Nevermore Truth

» Name: Nevermore Truth
» Titles: The Truth, the False Truth
» Age: Was created in 2416.
» Gender: Refers to self as Male.
» Affiliation/Rank: The Truth

» Divine Appearance Written:
Black sclera, with burning white cores. When Nevermore stands face to face with another living soul, that trait is always the first to stick out. His eyes are like two voids, reflecting nothing back out into the world. Within those voids, however, rest his pupils. Pure white, with darkness shining in their centers. Those eyes of his contrast against the rest of his body; his flesh is stark-white, from head to toe. His hair is radiant snow-white, such that any shadows cast upon it stands out much starker than normal. Horns rise out of either side of his head; they curve at a right angle to point out at the sky. Beneath each horn, he has a pointed ear, a leftover trait from his predecessor, the one who had originally controlled this body. His lips are thin, his nose relatively plain looking. However, once his mouth opens, it Is possible to make out the fang-like tips that line the inside of his mouth.

He has a medium build; certainly mature, but still somewhat youthful. He appears as if he is in his late twenties; and his flesh is without flaw. He moves with careful, confident steps, and it is rare that his gaze is pointed downward or upward. His fingers end in small claws, each digit tapering off in a fashion reminiscent of demons. He stands at about 6'1'', without his horns.

He dresses in business formal, though he never seems to take it too seriously. His top button is never clipped closed, and his tie hangs down lower than most would assume. This causes his bare throat to stick out much more than it would normally, especially against the suit's night-black color. He wears appropriate black dress pants, and a great white cloak to complete his ensemble.

» Divine Appearance Picture:





» Mortal Appearance Written:

Mortal Appearance
Blazing blue hair. Piercing red eyes. A facial tattoo that burns against his flesh. This is the face of what Nevermore would consider a 'falsehood'. Or at least, one very close to a falsehood. Within this appearance, Nevermore has a much more tense way of moving. His body posture tends to be tight, his movements exact. The clothing that he wears with this form changes as easily as the weather; sometimes, he dresses in a white cloak, as if he were the member of some ruling body. At other times, he wears a black hood, concealing his false face from view. This is the most often outfit for his Mortal appearance, as it allows for him to hide the near-distruthfulness from the world. His build is athletic, although just a bit shorter than Nevermore would be otherwise. The tattoo on his face reaches into his hair, and when this form is first taken, it blossoms from Nevermore's eye.

His horns recede back into his head, but his sharpened ears and claw-like fingers remain. In this state, it would be easy enough for him to pass as a Human, or even claim to be a demon in his shifter form. The bizarre presence that he typically carries with him is missing in this state.

» Mortal Appearance Picture:







» Ambitious (Afraid)
Nevermore lives in a constant state of duality. On the one hand, he knows what he truly wants. He wants to let his ambitions come to reality. He wants the world, and those things which can break and shatter it, make it unable to function any longer… he wants them to be gone. He wants to limit the evolution of the connected world's, making it so that the defenders of the world's order cannot be overthrown. That is The Truth of his ambition.

However, the reverse of this ambition is naturally his fear. There are two major things which infect Nevermore's thoughts, making his ambition harder to achieve. The first is in the futility of his own existence. What is he? He does not believe he should have ever been born; the fact that he was is a symbol that the world needs to be fixed. But at the same time, he cannot truly be a God, no matter how hard he desires it in his heart. He knows this; but he is not willing to let himself succumb to the weaknesses of Humanity. This means that he goes out of his way to prevent himself from ever getting upset with anyone, or controlled by his 'animalistic' urges. He knows he is broken; if he were to give into this fear, he believes he would go into it full tilt, causing for him to sacrifice a large amount of what he desires. So he bottles it all inside, pushing it far down below.

The second thing that he fears is what happens once he has managed to succeed. What if he gets what he wants? What if he gains godlike power, and manages to stop all those who have managed to overthrow those who maintain this world's natural progression? What will be left for him, then? He is an inherently ambitious being; he was born out of ambition and desire. But if his desire should be fulfilled… what exactly will happen to him, as an individual…?

» Logical (Heartless)
Nevermore is incredibly intelligent. He views every problem logically, but his logic extends past just logistic reasoning. He also views 'people' this way, trying to measure how he can best manipulate them toward what he wants. He sees every challenge he comes across as a personal endeavor, and while he is not arrogant about his intelligence, neither is he shy about it. Especially considering how long his mind was trapped within a place where it could do nothing but plan and scheme with the intellect he was born with, it would be unfortunate for those who opposes him to underestimate his reasoning ability. Also, it helped him develop many cool lines about certain… 'realities'. That is The Truth of his intelligence.

However, the flip side of this is that he fears he has become… Cold. He misses the warmth and heat that Iriko once held, with his two lovers. He craves that kind of intimacy again, but feels that his new responsibility and intellect rob him of the ability to feel that kind of passion. He worries that his own desire and arrogance will deny him the chance to truly develop emotional attachments with others. Logically, such attachments would do nothing to benefit him. But… the thought of becoming completely cold and distant from the rest of the world does not appeal to him, either.

