Panda Polemarch Senna Nightshade, LSV (a.k.a. moonflower, Aydan Nightshade, the Witch of Words)
Senna Nightshade is a twenty-two-year-old
Werestoat. She was created by
The Company in 2001 CE, using stolen gametes from
Sable Aradia and
Erin Righ. The title of the Witch of Words was bestowed upon her by her peers sometime in 2022.
Physical Description
Senna is short and stout in build. She is often compared to a fantasy-style Dwarf. She is stocky.
Senna has multiple stretch marks on her arms from when she was growing, as well as two thin scars on her left shin and multiple scars on her torso. She obtained a scar on her neck after she died in the Third Word War.
She has also dyed portions of her short-cropped hair bright purple. She dyes and cuts her hair herself.
Senna is, ironically due to her time in the forests of Canada, a powerful technomancer. She has built multiple artificial intelligences and new, literomantic technologies. Her AI creations include: Foxglove AI, Larkspur AI, Belladonna AI, Hyacinth AI, Hydrangea AI, and Holly AI. All of her AI creations are named after plants, particularly poisonous flowers.
Senna has a moderate-to-weak literomantic specialty with plant magic, which becomes much stronger when transformed into an Undead. Her Undead form notably photosynthesizes and has plant-like appendages capable of sensing Literomantic auras.
Senna has been known to dabble in wind- and air-related Literomancy, but this is likely only experimentation. It is possible that wind and/or air Literomancy is applied to her sniper rifle, but Senna has neither confirmed nor denied what enchantments are present.
Senna is partial to dark colored clothing. She prefers shades of black and gray, but will also wear dark purples and blues. She can occasionally be seen in the bright reds and oranges of her House, but usually tones down the colors to more subdued hues.
Senna usually wears masculine-styled clothing, and even shops in the men's section for her own clothing (luckily, there are enough tailors in Ailurus to get them fitted). She does show interest in more feminine styles of clothing, but has never been seen wearing such styles.
Senna uses a literomantic sniper rifle when the Word Wars are on, but much prefers to fight in melee with a combat knife.
Mental characteristics
Senna was born as part of an experiment to create a powerful, weaponized Literomancer by the Company. For the first twelve years of her life, she was trained in the arts of Literomancy, combat, and strategy. The only thing truly keeping her sane and grounded was her sister —
Mykola Void.
Prisoners the Company had taken — political or otherwise — were used to condition Senna to acts of violence. She took a life for the first time when she was only five years old.
When Senna was twelve, the Company attempted to force a connection with the
Void in them, which they thought should've manifested naturally by that age, but did not. The Void completely and totally rejected Senna. When they were forced into the portal, images flashed before them. They have not told anyone of what they saw.
Senna woke up in a boreal forest near Moonbeam, Ontario and wandered in the snow — it was late November — until they were found by a trucker. Senna lost her memory of the past during a hospital stay where she was being treated for hypothermia. She escaped the hospital once she deemed herself prepared for the cold.
Senna lived in near-total solitude in the forests of Canada for many years before the First Word War drew them into a community of Literomancers.
Senna was known as "Aydan" until she was renamed by her family when the name no longer fit.
While the Tourneys of 2022 were underway, Senna began to slowly remember her past with the help of Mykola Void, who had recently joined
House Sauropoda. When Myko wanted to form her own House, Senna jumped at the opportunity to help her long lost sister. They formed
House Ailurus just in time for the Third Word War.
In the Third Word War, Senna made a deal with the Nite Monarq
ICC Dead People to become his minion in exchange for the protection of the Storehouses.
Senna has had no formal education outside of what the Company provided in the Compound before age 12. Despite this, she retains a good deal of knowledge about the world and its workings.
The Company fed me proaganda to keep me in line, but they had to keep me in the loop so I could blend in while on missions. I was an assassin. Who would expect a regular kid after all? It was a delicate balance that they had down to a science.
— Senna Nightshade, about her time in the Company's custody
Despite her lack of formal education, Senna was tasked with tutoring the bunny children and some of the Forgelings at the
Warren. She has found herself suited for the position of teaching mathematics and physics in particular, and she is decent at explaining literomancy to the children. History, however, she retains little knowledge of, partially due to her concept-based memory.
The creation of the Moonflower Doors is considered to be Senna's pinnacle achievement, although they are still in development.
