Hecate Nocturne

Her Majesty, Queen Hecate Trivia Morgana Asteria Nocturne

Hecate is the Queen of Shadows and the supreme sorceress of Umbragard. She is exceptionally powerful and feared throughout the Dark Realms.

Physical Description

Body Features

Hecate has very pale skin, like most Umbragardian Shadows. She has wavy, raven-black hair that falls past her chest. Her eyes are bright, vivid green. She is notably tall, at least a head taller than her husband.
Her folds are thick and black, and usually molded into simple robes or gowns. When she adds any color to them, it's often green or silver.

Facial Features

She has a somewhat square-shaped face, with a strong jaw, and prominent cheekbones. She usually has a neutral or scrutinizing expression.

Special abilities

Being the most powerful sorceress in the Dark Realms, Hecate's magical powers are phenomenal, and almost no one knows the full extent of them.

Umbrakinesis: Hecate is extremely skilled at all forms of Umbrakinesis, including tangible and intangible umbrakinetic constructs, umbrakinetic obstruction and concealment, light absorption, and offensive magic. Despite her expertise, she usually neglects to use Umbrakinesis.

Psychic Abilties:

• Telepathy: Hecate's Nightsense is telepathy, and she is capable of knowing the entire mind of almost any person, and communicating with people telepathically from great distances. She doesn't always use this ability, leaving people their privacy unless she has a very good reason. It is unknown whether or not she is capable of mind control (and declines to use it). It is assumed she can hypnotize people and tamper with memories, like her son. She has no tolerance for lies.

• Intuitive Premonition: Her clairvoyance is not as absolute as her mother's, but she has powerful intuition and is often able to accurately predict future events, although she is not always able to do anything about them. It's likely that she knew Eidolon would become king, but not necessarily how.

Potion-Making: Potions are one of Hecate's specialities, and she spends most of her time in her laboratory, brewing them. She has extensive knowledge of herbs and potion ingredients, and she oversees the distribution of healing potions to citizens.

Enchantment: Another thing that Hecate is known for is enchantment, the ability to place or impose magical qualities on objects or people.

• Protective Enchantments: Hecate is responsible for the magical defense of the kingdom, and is able to constantly maintain numerous protective charms and enchantments to keep Umbragard safe from physical and magical attacks. She can do this without much difficulty or strain on herself or her other magic, which means she has incredible magical endurance. She also supervises portal use in Umbragard, and decides who can open portals, for what reason. Hecate also has placed protective enchantments on her own children to bestow immunity to many kinds of curses and magical attacks.
• Curses and Hexes: Hecate's knowledge of herbalism and Underworld magic also makes her skilled at casting and removing malignant enchantments, especially blighting curses. Hecate's curses are powerful, long-lasting, and feared, although she keeps her exact capabilities to herself. In extreme cases, severely cursed people (like Karesinda) will come to Hecate for help.

Illusion and Dream Magic: Hecate is never seen using illusions or dream magic, but she taught them to her son, so it's clear that she is capable of it (likely having inherited it from her father).

Ceremonial Magic: Another one of Hecate's favorite kinds of magic is ritual magic, which she uses to cast her powerful long-term enchantments and to communicate with spirits. She leads official ceremonial functions.

• Necromancy: She doesn't have as much of an aptitude for necromancy as her half-sister, but she's still able to summon, bind, and speak to ghosts.
• Drawing Down the Moon: A mysterious ritual that allows Hecate to control the moon's power. The details of it are unclear.

Monster Control: Being a powerful sorceress from the Underworld, she is able to control many lesser monsters, like her Horde of Nightmares, and her infernal attendants, Empusa and Eurynomos. She also controls four dragons that pull her chariot. She got the ability to control Underworld monsters from her father, and passes it on to her son, but she's still much more adept at controlling monsters than Astor is.

Pyrokinesis: She can conjure bright green Shadow-fire, at any heat she chooses.

