Baastique

Real Name: Baastique
Villain Name: N/A
Title: "Queen of the Forgotten Pantheon"
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Age: Born in 3113 BC
Gender: Female
Race: Demi-God
Hair: White (with reddish-pink accents)
Eyes: Silver-Blue (with grey-blue Sclera)
Height: 13'6 FT
Weight: 2,350 LBs ( + 150 LBs for either leg )
Blood type: O - Universal







Baastique is born from a time of Ancient Kings and Patron Gods, and as such, possesses a similar mindset. Once worshiped as a Demi-God, believed to hail from the very divines that oversaw the creation of Sumer, Baastique is generally very controlling and hostile to those she sees as "Lesser Beings" (most humans) and possesses an insatiable hunger thanks in due-part to her unique physiology. More often than not, Baastique finds herself pursuing humans to sate this desire for sustenance even though she can subsist entirely on cooked meat or vegetables and fruit.

Part of her actually enjoys the suffering eating living humans inflicts, both on the victim and their friends and families and sometimes goes out of her way to make a spectacle of it. Whether there is any part of her that deems this necessary if only to prove her Godhood and/or divinity is unknown.

Though holding to an ancient code of traditions, and despite finding the modern world and its civilized laws to be very confusing, and in most cases, outright contradictory, Baastique actually attempts to follow them. Most of the time. Ultimately, Baastique seeks to reestablish herself as a figure of great power, and she's willing to break the laws of mortal mankind to do it.



After nearly one-thousand years of sacrifice and celebration, the humans of Sumer were blessed with the arrival of a child, one who was without a doubt a creation of the Divine. An offspring of a chosen human priestess and one of the countless Gods that sat for all this time, silent, upon an infinite pantheon. This child, though human in appearance, was blessed with features that only those above could have ever possessed. Chitinous scales and limbs like that of a spider jutting from her back were the first few signs, but her eyes shone like the jewels of a night sky, silver and blue and always seeming to glimmer.

Though she died shortly after giving birth, the mother of this divine infant named her blessing "Baastique" before passing quietly into the afterlife. And though she would never know her mother, she would know that It was on that morning--the morning of her birth in 3113 BC--that the Sumers celebrated for ten days and ten nights without rest, gifting the immature newborn endless wealth and blessings as they heralded the coming of their new Patron God and celebrated the sacrifice of her of mother, Golique. It would be her favorite story for decades to come. It was to be the beginning of Sumer's glorious future.

The first decade of Baastique's young life was beset with nothing but love from her worshipers and mentors. She learned how to read and write, to craft the finest engravings and art, and to become like royalty--A proper Patron God for the yearning masses that demanded a voice; instruction from the Divine above. However, upon entering womanhood on her fourteenth summer, something malevolent brewed in the pit of her belly: An unwanted hunger unique to her and her physiology, a craving that demanded the flesh and blood of the living for sustenance. Much to her horror and fear, those that loved her--that worshiped her--were more than eager to begin casting those below them to her feet, to be devoured upon an altar as human sacrifices.

Although at first, she was hesitant despite the pain in her gut, Baastique eventually grew to desire the taste of human flesh and sacrifices eventually became a daily celebration. With each human consumed, the Sumerians believed her power would grow and the gap between them and their Gods would shrink until Baastique need no longer speak for them. In truth, with every few sacrifices, Baastique's physical form grew in size and strength, altering itself to better devour her human meals, until she no longer resembled the graceful, beautiful Patron Goddess her people loved... but a monstrous, blood-soaked demon that demanded not just her followers' love, but their lives as well.

It wasn't long before a divide was created between the now terrifying Baastique and those who feared her. Those loyal to her formed great armies in an attempt at suppressing those who wished to be free from Baastique's new tyranny, and wars were fought for a hundred years in her name before a hero stood against her. Though lost to time, this hero confronted what Baastique had become, and with a touch, seemed to reignite a hint of the Demi-God's humanity... causing her to recoil in horror to what she had done, but never to apologize or atone.

In a brutal fight between Sumer's Nameless Hero and the blood-drenched Baastique, the Demi-God was slain, a spear of iron struck through her heart, pinning her to her throne, and the massive temple she once called her own was buried beneath a gargantuan dome of sandstone, and over time, the ancient sands of Africa itself.

Until today. The day when modern archeologists, in the search for fame, fortune, and knowledge of the past, discovered the remains of this once vast and powerful Sumerian city, and the dome that concealed an evil that lay not dead, only dormant.


Strength - Baastique is several times stronger than someone her size thanks in part to the density of her musculature, allowing her to lift upwards of 2 tonnes of weight with minimal effort and without the support of her chitinous limbs, and sprint at speeds in excess of 40 kph.

Endurance - Baastique can operate at peak capacity for twenty-four hours with rigorous physical activity before requiring rest or sustenance, assuming she's neither ill nor starving.

