October "Cicada" Brooks
"I kill people..."
"Why? Why are you doing this?" He gasped. The blood ran down his chin from his lip and onto the exposed skin of his leg. The ropes that held him to the chair iched, his wrists raw and bleeding.
She was surprised he had made it this far... so few of them do. She turned to him and smiled. It took him off guard for a moment. The smile was genuine. She stepped away from the table of torturers tools and stradled him, clasping onto his hands as if to confort him.
"This floating rock hurdles to unfathomable oblivion. You know nothing of this coming storm... it consumes all. I do it because I must. Because the world will end soon... but..." her malice emerged once more as she thrusted her hips forward, the denim snagging at his dried skin.
"Its gonna be a hell of a ride..."
Origins of Fire
In the summer of 1732 somewhere in New England, a woman suffered a horrid death. A serial killer and an adultereress, among other things, she was thin with green eyes and an angelic, angular face. She was mesmerizing to watch as she walked, gathering stares everywhere she went.
She was the best kept secret of the many husbands in her countryside town but the secret came out and when they found out she was the one who revealed it, they were furious. Her name was October Matilda Brooks. The details of her death are unknown, as she consciously forgot them. The only detail that lingers is the pain and a lingering phobia of fire. As a final farewell, her murderers tied her to a tall oak and burned it. Her final moments of agony were a call to whatever power would listen... and as a twist of fate... two beings would answer.
She was the best kept secret of the many husbands in her countryside town but the secret came out and when they found out she was the one who revealed it, they were furious. Her name was October Matilda Brooks. The details of her death are unknown, as she consciously forgot them. The only detail that lingers is the pain and a lingering phobia of fire. As a final farewell, her murderers tied her to a tall oak and burned it. Her final moments of agony were a call to whatever power would listen... and as a twist of fate... two beings would answer.
A Study in Scarlet
The first entity to answer frightened her with his whispers. A being that was almost impossible to hear as if he was trapped in a box. He offered her a great many things: a seat in his court, a ticket to the end of the world that tormented her so. She was tempted but she then heard the voice of another.
This second voice was something else: A lush vibrant voice of a woman In the throes of passion. She didn't promise the world on a silver platter... but she did promise blood. October is constantly pulled between the two as no contract was ever signed and sealed. Whatever black thing in the void calls to her, it never ceases. Despite this fact, it is The Red Maiden who forever has her ear. Her ashes littered the soil, and a strange event occurred the night after.
no records have detailed the incident, but for those who were there gazing in confusion at the sky, it was all to real.
A new moon hung low in that black abyss and the stars seemed to fade away in its brilliance. What is most perplexing about this event is that a new moon was weeks away in the lunar cycle.
October reformed, her ashes coming together in the dirt and grime. The reanimation was violent and painful. Many heard a wailing that would haunt them to their dying breath, the sound of it like a woman giving birth to horror.
October felt a power she never had before, she felt the blood of those who killed her. She could sense it as if linked to the arterial pulse. She listened to her red mother and hunted them all one by one, bestowing upon them a fate far worse than hers.
This second voice was something else: A lush vibrant voice of a woman In the throes of passion. She didn't promise the world on a silver platter... but she did promise blood. October is constantly pulled between the two as no contract was ever signed and sealed. Whatever black thing in the void calls to her, it never ceases. Despite this fact, it is The Red Maiden who forever has her ear. Her ashes littered the soil, and a strange event occurred the night after.
no records have detailed the incident, but for those who were there gazing in confusion at the sky, it was all to real.
A new moon hung low in that black abyss and the stars seemed to fade away in its brilliance. What is most perplexing about this event is that a new moon was weeks away in the lunar cycle.
October reformed, her ashes coming together in the dirt and grime. The reanimation was violent and painful. Many heard a wailing that would haunt them to their dying breath, the sound of it like a woman giving birth to horror.
October felt a power she never had before, she felt the blood of those who killed her. She could sense it as if linked to the arterial pulse. She listened to her red mother and hunted them all one by one, bestowing upon them a fate far worse than hers.