Even if he cannot exactly pin why.

» Willing to Sacrifice (Dissociative)
Perhaps the biggest difference from himself and the source of his existence is his willingness to make sacrifices. He cares for his objective most of all; as a result, it is possible that those he interacts with will see him make repeated sacrifices. Of himself, of those who trust him, of potential allies who he believes to be better utilized toward the goal at hand. He is willing to sacrifice his composure to strike fear in another. He is willing to sacrifice his own body to accomplish his goal's. He is also willing to sacrifice the bodies of others. The hearts of others, if it will achieve his goal. This willingness to accept the losses that the world must face is The Truth of his willpower.

The reverse of such willpower, however, is that he finds himself growing ever more distant from those who he believes he should love. He wants to care about his family; about 'his son', about his 'partner', the one who made him this way… that creature, Khala. The little one who stood by while he fought her God… Neoveta. All of these, he wants them to accept him into his family… But at the same time, he feels that he cannot. So he instead obsesses on worrying about seeming distant to his followers and those who he believes in, distracting himself from his fears.

» Philosophical (Assumptive)
Nevermore Truth is first and foremost a philosopher. Containing the philosophical experience of a Shinigami who existed for hundreds of years, who used those years to sharpen his philosophical facilities.What does this result in? That Nevermore has clearly defined several things. Why humans live, why they die. Why they quest, and what makes them happy. And… what makes him happy. Because these two are not the same things. For Nevermore, what will make him happy Is becoming the funeral pyre of the world to continue in safety; to give it a safety net. To lose himself completely in becoming a guardian who can never abandon it. This is perhaps Nevermore's greatest trait; this is The Truth of what will make him happy.

Despite his thorny exterior, Nevermore did not gain his greatest trait. Iriko Crow was able to fluidly trade ideas and arguments with others, showing them new paths while being introduced to insights himself. But Nevermore is much more Assumptive. To him, Iriko Crow was simply wrong. He was incorrect about what he believed was right. He chose wrong; and therefore, Nevermore's personal philosophy is born out of the ashes of his predecessor. He is far less willing to change his views, making him stagnant. On some level, he is aware of this. On some level, it annoys him. But at the same time, he cannot allow for himself to stop making assumptions about how correct he is; after all, that would put him back on that path Iriko had walked. One that caused the screaming torrent of souls that created him.

» Omnipotent (Arrogant)
When faced with a challenge, or those who seek hospitality, both will meet the same kind of individual. One who seems completely 'in control'. His personality is extraordinarily dominant; perhaps owing to his existence as a spirit of Domination. He uses his intellect to always attempt to be on top of a situation. While he is not unwilling to let others speak to him, he will never show his posture crack to being verbally assaulted. Similarly, he is competent enough at controlling his emotions that he can force himself to yell and shout if it will cause the effect he wants, or be completely cold, enduring criticism and any other force that would attempt to mar his ego. This is The Truth of his omnipotent demeanor.

Naturally, the mirror of such a trait is his Arrogance. Nevermore completely understands that he is arrogant; after all, he sees no reason to not act as if he will succeed. This arrogance, combined with his unwillingness to be swayed by other's emotions, would cause for most people who get close to him to want to leave him. As a result, he tends to keep most of his followers and those who believe in him at an arm's length; he does not want to hurt them. They gave him support; and for that he loves them. He believes that they do not deserve to feel as if his presence is suffocating them.

» Righteous (Inflexible)
Nevermore tends to have a very attractive personality from far away. After all, he comes across as 'righteous'. It is difficult to come up with an argument on why what he wants to do is wrong; after all, the natural counterargument to what makes him happy is 'people should be allowed to break reality, if that is what they desire'. Completely senseless anarchy is his greatest antithesis; and typically, that means it is easy for those who follow any degree of 'righteousness' or 'sanity' to follow beneath his banner. This is the The Truth of Nevermore's Righteous composure.

The darker part of this trait, however, is his Inflexibility. Nevermore does not like having to change his views on things. This is, of course, in regards to his own views. When it comes to things like battle plans, he tends to be as adaptable as he needs to be. But, on a personal level, he can be quite difficult for others to work with. He takes himself far too seriously, and this can come off as standoff-ish.

» Peace Loving (Dislikes Change)
Perhaps the purest form of Nevermore's desire is that at the end of the day… he simply desires for people to finally be at some degree of peace. He knows that true peace is a fantasy; if one were to attempt to control the world in that way, they would be risen up against and trampled upon. He thinks people who seek such things are naïve fools, like his predecessor. On the other hand, that does not mean he dislikes peace. He actively seeks it out, and if he were found in the wild, it would be in a meadow or by the side of a river or some other place where only the sounds of nature and breathing can be heard. This is the The Truth of his gentle soul.