Reaction - She's quick and efficient, both mentally and physically, making her highly dangerous when on the prowl. She's virtually the perfect predator, with the speed and skill to be expected of a spider despite her size.

Agility - Though relatively quick and nimble, Baastique's motor-control is somewhat above that of an average human, allowing her to be a formidable opponent in close-quarters when it comes to fighting, but not an impossible one.





Mild Telepathy - Baastique is capable with some concentration on transmitting her thoughts directly to another's mind. Whether this includes images or sounds, is entirely up to her. This does not mean she can read the other's thoughts, but she can ascertain a "feeling" from someone while doing this, such as being able to tell if they're lying or hiding something from her. She cannot mind-control an individual, living or otherwise, and does not possess the ability to directly read someone's thoughts.

Superhuman Durability - Unlike her strength and speed, which are proportional to her size and physiology, her durability is due in part because of a chitinous weave interwoven into her skin and muscles that can be seen in small pockets of scales and spines from her shoulders and down her back, along her spinal cord. This weave makes her skin as strong as steel, and with the reinforcement her musculature provides, allows her to withstand physical blows and attacks without so much as a scratch that may otherwise kill or maim a normal human (such as armor-piercing bullets or getting hit by a car, etc).

Blood Absorption - Baastique does not have to directly swallow blood for sustenance, she can (and often does) touch or bathe in it, as her skin is capable of directly absorbing it on contact to nourish her. She cannot absorb blood directly off a living subject without open wounds, however, nor can she control the blood of any living being in any way.

Regeneration - Baastique, when fully fed or absorbing blood, can regenerate almost all wounds, minor or mortal, with a long resting period afterward. However, this does not mean she can regenerate from a single cell or grow her limbs back instantaneously; she is not invincible.

Chitinous Limbs - Far larger and stronger than her human limbs, Baastique has two pairs of massive chitinous 'legs' that sprout from her upper back, with the uppermost being weaker and more nimble than the lower pair, which possess the most mass and physical strength. Her smaller upper limbs are capable of lifting over 1.5 tonnes each, while her back 'legs' can lift well over 2 tonnes. Each limb is made from the same chitinous weave that permeates her skin, and as such, are several times stronger than the rest of her body, allowing her to protect herself from forces far greater than her regular limbs can handle while just as well being capable of pummeling and destroying objects that she would otherwise struggle against (such as cars, reinforced walls, and doors, etc). When using all of her strength and limbs, she is capable of lifting upwards of 18 - 20 tonnes with maximum effort.

Gaping Maw - From the crown of her sternum to the top of her bottom lip is an apparent incision that can split open to reveal a massive, lengthy array of teeth and bone-like clawed appendages that all split apart to reveal a massive, gaping maw (as the name is, bluntly). She often reveals this part of herself in moments of extreme duress and/or when consuming a humanoid object whole, to allow for quicker digestion of nutrients without having to daintily nibble on a meal. More often than not, she also reveals this when the intent is to strike fear in her enemies.



The Hunger - Baastique's physiology has unique requirements that can typically be found in human blood, such as blood plasma (hormones, proteins, electrolytes, and other nutrients), and she requires just under 5 liters every two days to remain in peak form. Though she can technically find the same in large amounts of fruits and vegetables, she prefers to subsist off of humans. If she does not meet the demands of her body, Baastique's strength is rapidly drained and her appearance risks become decrepit and gruesome over time.

Iron - Much like the Fae of legend, Baastique possesses an odd allergy to raw iron. In large quantities (and through skin contact), it can weaken, immobilize, and even thwart her ability to absorb fresh blood and regenerate her wounds. Iron can and often does burn her skin. However, iron does not immediately have these effects on her and take a brief moment in time to work, requiring sustained contact (of about 4 to 5 seconds). Diluted iron (such as composites or alloys) do not have these effects on her.

Hibernation - After being seriously wounded or subjected to long periods of restraint or starvation, Baastique requires a lengthy period of rest. This can be anywhere from a few days (from regular wounds) to a few months (if any wounds were mortal or otherwise magically induced). She often does this by creating a chitinous cocoon of silk around herself in somewhere cool and damp, allowing er body to become malleable to better heal itself.

Cultural Divide - Hailing from Ancient Sumer, Baastique is essentially out of her element. She's a creature from another time and place when Gods actually walked the Earth and salted its lands with the remains of their enemies, where humans were but subjects to them, eager to worship and prostrate themselves on the stand. Now that she has awoken thousands of years later, Baastique is alone and afraid, easily confused and distraught by everything modern and the power humanity holds over itself. She's absolutely quick to both scare, and equally so, anger.

Lustful - Like any creature born of Divinity and raised to rule an entire civilization, Baastique ultimately seeks to be loved. She's willing to go to great lengths to earn the loyalty of those she considers to be her followers, and even-more-so to those she could ever call her friends. Though not selfless enough to give up her own life, she'd be quick to end others if it meant making a friend happy.

