IMPEDIO SOCIETY . DIA, MIRACH

Female

Jun Shi

Twenty Four

December 25, 1989

Mix of Cuban and traditional American descent.

English, though Mirach is fairly well versed in Spanish too.

Criminal Underground: “Asclepius”. Everybody Else: “Horrible”.

0.50
(+0.25)

Impedio Society

None

The Faux Caduceus

9/10/13 by Jess

Cathal

Atticus A. Jaeger
Dominic R. Marsten
Elena J. Anderson

No. No no no no. Would be very unhealthy for her.

Aveline from Assassin’s Creed

Unlicensed Physician/Doctor—Accidentally swallow a few bullets working a late night job? Broke a leg? An arm? Lacking the balls to check yourself into a public hospital? Need to stay out of the prying eye of the law while you lick your wounds clean? Or maybe you need something done fast and done now, without insurance. Code named “Asclepius” amongst mafia members, drug lords, gangsters, hit men and thugs alike, Mirach is renowned for her strictly neutral stance on all territories of criminal activity; she has a long and bloody history of removing wayward bullets, performing invasive, dangerous surgeries outside of sterile environments and “prescribing” necessary drugs and antibiotics that criminals would otherwise have a difficult time obtaining while hiding from sight. A fair chunk of Mirach’s personal finances are bolstered by “Asclepius”, and though it seems dangerous to put your faith in an unlicensed, privately trained doctor, her knowledge of anatomy is vast, her skills are efficient, and her dedication to her “patients” is respectable. Better yet, her apathetic nature toward the past actions and the future endeavors of her clients make her an ideal healer for every sinner known to man, so really, if you can't afford to chance a real doctor, what do you have to lose? (Other than your life.)

Impedio Society Member— Mirach is loyal first and foremost to the cause of her cult metaphorical brothers and sisters, and that devotion runs deep. In spite of her more questionable acquaintances in the underground, the Society’s traditions and values take precedence, making her second life as “Aslcepius” seem meaningless by comparison. Mirach’s dossiers on criminal types, combined with her prodigy medical expertise and the neutral stance she exhibits in the underground, grants the Impedio Society a unique and often advantageous foothold in the underhanded backbone of society. It is not without saying that her post is a necessary evil, as it is impossible to determine when, and to whom, powers will manifest, but it is not a position she regrets either. Sometimes humanity requires a sword hide in the shadows, which in this case, Mirach not only performs admirably, she does happily.

Criminal Activity—Mirach's rebellious attitude and roughshod determination have often caused her to seek her thrills, or distill aggression, in less than savory places. Sometimes groups need extra drug runners, thieves, or another gun-for-hire, and due to her reputation and neutrality, she's experienced her fair share of offers. Sad to say that as smart as Mirach is, she has a nasty addiction to the adrenaline rush of high crime and fast cash. These odd jobs are scarce enough, thankfully, that they do not intervene with her primary objective, and if it comes down to the wire, she knows not to indulge when more important matters are at hand.

Basics: Mirach stands at 5’8”, a fair height, and has an athletic build due to years of Impedio Society training. Her eye color is cinnamon brown; she typically works her dark brown hair into long braids. There’s a faint, white scar on the right side of her upper lip—caused by a dog bite when she was small. In general, her style/wear leans more toward practical—though she has a high distaste for anything confining or physically restrictive. This makes “dressing up” for events a rare and very stressful concept for her; more often than not, she’d rather settle for donning a suit and polished loafers than a dress and high heels.

Other: Mirach has a large interpretation of the symbol of Asclepius—the Greek god of medicine—tattooed on her back, beginning between her shoulder blades. The design depicts a snarling eastern dragon, instead of a serpent, entwined around a withered, black tree. While playing off of the traditional Greek form, the dragon itself has important significance; it not only illustrates Mirach’s fiercer qualities, but complements her second identity as “Asclepius”. More often than not, her alter ego is as infamous for her medical procedures and criminal activities as it is for the mask Mirach wears while performing them—seen above.