Transformation

• Shapeshifting: It's assumed that Hecate can shapeshift, since she taught shapeshifting to her son. She's never been seen to shapeshift, but rumors suggest that she can become a dragon.
• Human Transformation: More rumors suggest that Hecate can permanently transform humans into animals. Hecate confirms that this is true. She considers it a more ethical means of removing people as threats than killing them, since living as an animal allows them to continue life and even change back to humans if they redeem themselves. She does not encourage use of it except in extreme cases, since it can be so easily abused. She has refused to teach it to her apprentices since Circe. She even refuses to teach Astor until she is certain of his maturity.

Portal Control: Hecate controls the network of portals that lead in and out of Umbragard, ensuring Umbragard's safety. She allows other people to use portals by issuing them magical keys with her seal.

Apparel & Accessories

She almost always wears her folds as long, plain black robes and dresses, although sometimes her robes or dresses have dark green accents.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Hecate's early life is very obscure, including where her reputation came from. What's known is that she was born in the Underworld and grew up there, and that she was a magical prodigy. She studied magic at the Scholomance and also spent a significant portion of her life in Styganwald. It is unknown how old she is, but she appeared to be a young woman when she came to Umbragard. She did not want to marry, but was encouraged to by her own mother. Of the three princes, she chose Spyridon Nocturne for her husband. It's suspected that she knew Eidolon would become king.
Hecate was not particularly enthusiastic about having children, either, but once she did, she loved her son and daughter dearly. She also came to love Umbragard, and does everything she can to protect it.

Gender Identity

Female

Sexuality

Hecate is bisexual, but she keeps this to herself.

Education

At some point in her youth, Hecate was educated at the Scholomance, the famous school of dark magic in the Underworld. She got the rest of her education from a myriad of other places, including the hags in Styganwald and her parents.

Employment

Hecate rules Umbragard alongside her husband, and is mostly concerned with the safety and wellbeing of her citizens. She maintains powerful magic to protect Umbragard from physical and magical threats, and she distributes healing potions and talismans to the sick and injured.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Hecate's main motivation is to protect her kingdom, and to train her son and other students in magic and the Mysteries. She may have a greater motivation beyond this, but she keeps it to herself.

Likes & Dislikes

She likes dogs, snakes, owls, darkness, fire, monsters, stars, the moon, the Underworld, dragons, doing magic for any purpose.
She dislikes being bothered while she's working.

Virtues & Personality perks

Whether this is a virtue or a vice, Hecate is intense, intimidating, and dreaded. She is feared by most witches in the Dark Realms, feared by other monarchs, feared by monsters in the Underworld, feared even by her own subjects. Hecate rarely speaks about how she garnered this reputation, as it seems to be based on more than just her magical prowess or heritage, but she certainly uses it to her advantage. Umbragard is rarely attacked or threatened just because of her presence there.

Cold as she is (and contrary to popular belief), Hecate is as compassionate as her husband, and is willing to help anyone who comes to her for aid. This is why she puts so much effort into creating healing potions for her subjects.

Overall, she is serene and self-assured. She is proud whilst having humility. She rarely gets stressed, and she always seems to have control over a situation. She is wise and trusted for her decisions and advice.

Vices & Personality flaws

Hecate comes across as cold and unapproachable, even though she isn't actually a cold person. She can be extremely judgmental of people she doesn't consider worth her time or attention. She can be extremely difficult to get close to. She keeps secrets from absolutely everyone, even her loved ones. 
It's implied that she used to be much more like Astor, more haughty (and more sensual).

Social

Contacts & Relations

She is friends with Selene Moonforest, and Karesinda. She maintains acquaintance with the various sorcerers of the Black Circle, including her schoolmate Iblis, and friend Lord Acheron. She is friends with some of the other Queens of the Dark Realms, such as the demon queen Gremory and the fairy queens Nicnevin and Maeve. She doesn't acknowledge the rivalry that Nepenthe, the queen of Styganwald, presumes to have with her. She attempts to stay in contact with her former students, but one of these, Circe, sees her as a rival.

Samhain Night by B-a-s-t-e-t

Family Ties

Hecate loves her family, even if from a distance, and she would do almost anything to protect her son and daughter. It's unclear if she was ever as intensely in love with Eidolon as he was with her, but she is certainly fond of him and devoted to him.