Within even this tranquility, however, it is difficult to ignore the fact that this means he dislikes change. Those who are more spontaneous and ambitious will find him unwilling to assist them in their goals. He often finds himself listless, without personal desires or ambitions. He often cannot quite place why this feeling is; on some level, he believes he deserves it. Another part of him knows that he no longer possesses his left arm; therefore, he does not believe he can create poetry again. Perhaps that is part of his selfishness; because he cannot pursue his desired hobby, he forsakes them altogether, creating yet another reason why he prefers for all but the closest of those he cares about to stay distant.

» Loyal (Possessive)
Nevermore is incredibly loyal to those who choose to follow him. While he may be willing to endure certain sacrifices, he almost always puts those he trusts above himself. He is awful at letting bad things happen to the ones who stand by him; butting into their business and trying to use his mind and his heart to solve their problems. While he may not be able to break peace to everyone in the entire world, surely he can at least do it for the ones he cares about? This is The Truth of Nevermore's care and affection, his loyalty.

His loyalty, however, does come with a price; he is possessive of those he wants to be loyal to him. Unlike his predecessor, he is not one to use only words to obtain an ally. He is willing to get violent if necessary, to break hearts and minds if it means that they will follow him. He sincerely does desire for everyone to follow him without complaint, helping him to achieve his happiness. His family, his friends, his followers, even those who normally would consider someone with his disposition an 'enemy'. But he knows that is a foolish dream; that some people will have to be broken so that they can recover again in a shape that has a better potential to survive.

» Loneliness and Isolation
Beneath all of Nevermore's attempts to make himself and those he cares about happy, there is still that cold, shivering feeling of isolation. The feeling that nobody cares about him. The feeling that was left behind by his predecessor. That his works were burned. That his betrothed abandoned him. That he was trapped alone in Hell, with only his tormentor for company. That he was left within a rock for years, when his heart had burned to make things right.

Nevermore hates being alone, more than anything else in the world. It is the ugliest, and truest, part of himself. He does not brood upon it; the lives that make up his soul did enough of that for the several lifetimes he hopes to see through. Things that fill his head; is he just a shell left behind by Iriko? Is he even supposed to exist in this world? Is he truly and completely alone in his desire? Even when others tell him they agree with him, that it is what they want. He feels alone. It's impossible for anyone else to go through what he has, and he understands that, in his head…

But he can't shake that disgustingly human feeling.

» Example Quotes:

"I do not create. I do not destroy. I bring what is to its highest point."

"I care for each blade of grass beneath your heel. But each blade of grass beneath your heel must be stepped upon for you to move forward."

"That is The Truth."



Entrapment

There she was. There was the one who had put him here. He could see her, on the outside of this crystal. Of this prison. Surely he would not be here forever. Surely there was someone whose life Iriko Crow had touched who would come seek him out. Surely he would get the chance to escape, someone who would be willing to forge through hell for…

His eyes opened within the crystal, staring directly at the ceiling within it. He could move his body, stretch just enough to shift from standing to sitting in his little prison. On the surface, his body was still frozen, but his essence could move about. He was never going to escape. That was the cold, cruel reality. It came crashing down upon him all at once, rooting and traversing the memories of each and every one of the Iriko Crow's who made up his body. So many of them. So many dead. So many sacrificed because of that cursed one. That hated one. The one he had expunged from himself, along with his left arm.

He missed his left arm.

So here he was. He had been born. The lives and knowledge of so many iterations of a man who had once been a philosopher, a captain commander. So many different possibilities made up his soul, spent and wasted away within him, reborn as something entirely new. Something so much more powerful. So much more… divine. He could feel everything around him. It was him. Even this surface within hell. He could feel Deveta with his temple nearby, but they could not communicate. That was the purpose of this prison; he could not have escaped hell, nor had he wanted to. It was strong enough that he would be left alone, and also strong enough that he could not forsake the plan that had developed along with his existence.

It was a simple contest. Did his life have enough of an effect on this world that someone would be willing to come here, believing in him? If so, then he would power that cold feeling that filled his body. That divinity that he had taken on. So much of what had once belonged to that Heart was now his to use as he pleased… but it was also drawn back by its nature. There were none who followed him; without the dead souls that made up his body, he would already have faded from this world. But their emotion sustained him. They nourished him, and he could feel that they would keep going for as many of them had been pointlessly sacrificed to her insanity. Her instability. Her cruelty.

He could stay here until the world died, and finally took him with it. Or it would free him, and if that happened, then he figured it was meant to be. But for now, it was time to plan. Not for the world as it was now…

But for how it was meant to be.

Contemplating the Demons

The Demons are bringers of chaos, the man said to himself. That man contemplated the demons, what their purpose was. He contemplated their ancient God. For the Demons, the most important thing was what they called 'Za Koa'. They worshipped death; they worshipped chaos and carnage. They loved ambition, and they were always willing to offer sacrifices to its altar.