Mirach has been described as many things—apathetic, crazy, arrogant, resourceful, capable, ruthless—and in truth, most are right at some time or another. She was raised under the presumption that she would achieve great things, and has since taken the expectations bestowed upon her and run with them, perhaps not in the expected direction, but a direction nonetheless. Generally speaking, Mirach involves herself in things she really shouldn’t because of her misguided (or twisted) sense of humor, including a long list of petty crimes, and whether she’ll admit it or not, murder. (Even a prodigy, especially a young one, makes mistakes.) In spite of her obsession with medicine, human anatomy, and less than savory activities, Mirach is quick to adapt in stressful situations but quicker still to play neutral mediator in a fight—metaphorical or otherwise. In fact, Mirach would much rather rely on evasive maneuvers and subversive tactics to attain what she wants than direct methods.

In many ways, her ability to dance around a conflict is a blessing in disguise. She has grown up with an unnaturally thick skin and rebellious outlook; Mirach can shrug off an insult effortlessly, readily leap through loopholes in rules and regulations, or otherwise misdirect someone else’s frustration and tolerate temper tantrums with extreme calm and ease. She is an unnaturally blunt conversationalist, so much so that some people think she doesn’t understand certain social cues very well (an accurate statement, as she often has to be notified of what she said wrong later). Frankly, Mirach is more likely to point out a weakness than compliment someone on their strengths, just as she is more likely to devalue “trivial” concerns about love, relationship problems and other everyday complaints. Some would say this is due in part to her secluded upbringing and lifelong private schooling and training, but the truth of the matter is that Mirach has trouble connecting with others. She can negotiate her way out of most situations and work with all manner of questionable characters under the name of “Asclepius”, but she has enormous difficulty building lasting, important relationships. Thus far into her life her parents seem to be the most important people to her; she is more likely to have acquaintances than friends. As such, her self proclaimed “disinterest” in other types of relationships might be more akin to a misunderstanding than anything else.

However, Mirach often distracts herself from her shortcomings, including the major annoyance of her asthma, by drowning herself in the adrenaline rush of criminal activity. She enjoys making a name for herself in the underground and living life on the edge, not to mention building up her reputation, which to date has yet to interfere with the duties of the Impedio Society. Unfortunately, as loyal as she is to the cause, her passion for what she does might one day intervene with her duties. It remains to be seen, however, if things will get that far. Though Mirach might not have many deep relationships, or even enjoy socializing in large groups, she does have a tendency to stand by her convictions. Even if it’s a bad decision, she’ll see it through to the end—which has sometimes granted her respect, but mostly casts her in a merciless light—and she is particularly dedicated to her medical work. It is impossible to say when she first developed an interest in those “fated” with elemental abilities, but her intrigue has sense evolved into full blown deadly relentlessness. She’s a fierce advocate for capture, experimentation, and possible dissection, which to some, might make her worse than those that would dish out death sentences.

But who’s judging?

Pre-History: Mirach’s parents did not marry in the traditional sense, nor were they ever actually in love; their relationship, however brief, was arranged, but it in no way had a negative effect on Mirach’s upbringing. Contrary to what most would believe, both parents managed to present a strong, formidable and healthy front, and from time to time, still maintain contact, do not speak ill of one another, and support their daughter as best they can. Her father, a cutthroat international businessman, began his life in Cuba, and was inducted into the Impedio Society in his early twenties. He proved his loyalty by providing money, footholds (or influence) in various cartels across countries, and of course, a heavily fortified force in Florida that would dance to the tune of anything the Impedio Society wanted or needed. Considered a merciless shark by many, it came as no surprise that he also became a fierce advocate for the old “kill first, ask questions later” policy the Society used to display against those with elemental abilities. By contrast, Mirach’s mother was born into the Society and the Dia family line, but possessed very few intimidating qualities whatsoever. She was a quiet, introverted girl in her childhood who grew into a woman that loved solitary in-field work more than she loved people. Her loyalty, subterfuge abilities and unexpected neutral stance on the Fate problem made her a valuable, if not open-minded, asset to the Impedio Society.

These days, both parents have begun to step down from their former roles in the Impedio Society, as older members are want to do, but they speak vicariously through their daughter and indirectly involve themselves by funneling supplies, information and finances to the Society.