Religious Views

She leads many of the religious functions of Umbragard, for the nobles on Full and Dark Moons, or for the public on major holidays. She is deeply spiritual, however, her way of engaging with spirits and entities is more commanding than worshipful. She treats the gods almost as equals. There are those who suspect that she herself is an avatar of The Magician, or another deity...

Social Aptitude

Hecate is heavily introverted, and seems like a thoroughly unsocial person. Her husband handles most of the social aspects of being a monarch. She spends almost all of her time shut up in the dungeons or towers, occasionally seen by her family, and rarely seen by her subjects. The only social aspect that she handles is management of the various powerful sorcerers of Umbragard, maintaining alliances and friendships with them through The Black Circle.

Despite all of this, she attends parties (even if she stays on the sidelines), and has genuine friends, such as Selene and Karesinda.

Mannerisms

She is nothing if not imposing, standing tall and silent beside her husband or at the edges of a room, watching. Her movements are always measured and unruffled.

Hobbies & Pets

Hecate has several familiars. In addition to her monsters and Nightmares, Hecate has a pair of dogs that she loves dearly, named Gorgyra and Orthos. She also has a black serpent, Akitophis.

Speech

She speaks a variation of Early Modern English. She has a very low voice, and is usually calm when she speaks.

Relationships

Astor Nocturne

Son (Vital)

Towards Hecate Nocturne

4

2

Honest

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Hecate Nocturne

Mother (Vital)

Towards Astor Nocturne

4

2

Frank

---

History

Astor's relationship with his mother is primarily based on her tutoring of him in his study of magic. Although she insisted upon nursing him (and his sister), he did not see her for the majority of his childhood. Even Astor is cowed by her formidable personality and power, and he begrudgingly yields to her. He admires his mother about as much as he admires his father, and aspires to impress her with his magical powers. Hecate plays a greater role in his life as he gets older and grows into his powers. Hecate has high expectations for him, but she is secretly very proud of her son, and slowly introduces him to the silent community of magic-users within Umbragard's political system.

Eidolon Nocturne

Husband

Towards Hecate Nocturne

5

4

Honest

---

Hecate Nocturne

Wife

Towards Eidolon Nocturne

5

3

Honest

---

History

When Hecate came to Umbragard to choose one of its Princes to marry, she chose Eidolon. Eidolon was absolutely shocked. He was completely enthralled with Hecate and didn't even dare to believe she loved him. Hecate says that she chose him because unlike his brothers, he put on no pretenses and had no ulterior motives. Despite his coy demeanor, she admired his authenticity and his kindness. It is likely that she also knew Eidolon would become King, even if she didn't know exactly how, and knew that she would become Queen by marrying him. They quickly married, already expecting a child when tragedy struck and Eidolon ascended to the throne. Eidolon and Hecate are not in love, but they each feel deep affection for each other, and they are fantastic business partners. They have divided up the work of ruling Umbragard between them according to their individual strengths. They work well together and play off of each other. Their reign has been very successful.

Wealth & Financial state

As Queen of Umbragard, Hecate has access to a vast amount of wealth. However, she is not particularly interested in material wealth and would be just as happy living in a cave, as long as she has all of her magical supplies.

Current Location

The Palace of Eternal Night

Species

Shadow

Ethnicity

Stygian Shadow

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Queen of Shadows, The Witch Queen, Supreme Sorceress, Queen of the Night

Date of Birth

13 August

Circumstances of Birth

Hecate was born on August 13th, but no one is certain exactly when, or how.

Birthplace

Somewhere in the Underworld, likely Obscurus.

Spouses

Eidolon Nocturne (Husband)

Siblings

Current Residence

The Palace of Eternal Night, Nighthaven

Gender

Female

Eyes

Bright green

Hair

Long, wavy, raven black

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale white

Height

6'4"

Aligned Organization

The Kingdom of Umbragard

Other Affiliations

• The Black Circle

Known Languages

Besides English, it's unknown how many other languages she knows, but she is at least fluent in Chthonian, the Underworld tongue.