But, demons were more than that. They were passionate, and they were legitimately ambitious. They were the least afraid to conflict with one another; when the demon's society becomes cowed is when they begin to lose their bright spark. So for the Demon Society to function, with that immovable Divine of theirs with his wretched Heart, they must be allowed to express themselves. Support the ones who inflict chaos, and praise their God's. Strike down the ones who encourage for them to unify and oppress those of the other realms; too much unification pools their power away from themselves, and causes for them to experience tragedy.

From the Demons, he wants to gain ambition. He wants to feel their reckless devotion, that leads them to perform insane acts for what they believe in. He wants that fire and spirit, guiding him to be a God like the one they worship.

Contemplating the Humans

Humanity itself. The ones who thought themselves the most intelligent, and no matter who laughs at them, or demeans them… they continue to rise to the challenge. Innovation is theirs; and so is tragedy. They possess the ability to feel sadness and the ingenuity to keep it from happening again. They created systems and developed their technology, faster than any other single race or group had. They could embody the spark of every emotion, and allowed for any and all of them to be their master.

But they had an ugly side, as well. An animal side. A distinctly… basic set of urges. These urges allowed for them to disregard their own humanity, their own empathy. To cruelly make sacrifices and take what they wanted. While humanity may have been bright and burning on the surface, that light would always be balanced by the darkness dwelling beneath.

What humans need is opportunity, the chance to be what they desire. Their ambitions are largely simple; become the ruler of my town, become someone who holds life and death in his hands. Become a leader of men for my god. Become economically rich. Become physically unstoppable. Be able to give into their own insanity. As long as humans believe they have a chance, they will ultimately take care of themselves. And like the scared creatures they are, they will mostly keep to themselves.

From the Humans, he needs adaptability, and the resolution to make sacrifices. He needs the ability to feel tragedy, to guide his spirit in what will make him happy. He needs ignorance and innocence, to be foolish enough for other to trust him, and to show them that he is not numb to the world. That is what he needs from them most of all; a beating heart, with the ingenuity to keep it from falling into despair.

Contemplating the Shinigami

The Shinigami. The 'lawkeepers'. The treasured children of that being, the Soul King. The ones who Seirei Rukon fought for. A name that made his fist clench whenever he thought about it, no matter how much time had passed. They lived a beautiful lie. They, more than anyone else, were willing to overlook potentially dangerous filth. They were the most peaceful of the races, and the least in control of their own lawkeepers.

The Gotei was never meant to be peaceful, though. It was and always would be a bloody business. From the matter of the Quincy Executions, it has always been plain to him that what the Shinigami need to be happy is a target to rally against. As dead souls, they want to feel special. They want to feel as if their unlife has meaning. That they were bequeathed with special power, and that it is their responsibility to use or misuse it as they see fit. This meant that ultimately, certain Shinigami would become 'noble'. Unable to resist the forces of a monarchy, Shinigami do not live in a society that allows for upward social mobility.

Period.

The Royal Families. The Captains. The Captain Commander. The Central 46. They tried constantly to stay in control, and at the end of the day they held that control better than anyone else. Because their control was a phantom; they had a place within the nature of things, and they wanted to stay within it.

From the Shinigami, he needed that ability to blend in. He needed the omnipotence of those they worshipped, unwilling to compromise. He needed to be able to gain that kind of constant control; to make his reality a part of the natural order. He needed to be willing to put up with those who turned his stomach in order to gain the benefit of their abilities. And lastly, he needed their bureaucracy. Their unfeeling ability to make decisions to defend their systems.

Contemplating the Quincy

Thinking on the Quincy, at first, he thought that it would not take long. However, as he began to run through several mental loops of the same kind of the Iramasha, he eventually relented and gave them a proper analysis. They were a unique kind of human, brought into this world under strange circumstances, wanting nothing more than the eradication of hollows.

Eradication. That was the principal word of the Quincy; they fought against the natural order of things. They were willing to make risks and put things out of balance, knowing full well what they were doing. But that eradication went both ways; it came back upon them, as well. Killing and being killed, a life of endless war. A strength that allowed for them to persevere through it all, to survive.

What he needed from the Quincy was that ability to survive. He needed to be eternal, as eternal as he could. At least eternal enough that what he brought into this world, to change the natural order of things, would not be overtaken. He would need their perseverance, to keep going, no matter how many years passed. He would need to find things and systems to reinforce his own mind, once he became like a God. So that he would not get bored, or attempt to abandon it.

Contemplating the Iramasha

The Iramasha… founded by mixing Demons and Angels. A set of beings who stood diametrically opposed to one another, but are able to live in harmony. Well, relative harmony. He contemplated how they were able to survive with such great differences; they could not truly say they got along, and yet… they made things work. From this group of people, Nevermore gained an… appreciation. He needed their ability to respect one another, to respect what made them… them. But he also needed from them their ability to keep themselves separate, even while together. They could not all be truly mixed into one; while there may be some subsections, they have to respect the parts of them that make them different from one another.