Chrysalis
The details of the bargain struck between Brooks and The Red Maiden are often contradictory and any time she attempts to explain it, she will fail. It's literally part of the bargain.
The only solid facts are that she must return to the physical world, kill 100 men and women of particularly poor moral fiber, and return to The Wetworks. She must do this every 17 years and has done so since she awoke under the red moon. While this time passes for us, for October it is never ending. October is only 27 years old and ages normally. She spends less than a month in the metaphysical plane before returning.
She doesn't have a time limit on her kills nor does she need to kill in any particular fashion. She often chooses to linger between kills and study the times. She adapts her demeanor and method of speaking to hide her origins. Each kill she wears like a badge of honor but in the last hundred years, she has started to gain attention, both in the media and The Web.
In the 1940s the media gave her the nickname "Cicada" and immediately she took it to heart. She began to leave sketches and paintings of cicadas at every crime scene.
The meaning behind the name comes from the periodical cicada which only batches a new brood every 17 years. The members of the web see her as more than just a killer or even an anomaly. The School Of Carthage has been trying to catch her for many decades and others have vowed to kill her on sight. It is The Alexandrian University, however, that succeeded.
The only solid facts are that she must return to the physical world, kill 100 men and women of particularly poor moral fiber, and return to The Wetworks. She must do this every 17 years and has done so since she awoke under the red moon. While this time passes for us, for October it is never ending. October is only 27 years old and ages normally. She spends less than a month in the metaphysical plane before returning.
She doesn't have a time limit on her kills nor does she need to kill in any particular fashion. She often chooses to linger between kills and study the times. She adapts her demeanor and method of speaking to hide her origins. Each kill she wears like a badge of honor but in the last hundred years, she has started to gain attention, both in the media and The Web.
In the 1940s the media gave her the nickname "Cicada" and immediately she took it to heart. She began to leave sketches and paintings of cicadas at every crime scene.
The meaning behind the name comes from the periodical cicada which only batches a new brood every 17 years. The members of the web see her as more than just a killer or even an anomaly. The School Of Carthage has been trying to catch her for many decades and others have vowed to kill her on sight. It is The Alexandrian University, however, that succeeded.
The University
Cicada noticed a series of strange signs. These omens led her to believe that something big is about to happen. She petitioned the university to offer her room and board as well as safety in exchange for using her for study. The University, and Camilla Ellestrom in particular, have a keen interest in the Wetworks, as its the only plane they have yet to explore in some degree or another. They accepted, and she freely roams about the complex to this day "Waiting for the world to end."
skills and abilities
On top of being remarkably skilled in Arcana Sanguis, having mastered all five strains, Brooks also possesses many talents that are not related to the arcane. She is an expert herbalist, and knows much of the metaphysical planes from her travels. She always has a knife, as most sanguimancers do, and can use it with alarming grace.
She also has an uncanny sense for what a person has done. She always seems to know if you have done wrong though she cannot determine what you did.
She also has an uncanny sense for what a person has done. She always seems to know if you have done wrong though she cannot determine what you did.
Style and apearence
October is fair skinned with green eyes and shoulder length black hair. She has angular facial features and stands at 5 feet and 7 inches. She changes her wardrobe often to suit the times. Currently, she favors jeans and you will never see her in a dress and heels. She often wears buttoned shirts, t-shirts, and occasionally tank tops. She rarely wears jewelry but does indulge in makeup and changes the style of her hair routinely.
Modus Operandi
Authorities have a difficult time when they encounter the grisly scenes October leaves behind. She pays little attention to clean up and is careless in her methods. Due to the fact that she has no identity in any nation, her crime scenes are always considered clumsy by those who investigate it.
While Cicada has many favorite methods, she rarely kills the same way twice in a given cycle. In her words, "Variety is the spice of life."
When Cicada goes to work, she will always have a case that contains many tools, some of which date back to her first cycle. Many of these tools are medical tools, carpenter tools, and a vast assortment of knives.
