Name: Madame Tarantula
Age: Ageless; she doesn't recall how old she is (likely ~4000 or older)
Birthday: Unknown
Gender: Nonbinary / genderfluid — primary pronouns are she/her(s)
Species: Anansi / spider shapeshifter
Class: High School AP & College
Subject/Work: French
Appearance Description:
Personality Description:
Powers: In general, much of Madame's powers are from what she is, rather than who she is, unless we start counting 'extreme etiquette' and 'excelling at being lady-like'.
Species Abilities:
Biography:
Additional Information:
○ Languages
French and English are her current primary tongues though she retains a smattering of various languages, some dead and forgotten.
Age: Ageless; she doesn't recall how old she is (likely ~4000 or older)
Birthday: Unknown
Gender: Nonbinary / genderfluid — primary pronouns are she/her(s)
Species: Anansi / spider shapeshifter
Class: High School AP & College
Subject/Work: French
Appearance Description:
○ Eye Color
Blue with a slight silver cast.
○ Hair Color / Style
Brilliant ebony, shoulder-blade length and oft done up in tight ringlets with straightened bangs that frame her face.
○ Facial Structure
Somewhat rounded, with high cheekbones, a dainty nose and full lips.
○ Height
Just shy of 6', around ~5'10"
○ Complexion
Pale, although the use of porcelain foundation makes her appear even more so. She is a fan of elegant, gothic-styled make-up, and tends to maintain a monochrome theme with her eyeshadows and lipsticks.
○ Build
Slender, although not stick-thin. She has feminine curves, albeit mostly in her hips and waist since she is flat-chested.
○ Fashion
Anachronistic haute couture is more often than not what Madame adorns herself with. Tightly cinched corsets and bountiful bustle skirts combined with a variety of blouses are her mainstays. She enjoys stockings, lingerie and jewelry that have spiderweb patterns or are otherwise arachnid-themed.
Blue with a slight silver cast.
○ Hair Color / Style
Brilliant ebony, shoulder-blade length and oft done up in tight ringlets with straightened bangs that frame her face.
○ Facial Structure
Somewhat rounded, with high cheekbones, a dainty nose and full lips.
○ Height
Just shy of 6', around ~5'10"
○ Complexion
Pale, although the use of porcelain foundation makes her appear even more so. She is a fan of elegant, gothic-styled make-up, and tends to maintain a monochrome theme with her eyeshadows and lipsticks.
○ Build
Slender, although not stick-thin. She has feminine curves, albeit mostly in her hips and waist since she is flat-chested.
○ Fashion
Anachronistic haute couture is more often than not what Madame adorns herself with. Tightly cinched corsets and bountiful bustle skirts combined with a variety of blouses are her mainstays. She enjoys stockings, lingerie and jewelry that have spiderweb patterns or are otherwise arachnid-themed.
Personality Description:
○ Motherly
She has resided in a caregiver role for quite some time, and she excels in it. She is great at watching out for others' well being, whether that's in a friendly or professional way. She shows she cares by taking care of people.
○ Dominant
She knows what she wants, how she wants it, and how she likes it. Madame has a strong personality and she isn't afraid to show it, more than capable in knowing how to handle herself with others in both speech and body language.
○ Mindful
Think before you speak or act is something Madame has learned long ago. She is careful of what she says and how she acts, considering different angles and how she's presenting herself at any given time.
○ Proper
Etiquette sadly appears to be a lost artform at times in this modern age, but it is something that Madame clings to doggedly. She prefers the old ways and chivalry is certainly not dead.
○ Particular
Maybe better described as refined tastes, Madame is very particular in what she consumes or experiences. This at times can come off as haughty or snobby to those who do not know her well.
○ Vindictive
The phrase hell hath no fury like a woman scorned is particularly apt when it comes to Madame. She is sweet to those she cares for, yes, but if you ever cross her, there is little to no hope of ever regaining her trust.