Mirach’s Story: For as long as her parents can remember, Mirach displayed a ridiculous fascination with the anatomy and inner workings of people and animals, even in her early childhood. Viewed as a prodigy, particularly with a flair for science, Mirach obsessed constantly over books, biology and equations. Most children ask for toys like action figures and dolls and play with them—Mirach would ask for them, pull out her comparative anatomy books, steal a red marker, and proceed to x each part of the toy that represented a vital organ or potential weak spot. There were entire models marked up in her childhood, divided by “dissection” lines, and stored away under her bed or in her closet for later study. Typically speaking, no parent would witness such behavior and shrug their shoulders, much less show pride at their daugther’s initiative. But that’s just what her father did, and as her primary guardian (her mother a mostly absent figure) Mirach was exposed to a lot of irregularities. He indulged her curiosity and encouraged it—and he’s the primary reason Mirach is still obsessed with anatomy and medicine, but has no concern for the Hippocratic Oath or say, restraint.

For most of her young life, she was split between two worlds; in one, she found herself growing attuned to her father’s cutthroat business and sometimes underhanded actions. The man had a zero tolerance policy for disobedience, and though an intimidating figure on his own, he usually let his money or hired operatives handle a “problem” once it arose. Assassinations, thievery and funded patsy operations were the most common solutions to a major threat on his business or the Impedio Society—which in turn, instilled in his daughter a sense of ruthless decisiveness; it also exposed her to the rebellious underbelly of all major cities. These feelings of course, did not manifest until she was older and capable of understanding the full extent of her father’s actions, but early exposure nevertheless had an enormous effect on her personality. In short, Mirach grew up with a sense of entitlement to do as she wanted—so long as she could adhere to the consequences and hold her own.

The second world thrust upon her shoulders was not half as different—and therefore not hard to swallow. As an Impedio Society child and a Dia at that, Mirach was groomed for her future role in the Society through home schooling, private tutors, and intensive physical training. She struggled with the latter as a child, spending time in and out of doctor’s offices for necessary asthma medication during springtime, but as she grew older her body thankfully adapted. If there was ever a quality to the Dia line that was remarkable it was their resilience, and Mirach bounced back with an irrevocable force. Though she had a hand for many subversive martial art styles, evasive maneuvers and agility, the one thing Mirach did set herself apart from was raw violence. Trained in various weapon styles and fatal techniques as she was, she preferred not to kill, and it’s a combat policy that’s stuck with her to this day. (Strangely enough, accidents or mishaps on “the surgery table” however, are fair game. Mirach is typically a very devoted doctor to a patient, but things happen, and she is not easily upset by death caused by a medical mistake she made.) It goes without saying that her seasonal asthma has always been a thorn in her side, and that she is heavily irritated by the presence of dogs—she suffered a bite at the age of six—but the expectations on Mirach were never lowered. By the time she was well into her teenage years, she was preparing for in field service for the Impedio Society, and she was excelling at her studies.

Her mother would be the one to teach Mirach as much about the Kingdoms as was necessary to fulfill her duties; at 17, the Faux Caduceus was given to her as a gesture of good faith. She had learned what she needed to learn, but now she needed more training through experience—baptism by fire, as some agents called it. Her first posting assignment took place in Florida, her father’s metaphorical backyard. The teenager subsequently used her talents, her father’s reputation, and the Faux Caduceus to begin building a small time reputation while simultaneously beginning a college education. She reported in to the Impedio Society, accepted her fair share of menial tasks, and also began dabbling more frequently in medicine and the application of pharmaceutical drugs. Where most young adults struggled to multitask basic college classes, relationships, jobs and money, Mirach excelled. It helped that her father paid for her education while she built her underground alter ego, “Asclepius” from the ground up and practiced her gray area medical expertise on equally gray characters. Subsequently, Mirach wound up graduating a year early—living up to the “prodigy” status some believed her to be—and furthering her understanding of human anatomy. By then, “Asclepius” was a concern amongst authorities, but difficult to pin down (a fact no doubt aided by the Faux Caduceus). As always, her father approved of her involvement in the underground, and when Mirach’s posting assignment was later moved to New Jersey, her notoriety grew.

