Archived-Sash

I retreated into safety, the world of illusion, in the stage, in the footlights, all eyes on me and no-one really seeing Because I do not talk backwards, because I do not say (Tgin Emoceb Seilfrettub) And the night does not become butterflies. I give nothing of myself to the audience, As I do it with mirrors And string And sleight The delusion of illusion and the hand deceives the eye... My life is strobed like lightning by a follow-spot, And looking backwards I can only see The corpses of the animals and birds who strutted with me on the darkened stage And helped me fool them all. Charms of birds And hatsful of dead rabbits. - Zatara, Book One:The Invisible Labyrinth The Books Of Magic by Neil Gaiman

Enchanter of the Free Council
Born: 1987
Age: 27
Sleeper Alias: Sonja Volkova
Rank: Apprentice of the Fourth Degree. However, her quick-talking and unwavering confidence often sees her taken for a Mage of far greater standing than she actually is.
Physical description: Grunge-hot, like an off-duty model; tall, leggy, and dressed like a thrift store manniquin, Sash rocks poker-straight pale blonde hair, torn leggings, and usually a few incidental scrapes and bruises. She has a dainty tattoo of a red heart on the webbing of her left thumb, matched by a black spade on the left, as well as a cadeuceus on the left side of her neck, and is never seen without a black bowler or trilby hat, out of which she is seen to conjure all manner of tricks.
Nimbus: The hush of the crowd before the big act comes on stage. Electric anticipation, breathless silence. Goosebumps and the pulsing of blood in ears.
Defining quote: "Hey, Mister, c'mere - no, no, don't walk away, I've got something to show you! Do you believe in magic? Do you want to see some? What, that guy? Pfft, sure, I mean, if you like small game - he's talentless, a hack. Cheap tricks and copout illusions. But I can see you're not so easy to impress; yeah, you're a gentlemen of discerning tastes in his entertainment, who can smell shenanigans and monkeyshines a mile away. Nah, nah, you're a harder audience, but I've got just the treat for you, and I know it's gonna make your day, so, come in, really close. Closer. I want you to watch this, very carefully, because it's hard work bending reality and I'm only gonna do it once. Now, are you paying attention? Are you watching very closely? Sure, anyone can pull a rabbit out of a tophat, but keep your eyes on me, here, because I'm about to pull a whippet out of a trilby."

Timeline

• April, 1987: born in Newcastle to boilermaker Daniel Grant and his Russian bride, Valeriya Volkova.
• September, 1993: brother, Mischa, is born.
• January, 1998: mother, Valeriya, diagnosed with breast cancer.
• August, 2000: after a long, hard struggle, Valeriya passes away.
• December, 2001: Sonja Awakens, and runs away from home, taking Mischa with her.
• 2002 - 2003: Promoted to parent and living on the street, Sonja scrounges a living for her brother and herself, grifting and stealing and performing tricks.
• July, 2003: Discovered by Damocles, who schools her in the reality of her gift, and introduces her to Awakened society. Tongue-in-cheek, adopts the shadow-name Olivia Twist (often introduced simply as "Twist", and known affectionately to some as "Twistie").
• November, 2004: Meets the boy who would become Ricochet in Surfers Paradise during schoolies week, and the two quickly become close friends.
• 2005 - 2013: Continues her magic act, and as her skills grow, so does her following. Adopts the stage-name Sash the Spectacular, which eventually becomes more commonly-used - without the adjective - by fellow Mages than her original shadow-name. Acts as eyes on the street for the Sydney Consilium. Often travels to other Cities to help other Mages with issues that crop up requiring a magically versatile and physically dynamic agent. Is briefly pledged to the Silver Ladder, before being summarily booted when she proves to be just about the personification of everything that is antithetical to the entire Order. The Free Council take her gladly.
• May, 2013: Witnesses Ricochet's Awakening, and is overjoyed to include her best friend in her shadow-life.
• February, 2014: The timebomb drops in Sydney. Most of the Consilium is wiped out. Sash is interstate at the time, and so survives, but returns to a different timeline than the one she left.
• October 2014: Chairs the Free Council meeting at the national gathering of all persons esoteric and arcane, and is a significant force in the initial uncovering of the timestream diversion that was effecting them all, and then in the discovery of the time-doors nearby, and their effects. Three weeks later, travels to Canberra and assists Beckett Shore in a delicate parley with the Seers of the Throne.