Sensitive Diet - Her squishy bits inside are far weaker and more susceptible to damage than her outside bits and this is not limited to damage taken from physical or magical abuse. For instance, manmade foods of the modern era contain a lot of chemicals and preservatives that Baastique's physiology will react negatively to when consumed, causing allergic reactions, nausea, and other adverse outcomes that usually involve her becoming ill. At the same time, any blood consumed that has been polluted by drugs or toxins will have created a similar effect on her as they did in her prey.



The Mask of Golique - Originally belonging to her mother, this mask was created to hide a horrible burn Golique suffered long before the birth of Baastique, and today serves as a reminder of where Baastique comes from. Though made from some kind of sandstone or porcelain material, it is seemingly indestructible and clings to Baastique's face without any obvious straps or other mechanisms, suggesting it is magical in nature. However, it doesn't appear to provide any supernatural protection or serve any other purpose beyond being a ceremonial relic Baastique wears.



None. Yet.



No known anomalies coincide with Baastique's appearance, oddly.



She couldn't believe her luck.

First, the discharge filter responsible for keeping the Lunchbox's sensor screens clear and free had malfunctioned. It wasn't as big a problem as some might have made it out to be, she could still fly, but the second thing to break ensured she had no choice but to land in the nearest port. The inertial compensator, responsible for keeping her alive when pulling excessive G's in her starship, had started to fail. Though she managed one more jump in hyperdrive to a planet nearby, thanks to a hyperspace-anchor, by the time she reached Nar Shadda the inertial compensator was all but non-functional, making entry into the atmosphere an highly unenjoyable experience. Unless you asked her utility droid, MR-T, who cackled and beeped like a psychopath until she had finally managed to settle the rickety bucket of bolts her father called a starship onto the nearest landing pad.

Though she had occupied it without the proper clearance, she later convinced the authorities responsible for handling incoming and outgoing traffic in this port that it was either that, or she'd have crashed into the nearest building. That meant a loss in profits for the nearest casinos, and in turn that also meant smaller paychecks to the crews at work. Though it took a few more credits off the top to convince them of that, she was reasonably sure she'd be able to make it back over a few rounds of pazaak. Or maybe Highland Challenge. After securing her boat on the pad, she instructed MR-T to stay behind and ensure the ship got the repairs it needed, either by it or by one of the repair crews on the platform, and made her way to the more infamous Lower Promenades of Nar Shadda, where crime was practically legal and firefights were a fact of life. It was also a place where she could make a killing if she talked to the right person, and one of the best locales in the galaxy to get bounties from the countless cartels operating on the planet.

Though she had found it sooner rather than later, she was made aware of both a large bounty on the space-wizards that typically roamed the Mid-Core Systems and one of whom may have just been sighted on these levels. "You're certain of that?" She had asked a local Bothan with a big mouth, and after a little bit of threatening with the proper show of force, she had made sure his claims were genuine. A Jedi, here? She really couldn't believe her luck. Most of those glowstick-wielding space wizards had bounties on their heads in the Outer Rim, and thankfully that was no different on Nar Shadda. All she needed was one lucky shot and to tag him as her kill, and she wouldn't have to ride around in that rustbucket with the mad little droid she dared to call a companion any longer! It hadn't taken long for her to track down the magician either: He was on the same platform she'd arrived on and was known for his tricks and treats, often entertaining (if not spooking) the local populace.

Perfect!

She was giddy by the time she actually located her target, and for a while she watched him. Though three floors above and nearly 100 meters away, Baastique could still make out her target pretty clearly thanks to the array of sensors installed in her scout armor's helmet. It kept him clear as day amongst the common crowds of rabble and rot, and her nearly imperceptible to the naked eyes below. Though it went unseen beneath a layer of armor, a smile curved her lips as she set to work, putting her 2L-Blaster Rifle together piece by piece, but without the range-finder she had usually adorned it with. With only about 50 meters between them, she felt she wouldn't need it for an ace shot this far away.

"Just stick around for me, please." She hummed whimsically to herself, "Winner winner, Jogan dinner any minute now." Now she was ready. With her weapon armed, the midsection of the barrel set upon the edge of the balcony's railing and her eyes fixed to the wandering prize below, she rested her finger on the trigger... Then he stood up. There was a tick of nervousness behind her demeanor now, knowing full well a moving target, even at his slow pace, put everyone around him at risk. She wasn't a heartless killer, but she needed to eat, and tossing her hesitations aside and repositioning her finger over the trigger-guard, she waited for a more opportune moment to present itself when the crowd was thinner.

"Come on already, just stand still for a second. I'll make it quick..."

( This is from a website I roleplayed on about a year ago when I first made "Baastique" as a Falleen Bounty Hunter. I loved it so much it's basically my default go-to RP sample now! Yes, I know, I'm a nerd n' geek. Geeky nerd. Nerducken! )