○ Controlling
Going hand-in-hand with her dominance, she can be quite controlling, especially of those close to her. She is most comfortable when she is able to control the outcome of any given situation.
She has resided in a caregiver role for quite some time, and she excels in it. She is great at watching out for others' well being, whether that's in a friendly or professional way. She shows she cares by taking care of people.
○ Dominant
She knows what she wants, how she wants it, and how she likes it. Madame has a strong personality and she isn't afraid to show it, more than capable in knowing how to handle herself with others in both speech and body language.
○ Mindful
Think before you speak or act is something Madame has learned long ago. She is careful of what she says and how she acts, considering different angles and how she's presenting herself at any given time.
○ Proper
Etiquette sadly appears to be a lost artform at times in this modern age, but it is something that Madame clings to doggedly. She prefers the old ways and chivalry is certainly not dead.
○ Particular
Maybe better described as refined tastes, Madame is very particular in what she consumes or experiences. This at times can come off as haughty or snobby to those who do not know her well.
○ Vindictive
The phrase hell hath no fury like a woman scorned is particularly apt when it comes to Madame. She is sweet to those she cares for, yes, but if you ever cross her, there is little to no hope of ever regaining her trust.
○ Controlling
Going hand-in-hand with her dominance, she can be quite controlling, especially of those close to her. She is most comfortable when she is able to control the outcome of any given situation.
Powers: In general, much of Madame's powers are from what she is, rather than who she is, unless we start counting 'extreme etiquette' and 'excelling at being lady-like'.
Species Abilities:
As far as she is aware, she has always been. She knows she is old, but putting an exact number on it is difficult. Her kind's psyche can only hold so much data, so to speak, and every five hundred years or so they suffer a 'reset' — basic personal knowledge and learned skills remain, deep acquaintances are familiar, but all else is wiped clean. Unable to recall her parents or if she had any at all, and having not met any others exactly like her to find an appropriate label, she calls herself anansi, drawing inspiration from the african deity though as far as she knows, she has no connection with him.
The self-proclaimed Madame has the following innate talents and learned skills as well as their associated drawbacks:
○ Immortality
In the sense that she does not physically age and is resilient to sickness and disease. She may still be killed with enough damage through physical or magical means.
○ Glamour
She can change her appearance (hair color, eye color, gender, etc.). Smaller changes (such as hair/eye color) can be done at will, though larger changes (such as bodily make-up, e.g. physical sex) take time and thus are not often done at whim. Her default form is an androgynous one, physically male though one would never think it unless they were looking underneath her petticoat.
○ Crawling Form
To put it simply, she has the ability to convert her body mass to hundreds of smaller spiders equal to her weight. En masse, these arachnids hold her consciousness akin to a hivemind. As members of the group are either killed or lost, her consciousness slowly coalesces into the remaining critters. So long as a handful survive and are able to make it to a safe spot, she may return to her humanoid form.
○ Stepping Sideways
Over the cycles of her lifespan, the lady spider has gradually built up her "home web". One could consider it a pocket dimension of sorts. She travels to and from this place via reflective surfaces — it should be noted that what surfaces work for this is very finicky, often leaving her to rely on very still water or mirrors — a process which she has dubbed "stepping sideways". Her home web can be considered her natural habitat of sorts, and she must return to it for a period of rest (~8 hours) each earth day. While she can go without, extended separation from her home web is dangerous and will lead to a gradual weakening of her powers, and eventual death as she loses the ability to travel to her pocket dimension.
She can bring outsiders to her pocket dimension so long as she maintains physical contact with her guest while stepping sideways, though the wear and tear of such adventures generally tend to depend on the individual's species. As a base rule though, most things start experiencing a sense of disconnect and vertigo after a period of ~8 hours.
Currently her home web and pocket dimension takes the form of an old, sprawling victorian-styled manor surrounded by a sea of darkness, which she lovingly refers to as the "glass spiderweb castle".
○ Spider Communication
The ability to talk with spiders. Yep, that's it.
○ Supernatural Senses & Physicality
Akin to a vampire, she has heightened agility, strength, smelling, hearing, etc.