These tools are often used in conjunction with her many talents to torture the victim before the kill.
While Cicada has many favorite methods, she rarely kills the same way twice in a given cycle. In her words, "Variety is the spice of life."
When Cicada goes to work, she will always have a case that contains many tools, some of which date back to her first cycle. Many of these tools are medical tools, carpenter tools, and a vast assortment of knives.
These tools are often used in conjunction with her many talents to torture the victim before the kill.
by The Country Doctor Museum, Digital Collections, East Carolina University
Children
"So I should feel sorry for you, is that it?"
"God, no. Ellie, I'm a horrible human being. That's not the point. I was not an angel in my first life. I had many unsavory reputations... It's just... now I have an excuse for them."
Mental State
October's mental state was the first thing studied in her time at the university. She suffers no delusions, and has a firm grasp on the reality of her actions.
Her moral compass is skewed as she legitimately believes that her killings are in the right. Her victims are guilty of heinous crimes, according to her, though these crimes are never proven. Despite her sanity she is prone to acute psychotic outbursts under certain situations. These moments of temporary insanity are one of many reasons most people avoid her.
The source of these outbursts likely come from the addiction of blood that all sanguimancers experience, she however, believes it has little to do with that.
She claims that there is an entity trapped somewhere In time and space that had a hand in her reanimation. This entity is always clawing its way into her mind. These whispers always try to get control and these outbursts are her fighting back.
The outbursts only occur under certain stimuli. If October is placed in a sensory deprivation chamber it happens almost instantly whether the chamber is completely white or shrouds her in complete darkness. Other stimuli include contact with catatonic patients, pictures taken by the Hubble Telescope, and encountering other serial killers, though only certain ones will trigger the reaction and it isn't clear why.
These triggers have no correlation and those who have tried to help her have all but given up. Some even went so far as to say her symptoms, at least in part, are supernatural.
The fits involve flailing uncontrollably, severe seizures, indecipherable rambling and raving, and in some cases a comatose or catatonic state that can last for months. It was Camilla Ellestrom who finally found a solution to the problem. Using particularly rare metaphysical flora, she created a pleasant perfume that is capable of ending the outburst or, if October wears it, prevent it from happening at all.
Personality
October is often confused for a psychopath, but this couldn't be further from the truth. A psychopath is incapable of learning Arcana Sanguis, much less mastering it as October has.
Despite her habits and her enjoyment of them she is quite sane and incredibly empathetic. October does not have any form of identity disorder, but she makes a point to separate October from Cicada. She often gets upset when referred to as Cicada when she isn't "working" or in the field for the university.
This is a common choice for those who practice Arcana Sanguis, as they often have trouble dealing with what they are capable of doing while under the influence of The Passion and often compartmentalize the actions and ascribe it to someone else no matter how proud they may be of their actions.
It doesn't mean the two are different people, however. Cicada and October are the same person and are not separate entities in any way shape or form.
October's personality is often the talk of many researchers who have met her. They describe her as "delightful if a bit unsettling." This description likely comes from knowing who and what she is as well as hearing her talk about it.
Many avoid her, finding her murderous tendencies unsettling. Some have befriended her though, most notably, Camilla Ellestrom, who is indebted to Brooks for many reasons as Brooks is responsible for her promotion to lead researcher in metaphysical planes. Brooks also saved her life on more than one occasion.
She is an enigma in The Web, though she seldom stirs up trouble for anyone within. Ellestrom herself has found a strange sense of companionship in October, and considers her almost like a sister, though she would never admit it. October has often voiced that she feels the same about their friendship, often saying she is one of the few people who "really gets her."
by erik hoepfner
Boy was i scared shitless after reading this article! This article was very harrowing indeed and you managed to invoke fear in me through a beautiful combination of description, prose, worldbuilding and storytelling! The quotes manage to add even more terror to the article and the sidebar is also very nice as well! Last of all, that artwork is beautiful. Congrats and keep up the great work!