History

"First rule of magic; always be the smartest guy in the room." - J. Daniel Atlas, Now You See Me

Fast-talking, indefatigably cheery and compellingly cocky, Sash is a charming rogue. As an enemy, she'll get you every red light when you're in a hurry, and sour your milk overnight; as a friend, she'll turn up at your house at 4am on a weeknight drunk and expecting to crash on your couch, but you can trust her never to swear in front of your boss or your mum, and to wingman for you like the Devil himself.
She's quick-witted, exciting and easily distracted. All her friends have bailed her out of lockup at least once, and she's forever getting worked over by the mob for running her game on the wrong corner, or fleecing the wrong guy.
She's a thrill and a worry, and one of these days, she's going to get in over her head...
If only you didn't like her so damned much.

Currently

Her habit for travel notwithstanding, Sash currently lives in Sydney, working as a surprisingly successful (Fame:1) street magician, conwoman and occasional pickpocket. She says she's just waiting for the right backer to catapult her to superstardom. She says she's going to be the next Criss Angel.
She says a lot of things.

Quotes

Quotes by

"So, uh, I feel like at this juncture, that it might be pertinent, to, uh, let you know that I kind of am an expert in running away. Not that we need to run away, just right this second, per se! Just that it might become relevant - like really, really soon."

- to Zero of the Guardians, upon the discovery of the second timedoor, and what was occurring therein, October 2014.

"Listen; magic. It's got a price. Nothing's free. Everything you buy - it's got to be paid for. Someday. In ways you might not want, when it swings around. There's no freedoms. Remember that."

- in a rare serious moment, with the newly-Awakened Ricochet. June, 2013.

"Jesus Christ, Goph, no! What are you...are you high?! It's more like...well, it's hard to...I'm sort of his...er, really snarky valet."

- mortified by the pre-Awakening Gopher's assumption that Damocles was her sugardaddy, April, 2010.

"Spidermage, Spidermage, does whatever a Spidermage does..."

- often overheard during her parkour runs.

Quotes about

"I've seen her 'round Sydney a few times, busking with her little 'magic' show. I let her go cause it's more guile and fast fingers than supernal. She's sensible enough to know where to draw the line. If you catch her on your streets just pick her up, let her know you'll be watching, gently, and maybe buy her a meal. Better to play nice than have whole Consilium up in arms about persecuting a sweet young innocent. Plus she's proven useful in the past."

- I. P. Smith

"She's a jumpy girl, got up me for cleaning my gun. I mean, it wasn't like I was going to shoot anyone, or anything like that! She's friendly enough, I suppose; just far too talkative for my liking."

- Striker

*laughs heartily* "Sash? Pure gold, that girl. I regret having to leave that one behind - if ever I needed a 2IC, it would this one every time. If I had five mages like her, we'd bring an end to the Quiet by the end of the month."

- The Director

Conversations

"Oh, hey, Mr. Smith! I hadn't seen you for a while - which is to say, you haven't arrested me for a while - and I was starting to get a bit worried! I'm glad to see you're okay."

"Hello, Sash. I have something to deal with here, but I'll get to you. Don't wander off on me, or this time, I'll think it's something serious."

"Yessir!"

He leaves.

*to others* "...he loves me."

- Sash with I. P. Smith, October, 2014.

"Wait, Sash? The Sash?"

"Oh my God, you've heard of me! Wow, the Beckett Shore knows my work! You'll have to forgive the nerding out, it's just, like, this is such a thrill for me."

