursing through her, animating her body. Her mind was still piecing itself together, but what remained was some feral instinct. It drove her into a frenzy when her mind recognized the cause of her suffering. The new strength enabled Rhys to rip through the bindings and attack Plague Doctor. He tried to flee, but like a predatory animal, she pounced on and mauled him. As his wounds drained life from him, she began ripping each limb off. The mangled corpse of her nemesis was dead far before she ripped his head off, but Rhys didn't care at all. Her mind only wanted to destroy him. With that job done, the newborn lich sat back and took in the sights of her rebirth. Her mind pulled itself together minutes later. Rhys came into full awareness again. Instead of revulsion, she came to a revelation. She could kill each villain and end their tyranny. She couldn't live among normal humans anymore, but she could work to protect them. In her mind, as she imagined her plans, a voice laughed. It sounded like her, but it was...different. It spoke to her, congratulating her on breaking free of non-lethality. Rhys later learned that this voice was her, just different. Both shared the same body and memories, but Queen had a different take on the world. Eventually, both would come to terms with each other and work as a team. Arguments happened, of course, but they were not common. Rhys also learned more of her body over the next month. She needed no food, water, or sleep. She couldn't die permanently. She would simply reform at the spot of her rebirth. She could manipulate magic to her whims. Spells came slowly, but within a month, she could create some effects. She discovered how skeletal and undead she looked, so on the rare occasions she had to travel in human society, she would use a polymorph spell to mask her appearance. She kept her secrets, knowing normal people would not understand. Papers, though, often chronicled her exploits. Villains fell day and night. No time seemed safe for she rarely did anything but hunt. To fund her needs and wants, she often employed less than savory methods. She stole the hoards of villains she killed. She did not give back to the cities, instead amassing wealth for herself.
These hunts lasted until only a scant two weeks ago. Now, she encountered the Crusaders in action. Following their mission's success, she stepped forward to offer her assistance. Leery, they doubted her powers. That is, they doubted until she revealed her true form and displayed her magical might. Whether they keep her around for her power or to keep watch on her is unknown. She does know that they are not bothered by her methods and seem satisfied when she removes another villain from the planet. Perhaps, should they keep watch on her as a monster, she would prove them wrong, but for now she was content killing in the name of saving the world.
Powers:
Undying (Will resurrect after three weeks in a specific location, the "phylactery")
Arcana (Casts arcane spells of various types, fatiguing to cast consistently strong spells)
Undeath (enhanced strength and durability, no need for food, water, or sleep, unaging)
Weapons: Spetum (Used as a focus for arcana, which reduces fatigue from casting), 2 cinquedea (12 inch and 24 inch), Throwing Knives*, Tomahawks*
*Normally carries 10 knives and 4 tomahawks on person during missions
Skills: Medical procedures (often supplemented with magic), Weapons training with blades, clubs, and unarmed combat, Drawing, Carving, Cooking, Singing, Playing the Double Bass (both with bow and hand) and Electric Bass
What made them cross the line?: Transformation into a lich by their nemesis. It sundered her mind and destroyed her personal life. Something was lost in her mind following the process, leading her to rip her nemesis limb from limb. From there, she never could adhere to a nonlethal policy in either personality.
Other: Rhys wears and maintains armor for missions. She does not intentionally die and still feels every bit of pain. the resurrection is immensely painful. It essentially rebuilds her from arcane energy, thus causing pain on the level of her transformation.