The self-proclaimed Madame has the following innate talents and learned skills as well as their associated drawbacks:
○ Immortality
In the sense that she does not physically age and is resilient to sickness and disease. She may still be killed with enough damage through physical or magical means.
○ Glamour
She can change her appearance (hair color, eye color, gender, etc.). Smaller changes (such as hair/eye color) can be done at will, though larger changes (such as bodily make-up, e.g. physical sex) take time and thus are not often done at whim. Her default form is an androgynous one, physically male though one would never think it unless they were looking underneath her petticoat.
○ Crawling Form
To put it simply, she has the ability to convert her body mass to hundreds of smaller spiders equal to her weight. En masse, these arachnids hold her consciousness akin to a hivemind. As members of the group are either killed or lost, her consciousness slowly coalesces into the remaining critters. So long as a handful survive and are able to make it to a safe spot, she may return to her humanoid form.
○ Stepping Sideways
Over the cycles of her lifespan, the lady spider has gradually built up her "home web". One could consider it a pocket dimension of sorts. She travels to and from this place via reflective surfaces — it should be noted that what surfaces work for this is very finicky, often leaving her to rely on very still water or mirrors — a process which she has dubbed "stepping sideways". Her home web can be considered her natural habitat of sorts, and she must return to it for a period of rest (~8 hours) each earth day. While she can go without, extended separation from her home web is dangerous and will lead to a gradual weakening of her powers, and eventual death as she loses the ability to travel to her pocket dimension.
She can bring outsiders to her pocket dimension so long as she maintains physical contact with her guest while stepping sideways, though the wear and tear of such adventures generally tend to depend on the individual's species. As a base rule though, most things start experiencing a sense of disconnect and vertigo after a period of ~8 hours.
Currently her home web and pocket dimension takes the form of an old, sprawling victorian-styled manor surrounded by a sea of darkness, which she lovingly refers to as the "glass spiderweb castle".
○ Spider Communication
The ability to talk with spiders. Yep, that's it.
○ Supernatural Senses & Physicality
Akin to a vampire, she has heightened agility, strength, smelling, hearing, etc.
Biography:
If she steadies herself and focuses, she can recall vague snippets and impressions...
weaving silk dolls under the hot African sun — the intense smell of burning flesh combined with outcries of devil and blasphemer —
But as soon as they start to solidify, they flutter away and are gone, lost to the annals of time.
What she does remember is Paris.
She still holds a love for the bustling melting pot of a city, despite all that has transpired there. Revisiting that period of her existence is as simple closing her eyes and submitting to the whim of memory.
There once was a time where she had woven her web thoroughly through that city, her name on the lips of aristocrats and paupers alike. Everyone knew of Madame's Doll Bordello — in truth more akin to a geisha house than a brothel — where all walks of life, for the right price, could enjoy wine and dinner with some exquisite company. She manned her establishment with all the grace and dignity one might expect, and it truly flourished. Both her patrons and the girls under her care were content and happy, and she shared in their joy.
And then came Alice — though that wasn't the child's name at the time — a frail waif of a boy that crossed paths with Madame during one of her errand trips into the city proper. There was something about the youth that sparked the lady spider's maternal instincts, and she swept him up, took him back to her house, her establishment. Taking him underneath her wing, she groomed and nursed him back into health. All the while the boy was enraptured and marveled at everything around him, clinging to Madame's skirt hem as she walked the manor, taking care of business.
Eventually, when the boy was healthy and strong, she had to figure out what to do with him. She didn't have the heart to simply put him back on the street where she had found him, but she also couldn't put him to work in a traditional sense in her household. As she tenderly explained this dilemma to the youth, brushing his blonde locks, the child dropped a bombshell. I want to be like your girls, and to be loved by you. While there was very little that shocked the Madame anymore, given her line of work, this plea gave her pause on how to proceed.