Senna was awarded the
Lapin Star of Valour for making her self-sacrificial deal with ICC Dead People in the Third Word War. This move of hers took her out of
Lord GalaWight's hands while also protecting lifesaving supplies and giving the rest of Ailurus' members time to escape the
Undead Horde.
Senna has a concept-based memory that fails them quite often, but their extensive note-taking makes up for this lacking. They have a knack for recognizing patterns, even where nearly invisible, and numbers are certainly their forte.
Senna has trouble remembering faces, names, and specifics. They cannot recognize age in the slightest based on physical features, which sometimes plays in their favor.
This is why I had a handler!
— Senna, after failing to recognize the Lapin Prime Minister... again
Social
Senna is a pantheistic pagan. She believes that all deities are real and true. She considers her strange ability of "gut instinct" a blessing from one of her patron deities. Senna's patron deities include Odin, Hades, and Hecate.
Senna believes that all things of this universe have metaphysical energy, and that energy can be felt and drawn upon. She even extends this belief to those of other universes, including those of creative works. She believes this energy is what allows
Litwalkers to be summoned into existence in our world.
Senna collects fountain pens, inks, and stationary as a hobby. Currently, her collection includes four fountain pens, three types of paper, and a large quantity of ink in both bottles and sample vials.
Senna also has a fascination with rocks, minerals, and gems. She does not have a particularly large collection of mineral or gem samples, but she keeps almost every interesting rock she finds. She claims that the rocks she collects typically have "good energy" or a pleasant feeling about them.
The simultaneous formality and bluntness of Senna's speech puts many ill at ease, but they are attempting to learn more casual encounters.
Younger Sister (Vital)
Towards Mykola Lapin-Void
History
Myko protected Senna from many of the horrors she was subjected to during their twelve years together in the Compound. The sentiment was mutual. After Senna disappeared in a failed experiment and declared dead, Myko didn't believe it and continued searching for the truth.
Senna didn't remember Myko when they were reunited in the April Tourney of Tales of 2022, but did strike up a friendship with her. They formed House Ailurus together in time for the Third Word War.
Senna regained her memories slowly, but did regain them and recognized Myko as her sister sometime in August.
History
Sable and Senna established a friendship before learning of their biological relationship. Senna knew of their relationship before Sable did, but did not tell Sable at first due to the unique political consequences that would occur. However, Sable was far less concerned about those consequences than she was about establishing a relationship with her daughter, and the moment she discovered the truth, she reached out to Senna, political consequences be damned.
Senna trusts Sable more than she believes she should, and is worried of the potential consequences. While her fear is real, she also believes that Sable deserves said trust. Senna regarded Sable as a mother-figure before their genetic connection was made public. Likewise, Sable felt a maternal sense of protectiveness towards Senna before she learned the truth. She is working hard to be the mother she was not given the chance to be in Senna's childhood. Unknown to Senna, Sable recognizes a lot of herself in her daughter -- merits and flaws both -- and is overwhelmingly proud of her.
History
Erin and Senna established a friendly relationship before learning of their biological relationship. Senna knew of their relationship before Erin did, but did not tell Erin at first due to the unique political consequences that would occur. Their genetic relationship became public in August of 2022.
Senna cares for Erin more than she cares to admit, but the presence of the Nite Qing's personality within him had Senna wary of true trust. After Erin traps the Nite Qing in a cursed manuscript, Senna begins to open up to him more.
This article is a work in progress, and may be subject to changes.
This article is part of a series related to streaming the Game of Tomes. For more information, see
Streaming Game of Tomes.
Senna Stoat by Tempest Kwake
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Witch of Words
Panda Polemarch
Date of Birth
June 11, 2001
Circumstances of Birth
Experiment to make a weaponized Literomancer, partial success
Current Residence
The Treehouse, Penwall
Eyes
Deep-set and brown (humanoid)
Black (stoat)
Hair
Short and dark brown with a purple-dyed section at the front
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Light beige (humanoid)
Dark purple fur with a white underbelly and black tail (stoat)
Height
155 cm / 5'1" (humanoid)
Weight
91 kg / 200 lbs (humanoid)
Quotes & Catchphrases
Progress is progress.— Senna Nightshade
Belief/Deity
Pantheistic Pagan
Known Languages
English
Comments