Contemplating the Hollows and Arrancar

From those mad, soulless beings, and the ones who had regained their ability to reason… Nevermore needed their voraciousness. Their insatiable hunger, and their lack of mercy. He needed them to help him understand what kind of being he himself was; with so many dead and emptied souls making up his consciousness, they were the closest thing he could think of to what made him… him. And much like the Arrancar, he had ascended beyond a thoughtless consciousness. He needed from them most of all their capacity for evolution. He contemplated how they could continue to grow, through the sacrifice of others. While it may not have appealed to him, he could not ignore the effectiveness of their results. He needed them to remind him that sometimes, there must be sacrifices to accomplishing what he desired. While this stood so opposed to what his predecessor believed; he thought that this must be the thing he needed to achieve success.

Contemplating the Others

Yet… there would always be outsiders. As Nevermore contemplated this, he realized he fell in with this category. Those who no longer had a home to return to. Those who had never had a home to begin with. The outcasts, those difficult to define by simple terms like 'race' or 'culture'. Surely they adopted the cultures around them; or, they bluntly resisted, starting entirely new traits within themselves. That ability to become unique; that was what Nevermore needed from the outcasts and the hybrids of the world. He needed the ability to say 'I am different from you, and always will be'. He needed to be separate, to avoid letting himself fall into 'normal' patterns. If he were to achieve his goal, he could not do so as any kind of being which currently existed. At least… not since the last Outsider who had donned the name Truth.

Desire to be Free

At last, Nevermore came across a strange little thing within his dreaming and contemplation. A rather meek thing, but he could sense the power of the Danava even within this. So he spent time with that individual, explaining his current state and making a simple request; to set him free. He desired to be free; even though he knew that it also turned his stomach. He was afraid of what he wanted to do; but he would push through that fear. So there he would wait, at the bottom of Hell, patiently. His desire growing and growing, becoming more and more refined. He could feel it within her; the capacity for himself to escape. Even if she were to fail, and perish; her chance meeting proved that eventually, there would be one who would succeed.

And that, he knew, was The Truth.



Natural State
Nevermore's typical state refers to the energy he gives off, the degree of power he maintains, and the supernatural physiological traits he possesses.

Natural State: Energy
Nevermore's energy does not register as any specific race to most individuals. It feels… 'different' to them, somehow. This energy signature would feel similar to the golden trails of divinity that flow from Khala Asthavon. However, for those individuals who have a level of detection similar to that of an Arrancar's Elite Pesquia, or higher, they will notice two distinct energy signatures held within that divinity. The first is Shinigami; the other is Demon. And for those whose abilities far outstrip even that, those of a Master or higher, they can detect not one but multiple Shinigami signatures held within the man. In a way, his soul could be described as 'large'; due to the amount of individual spirits which were melded to compose it, attacks which damage the 'spirit' or soul of an individual tend to be much weaker against Nevermore.

Difficulty to Absorb Energy
While it is possible to absorb a small part of the energy from Nevermore himself or the attacks he creates with his power, it is generally speaking not possible to absorb most of it. The divine nature of his energy prohibits this; when it is attempted to be absorbed, it simply disperses instead. The only possible exception to this would be those who have received a similar boon from Khala as he has.

Enormous Raw Energy
Perhaps the most threatening part of Nevermore's energy, however, is his spiritual pressure. Like a Shinigami, he is able to loose this raw pressure outward on his surroundings, and doing so would cause for a rather significant change in the environment. The ground itself would shake as if from an earthquake; buildings would begin to collapse nearby, and individuals without strong spiritual pressure would likely be pushed right up onto the ground. He is able to control this spiritual pressure, to an extent; but within a 10 foot radius of himself, he is unable to hold it back subconsciously, which means that most people entering near his body will first feel a crazy amount of pressure before it begins to let up.

Physiology
Nevermore's body has become that of a 'divine', in a way. The more people who 'believe' in him, who have faith in him, who follow him, the harder he is to completely destroy. However, it should be noted that while he may possess divine traits, he is still 'fake'. It is possible for his spirit itself to be destroyed; should his soul be erased, or his existence negated, he will fade just as any other individual would. However, for those attacks which affect the mind or body, he tends to be able to shrug them off with relative ease. While his body still feels pain, the degree at which he is numb to suffering is such that it does not register very well past his initial feeling of suffering.

In addition, the more his followers 'believe' in him, or 'have faith' in him, the more his energy responds to these desires, particularly if he has been physically harmed. Such wishes restore his body much faster than he normally would, and they allow for him to use his abilities at the extent they are designed to be used. The flip side of this is, of course, that if he were to lose all of those who follow him, he would become like when he was within the crystal prison again; unable to affect the outside world with anything beyond his own body. He would still be difficult to completely kill, but it would be a much easier feat.