- Sash meets Beckett, October, 2014.

"Oh, Elder Gods from the outer reaches, hey? It must be Tuesday. Also, terrific, I'm famished, I could murder some squid-rings. Sorry, I needed a smart-arse one-liner and I couldn't choose."

"It is intolerably irritating that you do not appear to be treating the situation with appropriate severity."

"Are you serious? It takes real effort to be this irreverent in the face of OHGODWE'REALLGONNADIE."

- facing down her first apocalypse scenario with Damocles, May, 2004.

Rumors

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up." - Hunter S. Thompson

• Has no real magic, only tricks.
  • Has no tricks, only real magic.
    • Even the Guardians aren't sure, which is why she's such a source of vexation to them.
• Attended a Free Council meeting while deathly hungover, during which she pulled a rabbit out of her hat. Then turned it into a sandwich. Then ate it. To say nothing of the detox smoothie she conjured from thin air...
  • And still managed to have Dresden asking her counsel. Now that's magic.
• It's all an act. She's a plant for the Guardians.
• Will be heading up "Running Away Classes" for the Free Council

Inspirations and Soundtrack

• Dave Franco as Jack Wilder, Now You See Me
• Ruta Getmintas as Dutch Velders, The Strain
• Krysten Ritter as Chloe, Don't Trust The B In Apartment 23
• Fame by Mree: You ain't seen the best of me yet; give me time, and I'll make you forget the rest
• Ladies And Gentlemen by Saliva: Welcome to the show, please come inside...
• These Days by Bon Jovi: She came looking for some shelter with a suitcase full of dreams, to a motel room on the boulevard; I guess she's trying to be James Dean
• Mother Mother by Tracy Bonham: I'm hungry, I'm dirty, I'm losing my mind - everything's fine! I'm freezing, I'm starving, I'm bleeding to death - everything's fine!
• Over And Over by Three Days Grace: I try to live without you; every time I do, I feel dead. I know what's best for me, but I want you instead
• Dream On by Depeche Mode: Feel the fever coming, you're shaking and twitching; you can scratch all over, but that wont stop you itching
• Thick As Thieves by Dashboard Confessional - Ricochet: You’ll get away clean - I’ll keep your secrets, until the grave has swallowed me, and I will never tell a tortured soul, there, burning by my side
  • She Talks To Angels by The Black Crowes - Ric for her: She never mentions the word addiction, in certain company; yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan, after you meet her family
    • Dust To Dust by The Civil Wars - both of them: You're like a mirror, reflecting me - takes one to know one, so take it from me; you've been lonely, too long
• All The Same by Sick Puppies - The Director: Wrong or right, black or white, if I close my eyes, it's all the same. In my life, the compromise; when I close my eyes, it's all the same
• Levitate by Hadouken - Magic: Heart in my mouth, but my head in the clouds; yeah, I can feel it rising - bound to the Earth, but we could ascend, yeah, I’m realizing
• Tokyo (Vampires And Wolves) by The Wombats - The Mysterium: Astrophysics; you'll never be my closest friend. I find no comfort in what my mind can't comprehend
• Already Lost Control by Grinspoon - Guardians of the Veil: Can we join an army of you, and help you out in battle to defend your point of view? Turned tables, it's just like you said; now I'm in the army, I'm probably better off dead
• You Will See Me by Dan Le Sac feat Scroobius Pip - The Silver Ladder: This book you discarded as a pamphlet will ignite shit. I will work ten times harder than before; I will create art, I will create beauty - I will create so many things that you can't ignore, but I will not do them in your name
• Sway by Julie London - The Adamantine Arrow: Like a flower bending in the breeze; bend with me, sway with ease. When we dance, you have a way with me - stay with me, sway with me
• Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park - The Free Council: I want to heal, I want to feel like I'm close to something real, I want to find something I've wanted all along; somewhere I belong

OOC Info

Member Information
Player:	P. Saunders
Number:	2003100615
Domain:	Sydney