However, she couldn't say no to the youth, and so she pulled her strings, arranged for a forbidden procedure of sorts. And so the boy was reborn as Alice, and she remained under Madame's wing, the spider's favorite protege and aspiring second-in-command in a sense. Life was good.
Yet unbeknownst to Madame, rumblings of dissent were forming in her house. Either unhappy with the level of control she exerted over them, or her possessiveness, the exact details may never be known, for it was Alice, and not Madame, who caught the assassination plot and put into motion the means to stop it. Her protege tried to warn her of the danger, but miscommunication and an unwillingness to believe that the situation was that far out of her control only meant that drastic measures had to be taken.
After the argument, the lady spider opted for an evening walk to clear her head and cool off. This absence was all the time Alice needed to act. When she returned from her walk, she was confronted by the vision of everything she had carefully built up over the decades being bathed by flame. In that moment, everything ran cold. She was oblivious to the pained and desperate pleas of her protege, yelling that it was us or them. She wouldn't hear it, refused to believe it, and left. Left Alice, left Paris, left it all behind to travel the world.
And now she finds herself in Manta Carlos, ready and willing to try to settle down.
weaving silk dolls under the hot African sun — the intense smell of burning flesh combined with outcries of devil and blasphemer —
But as soon as they start to solidify, they flutter away and are gone, lost to the annals of time.
What she does remember is Paris.
She still holds a love for the bustling melting pot of a city, despite all that has transpired there. Revisiting that period of her existence is as simple closing her eyes and submitting to the whim of memory.
There once was a time where she had woven her web thoroughly through that city, her name on the lips of aristocrats and paupers alike. Everyone knew of Madame's Doll Bordello — in truth more akin to a geisha house than a brothel — where all walks of life, for the right price, could enjoy wine and dinner with some exquisite company. She manned her establishment with all the grace and dignity one might expect, and it truly flourished. Both her patrons and the girls under her care were content and happy, and she shared in their joy.
And then came Alice — though that wasn't the child's name at the time — a frail waif of a boy that crossed paths with Madame during one of her errand trips into the city proper. There was something about the youth that sparked the lady spider's maternal instincts, and she swept him up, took him back to her house, her establishment. Taking him underneath her wing, she groomed and nursed him back into health. All the while the boy was enraptured and marveled at everything around him, clinging to Madame's skirt hem as she walked the manor, taking care of business.
Eventually, when the boy was healthy and strong, she had to figure out what to do with him. She didn't have the heart to simply put him back on the street where she had found him, but she also couldn't put him to work in a traditional sense in her household. As she tenderly explained this dilemma to the youth, brushing his blonde locks, the child dropped a bombshell. I want to be like your girls, and to be loved by you. While there was very little that shocked the Madame anymore, given her line of work, this plea gave her pause on how to proceed.
However, she couldn't say no to the youth, and so she pulled her strings, arranged for a forbidden procedure of sorts. And so the boy was reborn as Alice, and she remained under Madame's wing, the spider's favorite protege and aspiring second-in-command in a sense. Life was good.
Yet unbeknownst to Madame, rumblings of dissent were forming in her house. Either unhappy with the level of control she exerted over them, or her possessiveness, the exact details may never be known, for it was Alice, and not Madame, who caught the assassination plot and put into motion the means to stop it. Her protege tried to warn her of the danger, but miscommunication and an unwillingness to believe that the situation was that far out of her control only meant that drastic measures had to be taken.
After the argument, the lady spider opted for an evening walk to clear her head and cool off. This absence was all the time Alice needed to act. When she returned from her walk, she was confronted by the vision of everything she had carefully built up over the decades being bathed by flame. In that moment, everything ran cold. She was oblivious to the pained and desperate pleas of her protege, yelling that it was us or them. She wouldn't hear it, refused to believe it, and left. Left Alice, left Paris, left it all behind to travel the world.
And now she finds herself in Manta Carlos, ready and willing to try to settle down.
Additional Information:
○ Languages
French and English are her current primary tongues though she retains a smattering of various languages, some dead and forgotten.