Mental Physiology
Nevermore's mind is extremely difficult to damage. In some ways, the defenses it maintained could be seen as 'scar tissue'. Due to the extensive damage Khala inflicted upon him, combined with the meditation he was able to achieve as his predecessor and later within the crystal prison, he has become very difficult to damage on a mental level. It is possible to influence him, to some extent; but the more drastic a mental attack against him, the more violently his mind resists it, often negating nearly all of the negative effects. Furthermore, attacks made against his psyche alert him almost immediately; it would take an extremely stealthy mental assault for him to not realize it is happening to him.

Bond with Khala Asthavon
Nevermore no longer maintains the same bond that Iriko Crow had with Khala; the bond has changed significantly, and at this point has become a nebulous form of what it was before. In all likelihood, for it to have any kinds of effects as it did before, he would need to meet with Khala again and at that time it could be reforged into a form more appropriate.

Voice of Iriko Crow
Nevermore Truth has the voice of Iriko Crow. If anyone were to close their eyes and listen to him, they would believe that it is Iriko's voice. Even if there were some kind of ability that is able to know the spirit of a speaker based on their voice pattern, it would come up as Iriko Crow.

Mortal Appearance
Nevermore appears to have modified the Shifter Appearance abilities of the Demons toward his own uses. When he wishes to blend in among humans or other creatures who find his appearance unusual, he is able to convert his appearance back to this state. This appearance is the same as the Shikokai of his predecessor. While he is in this state, he blends in amazingly well. However, he would only choose to use this ability if forced to. While the appearance may have been his at one point, he feels that he is completely separate from it now. In other words, most applications that this form could have would violate some Truth about Nevermore. One should note that while in this state, Nevermore is only able to use one ability consciously while in this state; leaving it. If he is dealt damage while like this, then his body immediately morphs, revealing Nevermore's true face.

Spiritual Power Formation
While Nevermore typically does whatever he can to avoid violence, he does seem to be in the habit of forming peculiar 'crystals' using his spiritual power. These are simple spiritual constructs; he could throw them at someone, and they would deal about as much damage as a boulder or rock of equivalent size. It would be difficult for him to manipulate more than a couple of dozen of these at a time. That said, their primary application is not combat; in all likelihood, Nevermore would never purposefully use these offensively against someone else. He uses them to illustrate points; whether using them to represent people, objects, or events. These constructs form within his palm, as a small pebble-like object. He then opens up his hand, and lets them form in front of him. Peculiarly, even if something were to happen to Nevermore, they would continue floating wherever he left them, for up to a week afterward.



Danava of the Theory of Forms
Nevermore is the 'Danava of Forms'. To truly understand how his nature works, one must understand how Nevermore himself views the world. He believes that everything within this world is merely a 'shadow' of itself. The theory of forms is 'a philosophical theory, concept, or world-view, attributed to Plato, that the physical world is not as real or true as timeless, absolute, unchangeable ideas'.[1] Ultimately, this reflects back on Nevermore's beliefs about himself. He wants to become The Truth, the true Truth, the timeless, absolute, unchangeable Truth. He sees himself as a shadow of The Truth, a reflected form striving to become the 'form' of Truth. To him, a 'form' is defined as the ultimate state of something; the absolute Truth of it. For example, a 'chair' might be a wooden object full of scratches and tears from use, but the 'form' of a chair would be something a person uses to sit on.

Inanimate Object Forms
Perhaps the simplest way to understand the way that Nevermore's abilities work is to see how he works with inanimate, unpowered objects. For example, the prison that he was trapped within. The very idea of 'prison' was that a person could not leave it, unless released by the gatekeeper. Nevermore's contact with it changed the prison he was placed within, turning it into the best way to view and hold the 'prisoner'. This happened for Nevermore subconsciously; once he realized he would be sealed in Hell, the seal became the closest thing to its 'form' that it could.

Another way to see this ability in action happens whenever Nevermore seats himself within a chair. The chair's material grows and expands, expending a minute portion of his energy or the surrounding reishi, becoming for all intents and purposes a throne. The most common way for a wooden chair to transform would to light with golden flame for him, growing or expanding armrests and raising its back to become a throne. The created throne is never the same; it changes per the form of each chair that he sits within.

Another example would be for him to grip something like a tool; a wrench or a pencil. They will transform into the purest form they can; a pencil will become the most comfortable writing utensil imaginable, forming to the wielder's fingers, its tip perfectly sharp, its length beautifully embordered.

What are the limitations of this ability? Well, that comes down to 'complexity'. For example, if Nevermore were to grip the handles of an oil rigger, it would expand dramatically and concisely, gaining instrumentation that would greatly assist in locating nearby oil, and even gaining the ability for it to move around to collect more oil… however, if he were to grip the walls of a building, nothing would happen. Once the 'form' becomes unclear, or difficult to describe in words, or too vague, he becomes much less likely to be able to alter or change it, consciously or unconsciously. He cannot change a building that he determines as 'house', for the purpose of 'living in'. That becomes too vague, and his nature would not cause for any change to occur.

