Lore
Mercurial, the SpectreJust as higher states of energy seek a lower level, the Spectre known as Mercurial is a being of intense and violent energy who finds herself irresistibly drawn to scenes of strife as they unfold in the physical world. While her normal spectral state transcends sensory limitations, each time she takes on a physical manifestation, she is stricken by a loss of self--though not of purpose. In the clash of combat, her identity shatters and reconfigures, and she begins to regain awareness. She grasps that she is Mercurial the Spectre--and that all of her Haunts are but shadows of the one true Spectre. Focus comes in the struggle for survival; her true mind reasserts itself; until in the final moments of victory or defeat, she transcends matter and is restored once more to her eternal form.
| Spectre | |
|---|---|
| |
| About | |
| Associated With | |
| Heroes | Puck 20px|link=Dark Willow|class=noprint Dark Willow Void Spirit 20px|link=Phantom Lancer|class=noprint Phantom Lancer Meepo |
| Places | Seven Planes Fae Realm Hidden Temple |
| Gods | Ascendants Transcendencies |
| Cosmetics | Phantom Advent |
- Mercurial hails from the shadow realm. Her Spectral Dagger lets loose its shadow in its wake, a state in which spectres thrive while mortals cower from its darkness.[1]
- Long has she acted as its conduit, using her Spectral Dagger to cover the physical plane in its shadow, but she now employs a greater focus on her powers to keep the shadow realm at bay than she once did to loose it.[2]
- Mercurial's true spectral form transcends sensory limitations. Technically, this means that her real form outside of her physical manifestation is imperceptible to the mundane senses.[3]
- Mercurial undergoes an endless cycle of manifestation and ascension. Irresistibly drawn towards conflicts in the physical plane, she is forced to take on a physical manifestation to participate. At the height of battle, her identity shatters and reconfigures, forming the duplicates that we see in her Haunt ability.[4] The true Mercurial reasserts her control over them all as she does battle. In the final outcome of the battle that she's in, be it victory or defeat, she will "transcend matter" and be "restored to her eternal form" until the next time she is drawn to any conflict in the physical plane.[5]
- The process of her transcending matter and being restored to her eternal form likely refers to her returning back to her normal spectral state after leaving her physical manifestation. This process might be the ascension that she speaks of.
- Violent energies from her native plane flows off of her physical manifestation.[6]
- Mercurial speaks of an "origin", which she seeks to get closer by becoming one of the Ascendants.[7]
- Mercurial speaks of the "Transcendencies", a mysterious concept.[8]
- Mercurial may be one of many spectres.[9]
- Mercurial appears to speak the same language as the Ascendants.[10]
- Mercurial dissolves and disperses when she dies.[13]
- Mercurial sometimes wears a glowing headdress to warn off the interdimensional predators between the Seven Planes. Said headdress acts as a beacon for others who are "less visible".[14]
- Mercurial is one of the few beings who possesses the skill to condense and compress a soul's raw energy into a blade.[15]
- Mercurial understands light and eternity in a way different from most beings.[16]
- Mercurial traverses an unknown realm with eternal light, using senses that have no mundane equivalent. In this realm, she takes plumes from mysterious beings to adorn her dress.[17]
Phantom Advent[]
At some point in time and through unknown means, a solitary Haunt from Mercurial's shattered identity was enticed and trapped into a cursed set of armor.[18] Enraged, this lone Haunt described the armor as a "cage" since it trapped her from the original Spectre, but she soon realized that it was actually a "door" to freedom: a door that would lead to her becoming a separate entity from the original Spectre.[19][20] To open this "door" and walk through it, she needed to harvest souls for the armor so that it can grant her a stronger sense of self. With the promise of freedom within her reach, she no longer wishes to rejoin the original Spectre[21][22] and is now on a rampage to harvest the souls of those unfortunate to cross her path, all in the name of gaining true individuality.
Relationships[]
Puck and Mireska can both understand Mercurial's speech[23][24]. Both have links to the Fae Realm and the Shadow Realm respectively, indicating a possibly link to Mercurial as well.
At some point in time, Inai has warned Mercurial to follow his instructions to the letter.[25] Mercurial seems to have an animosity with Inai.[26][27]
Mercurial finds her kin in the likes of Azwraith and Meepo, who both have the ability to duplicate their presence. Despite this, she regards them as unworthy and inferior respectively.[28][29]
Friendships and rivalries[]
Allies meeting Spectre
- ▶️
r Spectre, I'm sure in your world you are known as a great beauty. - ▶️ ▶️ r If you need help, Spectre, just shout unintelligibly.
- ▶️ ▶️ r We gotta work on your communication skills, Spectre.
Enemies killing Spectre
- ▶️ Axe has no time for such nonsense!
- ▶️ Spectre, I have no idea what you just said, but I could listen to you all day.
- ▶️ Ah, Spectre, my toughest bounty.
- ▶️ Spirits, eh? Show me some proof. Heheheh, that's a pun.
- ▶️ ▶️ r Enunciate!
- ▶️ Unnerving. I understood every word.
- ▶️ Choose this plane or the next, Spectre, don't try to live in both.
- ▶️ Oh, Spectre, we could have shared such secrets.
- ▶️ I thought you spoke of mysteries but I see you were only confused.
- ▶️ Remove yourself from this plane.
Others
- ▶️ r A haunted hunter I perceive, but what she utters passes understanding.
References[]
- ↑ Spectral Dagger description.
- ↑ Transversant Soul description.
- ↑ Spectre's biography
- ↑ Haunt description.
- ↑ Spectre's biography.
- ↑ Wings of the Ephemeral Haunt description.
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ Closer to Ascension!
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ Among the Transcendencies, you would be thought ignoble.
- ↑ Spectral Dagger description.
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ You speak not the speech of the Ascendants.
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ A voice is heard, and a thought made into meaning. What is happening?
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ Why can I understand myself?
- ↑ Spectre response: ▶️ The Spectre dissipates.
- ↑ Spectral Light description.
- ↑ Possessed Blade description.
- ↑ Belt of the Eternal Light description.
- ↑ Plume of the Eternal Light description.
- ↑ Phantom Advent description.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ A cage with no door become a door.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ To definition. To identity.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ We will not rejoin.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ It will not reclaim.
- ↑ Dark Willow response: ▶️ Other people might not understand you, but I do.
- ↑ Puck response: ▶️ Unnerving. I understood every word.
- ↑ Void Spirit response: ▶️ I warned you to follow my instructions to the letter...
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ Retribution.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ Join in this suffering.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ Like us. But not worthy.
- ↑ Phantom Advent response: ▶️ Kindred but inferior.