It seemed, for a time, that she was living up to the Dia quality of making herself remembered. Here in the backstreets of Jersey, “Asclepius” rose to true fame. There were countless actions “Asclepius” took to secure her identity as well, though it remains to be seen if the Impedio Society approved. As a neutral agent in the underground, Mirach was capable of moving freely amongst gangs, mob families and even hit men; she robbed, she infiltrated and she smuggled. It goes without saying that her medical skills rose to true fame here as well; Mirach, or “Asclepius”, picked so many bullets out of wounded criminals, stitched so many wounds, obtained and prescribed so much illegal medication that she became a notable threat to legal forces. They had no choice but to pursue her more actively—especially since, as with all medical procedures done outside of sanitary areas, Mirach often left an occasional dead body or two in the dust behind her.

Unfortunately, in the three years Mirach was posted in Jersey, the Impedio Soceity gained very little from it. Fate activity was scarce enough that her in-field expertise seemed to be wasting away on meaningless reports and paperwork. As loyal and diligent as she seemed to be, the Society felt her role would better be fulfilled elsewhere. Mirach was again transferred, this time closer to where she needed to be: California. Her alter ego was not as infamous here as it was on the east coast, but whispers of “Asclepius” were on the move. She was finally stationed in L.A. itself a year later, where at last, it seems, her tenacity and hunger for action could finally find an outlet.

Mirach, and “Asclepius”, were finally on the front lines.

The Faux Caduceus- A finicky jewel with questionable origins, the Faux Caduceus—a symbol commonly misidentified as associated with medicine—was discovered in buried Roman ruins and brought back to the Impedio Society. Unbreakable, blood red, and volatile, with little control over its spurts of power, it has only one ability: to leave a lifelike “residual” or “ghost” of its current owner from time to time in situations of duress. This comes in handy when say, fleeing a scene, dodging an attack or utterly confusing an opponent’s aim, as the “ghost” does the opposite action of the wearer. I.e., if Mirach is running in one direction, the “ghost” will run in the other. The Faux Caduceus is extremely difficult to control, however. Owners typically have to “hope” for the best while carrying it on their person, though from time to time, it might heed a request or bow to a particularly forceful mind. It is shaped in the form of a typical caduceus, with two snakes entwined around a winged staff. Mirach carries this on her person at all times, typically by looping metal wire around one of the snakes and clipping it onto a longer chain that hooks to one of her belt loops. If not hiding in a pocket, it is at least usually in her medical kit.

-Mirach’s first posting (at 17) was in Florida for four years. She was later transferred to New Jersey and remained there for three. Finally, she was moved to California, and eventually stationed specifically in L.A.

-Mirach has an acute hatred and fear of dogs, and the latter is especially prevalent with larger breeds. Even if the animals are friendly, she would prefer to keep her distance, and can be especially irritable around loose canines or irresponsible owners.

-Mirach’s opinion on the Elemental problem rests in an eerie, gray area. While not an advocate for senseless slaughter, she is a fierce proponent for capture, study, and possible dissection to determine if there are any anatomical correlations between those with powers and those without. Her cause isn’t a cruel one—to Mirach, it’s simply the next logical, and preventative, step forward for the Impedio Society. She would ultimately prefer live subjects to dead ones, anyway—it’s just the implications behind her proposed “studies” that might unnerve a few people. That said, Mirach does not freely go out, kidnap suspected elementals, and prod them with scalpels and countless needles like a mad scientist. Her opinion might be obvious, but as a loyal member of the Society, she’d rather follow directives passed down from the Consuls and higher ranking members first; let them reap the responsibility and work out the details. She’ll follow orders.

-A seasonal asthmatic since birth, Mirach typically can’t stand springtime and all that it entails. The pollen count’s too high and she can’t be as active (especially in the underground) as she wants to be, which in turn, makes her absolutely miserable. Thankfully, her illness rarely manifests to the extent it used to her in her childhood, but it goes without saying that she constantly keeps an inhaler on her person and maintains a nebulizer stash of xopenex and albuterol at home. There’s nothing worse than trying to breathe—only to realize you can’t. To date she seems mostly prone to wheezing, and that’s it—but as any asthmatic knows, attacks can be unpredictable, and extremely debilitating.

-Mirach carries a leather “tool kit” on her person at all times, but her “tools” are actually various medical supplies and equipment, from scalpels and syringes full of morphine and tranquilizers, to bandages, blades, a plethora of pills, needles, picks, forceps, and scissors.

-Mirach has a preference for wearing brass knuckles or relying on knives for close range combat—but she’s not above using sedatives and poisons to get the job done either.