Typically, the changes that Nevermore makes upon inanimate objects remain until they leave his conscious and unconscious mind. This typically means that the inanimate things he changes remain changed for about a day after he has come into contact with them. When they turn back, the object returns to its original state, before being gripped by gravity once again and the laws of nature taking things from there. That is another important thing to note; Nevermore does not have a choice over what form the things he touches takes. Whether that form will not work well in a specific circumstance, such as a pencil becoming the truest writing utensil as opposed to something like the truest shield or piercing object, he cannot do anything about this.

While he is able to control this ability consciously, and disable it consciously, he tends to activate it subconsciously. This could result in another large potential drawback; if he were to come into contact with something designed to harm him, and that fact were obfuscated from him somehow, he would be incredibly damaged. If he were to come into contact with something meant to 'kill' him, and this ability were to trigger, his physical body would likely immediately die, leaving his spirit vulnerable until his body has reformed from his faith-based physiology.

Form: Defense of the Heart
As briefly touched upon in his physiology, Nevermore does not slow down much from being damaged. However, even inflicting damage upon him can be difficult once his conscious mind has realized he wants to enter combat. This is described as the Defense of the Heart; and it simply uses his energy to create as firm of defenses as it can once he has initiated combat. However, this ability is not active while he is out of combat, does not believe that he is under any kind of threat, or when he is surprised by a single attack.

Part of this ability's use is to 'discourage' offenders. While it is possible for an opponent to realize his defenses have been broken, feeling through their limbs or attacks or seeing Nevermore stumble while he processes how badly he has been damaged, he does not 'appear' to ever become damaged. His Defense of the Heart creates an illusory outer appearance when his body is dealt damage; which means that if Nevermore is in combat and does not want to show the pain or suffering he is undergoing, it will not be visually displayed. Typical abilities or items that see through illusions are able to pierce through this fairly easily, however, as Nevermore does not subconsciously use much to maintain it.

Form of Damage
This 'form' is one of the two energy attacks that Nevermore is able to utilize. This one's purpose is quite simply to deal as much precise damage as possible. Nevermore does not have any kind of elemental controls or manipulations, which means that this attack takes the form of a raw energy blast. What makes this blast special, then? The amount of raw damage that it is able to inflict upon hitting its target. The fact that while this attack deals physical damage, it also causes mental strain on the target, as well. It is meant to 'hurt' the target, and Nevermore attempts to reach that 'form' for this attack as aggressively as he can. As a result, this blast is incredibly fast, no matter its size. It spirals upon the target, lasting until Nevermore stops feeding it energy or it has pierced through the target. The outer lines of the attack are barbed and the edges serrated

The mental damage that it inflicts could be described as 'anxiety' or 'stress'. A successful hit of this attack will result in the target experiencing incredibly distracting amounts of mental strain, in addition to the physical suffering it inflicts upon their body. This move is by no means an automatic kill, or even an automatic hit; it is simply the most effective blast Nevermore could make toward those ends, of which he does not have to train or even focus himself to make happen.

The Form of Damage's variable depends on how large Nevermore decides he wants to create the blast. The strain that it puts on his body to perform such an aggressive maneuver means that if he wants to use a blast larger than an individual's limb, he will only be able to use the Form of Damage once per post. If he is not focusing on larger, more effective attacks however, he can use smaller blasts up to three times within a post, unless he has excessively strained what he is able to do as the Danava of Forms. In an emergency, he will be able to produce at least one small Form of Damage-enhanced blast, even if it is only the size of his finger, though this will exhaust him.

Nevermore is not able to direct the blasts after they are launched; however, if he thinks it likely a person will move a certain way, he can predesignate directions for the attack to bend in to make it more likely for it to hit them.

These attacks are the standard gold of Nevermore's aura, enhanced with light blue spirals of energy.

Form of Blast
While Nevermore is able to create the Form of Damage as the 'right hand' of his aggressive combat capabilities, his 'left hand' would be the Form of Blast. While Form of Damage's purpose is simple, to simply… deal damage, the Form of Blast's purpose is to simply create an amount of destruction. These are the kinds of energy attacks that topple buildings, blow people away, and send nearby wildlife into a panic. Just as the Form of Damage's mental effect on those it hits causes them stress, the Form of Blast has a mental effect which causes panic. Those who are afflicted by an attack enhanced with the Form of Blast are likely to be sent into a frenzy encouraging for them to either flee or otherwise act recklessly. These blasts are golden with red spirals, and they tend to expand considerably once they leave Nevermore's hand.

Nevermore does not typically try to direct these attacks, and these attacks also take out a considerable amount of what he can do within a single post, making it so that using further techniques that utilize his Forms become difficult. He also typically does not try to aim these attacks at anything; their purpose is to create a massive eruption of destruction within an area, either for the purpose of distracting those within it or to inflict fear upon a person or group.

While it is possible for an individual to outspeed or block this attack, it should be noted that it will deal a significant degree of explosive damage, and that the blast radius will be exponentially (between 10 and 20 times) larger than the size of the initial energy attack that Nevermore fires.

Form of One's Superego
How does Nevermore's abilities affect those around him? Well, due to the nature of how the Theory of Forms works, he is not able to use it to 'harm' others. So what happens when his powers are used on someone else? Quite frankly, they change. In what way do they change? Influenced by what?

That depends on the part of a person's identity which Frued referred to as the 'Superego'. According to verywellmind.com, 'the superego is the component of personality composed of our internalized ideals that we have acquired from our parents and society'. This determines the mindset that an individual gains when Nevermore's Theory of Forms is influencing them. Whatever their ideals are, the parts they like most about themselves, what they see as their 'best self'… these become their mindset while they are under Nevermore's influence. Their primal urges are substantially repressed.

What does this do to their body? Well, typically, nothing. If someone accepts Nevermore's Form of One's Superego, they will simply have their mental state influenced towards their idealistic self. However, for those who have never received this blessing before, it is possible for them to experience physical and ability changes. These changes, however, only affect the person's 'potential'. If there are repressed parts of their abilities, or the appearance they have is not the one that they see as their ideal self, they will become transformed. A substantial amount of what they need to achieve their potential will be endured by their body and soul; if not enough to achieve their limited, repressed abilities, then it will put them significantly closer to achieving them.

The important part to remember with this ability is that, once again, Nevermore has no say once it has begun. As a result, he tends to use this ability very rarely, only as a reward for very devout followers or for those who he sees as needing a forceful push toward their own evolution.

The mental effects of this ability tend to last for the duration of a thread, passing soon afterward. The individual will remember how they felt throughout the length of the effect, and while they may learn something from it and strive to get more in tune with their 'superego', it is by no means an absolute that will occur.

Nevermore activates this ability by placing his hand on the head of his target. For any part of this ability to work, the target must trust Nevermore not to hurt them and have a general desire to break free of whatever is repressing them, or a strong distaste for their primal urges.

It is even possible for Nevermore to use this ability on himself. By placing his right hand on his forehead, he can become the form of his own 'superego' for up to three posts. In this state, he refers to himself as The Truth, and the more negative aspects of his personality become entirely repressed. He becomes completely unwilling to sacrifice his followers, intolerant toward any kind of evil or chaos, and as benevolent as he can to those who are uninvolved in whatever conflict he is currently experiencing.

Truly Formal Debate
One of the most important ways that Nevermore is able to utilize his abilities relating to the Theory of Forms is in creating 'Formal Debates'. Essentially, he creates a metaphysical landscape that himself and whatever individual or individuals he is talking with are able to 'experience' at the same time as whatever their physical bodies are doing. The plane is constructed in such a way that as long as those it is affecting have a Mental Deduction of at least Adept, they will be able to effortlessly perceive whatever is happening there at the same time as real life. Those with less than an adept rating of mental deduction and less than an focus rating of less than adept will likely find the split metaphysical realm incredibly distracting.

Within this metaphysical realm, Nevermore is able to depict what he regards as the 'best' parts of whatever argument he is trying to make. From there, those affected are able to choose whether they 'accept' or 'reject' that argument, which puts the ball back into Nevermore's court. From here, Nevermore can attempt to show additional 'evidence' or counterpoints within his metaphysical realm, being displayed in the most effective way possible through his connection to the Theory of Forms.

For example, the most common way that Nevermore uses this ability is to share his vision of the world in order to gain followers. He displays the various realms working in a relative kind of harmony, showing those watching the immense destruction of the previous Truth, how awful that was, the legacy of destruction that was inflicted from the world becoming destabilized from that event… and ultimately, what good he could perform by taking Truth's place. How much better things would be, how the world would be able to tick without having to worry about things which disrupt the very fabric of existence traipsing around as they please, bringing up a variety of counterarguments that he has prepared for during his time in the crystal prison.

What happens if Nevermore runs out of evidence, and a rejection by the one he is talking with sticks? Quite simply; he takes a debilitating amount of damage. This bypasses his own Defense of the Heart or any similar defensive augmentations, his consciousness, body, and soul taking direct damage proportional to the number of people who were in the session where his beliefs were rejected. Upon this kind of crash, Nevermore will likely fall to the ground, completely paralyzed, and this is the best chance one will have for trying to kill him. Ultimately, it is a success or failure; if one rejects, then Nevermore believes he has lost, and the negative effects impact him for the number of people who were in the session.

Important to note; only Nevermore is able to utilize the metaphysical realm to display his argument. Those he is arguing against have whatever is at their disposal to reply with.