Date: 5 February, 2135
Bio:
Name: Margaret MacLellan
Birth Date: March 23rd, 2072
Birthplace: Berlin
Aliases: Maisie, Wolf Queen, Gold Heart, Queen of Shadows
Age: 60’s, but appears to be in her late 20’s or early 30’s.
Metatype: Elf
Hair: Blood Red
Eyes: Gold
Skin: Fair
Height: 5’ 8”
Weight: 130lbs
Awakened: Yes, Shaman
Maisie is an odd, and sometimes seemingly contradictory individual. She is cunning, clever, intelligent, and her ability to unlock obscure clues would make Sherlock Homes green with envy. On the other hand, she rarely lies or knowingly speaks falsehoods, and only ever for very good reasons. She has a softness in her heart for those who are suffering and seeks to ease that suffering however she can, up to and including risking her own skin. She is able to remain cool under pressure, but once her rage is sparked, no force on Earth can save you. She has been known to hunt her enemies relentlessly until they either surrender or are killed. She is incredibly charismatic, and has a gift for diplomacy. She is a skilled public speaker, and her speeches are carefully worded to inspire whatever reaction she desires. She is a woman with many plans, and the will, power, and Nuyen to see those plans through. She is slightly shorter than average for an elf, and her physique is slender but well-toned. She inherited her father’s eye color and fathomless gaze, and many have said that it feels like she’s gazing into their very soul, picking it apart and judging each and every piece. Her fair skin is marred by several gunshot wound scars, and the most noticeable one sits just above her right breast. Her facial features are sharp, almost savage, and there is a small, barely perceptible scar on the right side of her head. Her deep red hair is thick and wavy, with a slight curl to the end. She usually keeps it loose, but is also known to tie it back in braids of varying intricacy, depending on her mood and the situation.
"The braid thing is a habit from childhood that carried over into my adult life. I would often play with my hair in idle boredom, twisting and braiding it almost mindlessly. Over time, the braids became more intricate. Now it’s more a relaxing hobby than anything.”
• Wolf Queen
She has survived many assassination attempts relatively unscathed. One account describes how the Thronwache were alerted to an attacker within Neuschwanstein Castle. They rushed to the queen’s aid, and arrived to find her relaxing in her roman style bath and drinking wine. The would-be assassin was lying dead off to the side with his throat savagely torn out, and the bath had been turned red by his blood. The queen herself was uninjured, and seemed utterly nonchalant despite her pupils still being slits and taking several minutes to return to normal. She has also been subject to several marriage proposals, but has refused each one, recognizing them for what they really are. A blatant attempt to usurp her power and claim it for themselves. Make no mistake, Maisie’s power in Altarraum is absolute, and the people love her.
Maisie is incredibly wealthy, owning properties all over the globe, and has a large investment portfolio through various proxies and shell companies that spreads across several A, AA, and even AAA corporations. She owns just enough stock in each of them to have some degree of sway within the corporations, but not enough to be majorly effected if any one of those companies fails. She owns a goodly bit of stock in Ares Macrotechnology, and it is rumored that she is working with Damien Knight on some secret projects. It is he who is aiding Maisie’s vengeance against Aztechnology, using the opportunity to re-secure his power within Ares, take over Saeder-Krupp’s military and civil engineering contracts with Altarraum (Following S-K’s dismal *cough* purposeful *cough* failure during the Samhain Massacre. However, the Schattenwache is still run by the government and is separate from the military), and steal the Big A’s spot as the second largest megacorp. As she likes to say: “There’s no point in having absurd amounts of wealth if you’re not going to make use of it.”
“I’m honestly surprised that you’re in bed with Mr. Knight and Ares, Wolf Queen.”
• Netcat
“Don’t be. The Big A has been trying to claw its way into Altarraum and take me out for the last seventeen years. I also have my Vater to deal with. While he wasn’t directly involved in the massacre, he still sat back and twiddled his thumbs while my people were slaughtered. It forced me to realize that he is utterly untrustworthy, and forging a much stronger corporate presence was vital to Altarraum’s continued survival. My kingdom is also hounded by threats of a spiritual nature, and Ares’ history of successfully developing anti-spirit weaponry made the choice clear to me.”
• Wolf Queen
“That…actually makes sense.”
• Netcat
Although many were wary of her at first, thanks to her parentage, she has since proven that she is in no way bound to her father or his will. She still picks up shadow work from time to time, focusing on more altruistic and/or spiritual jobs, and never accepting payment for her work (She’s just building up for her next initiation). One of her more famous exploits was disguising herself physically and astrally as a Troll child who was being tormented by horrible dreams, to trick and destroy a particularly nasty Nightmare spirit. This had made her very popular in shadow communities around the globe, and she makes good use of that popularity. With the aid of her most trusted friend and confidant, Lord Quecksilber, she has built a truly massive network of independent spies and informants that spans the globe, known collectively as her Little Birds. Very little happens in the shadows without her knowledge, and this is where the true bulk of her power lies. Her habits, along with her steadfast and stubborn refusal to give the Corporate Court any kind of foothold in Altarraum have made her exceedingly unpopular in certain circles. This has earned her the potentially less flattering nickname, Queen of Shadows.
Maisie is a wolf shaman of considerable power, and has a penchant for channeling large amounts of mana into massive displays of power and wrath. The most famous example of this was during the Samhain Massacre, when she destroyed most of the shedim invading Schwangau with an extremely high force spell that nearly killed her, causing her scars to reopen and bleed profusely. Her willingness to put her own life on the line to protect her home and loved ones is no secret. Many of her enemies have attempted to use that against her, and have paid dearly for it. Her Little Birds feed her information, and she returns the favor in her quest for knowledge, wisdom, and power. She has a very pragmatic reason for earning the love and adoration of runners everywhere. It strips her enemies of places to hide from her wrath should they strike at her or her kingdom. She makes sure her enemies are constantly aware of this fact, and it has made her nigh untouchable.
It should be noted that she never binds spirits, since she sees it as disrespectful. She chooses instead to summon them on an as-needed basis, and won’t summon them at all if she believes the risk to the spirit is too great. That said, she possesses a seething hatred for shadow spirits, and feels only pity for twisted and toxic spirits, often choosing to simply put them out of their misery. Although it is often an unfortunate necessity, she gains no joy or pleasure from the task. Maisie treats other metahumans and metasapients in much the same way. She will treat you with the upmost respect until you give her a good reason not to. On the flip side, she expects the upmost respect, professionalism, and loyalty from those who work for her. That is most likely a side effect of being raised by a retired UCAS Marine.
"So that's how you were able to buddy up to Knight.”
• Eagle Eye
“Now you’re catching on. Mr. Knight is a company president and CEO, but he is still a soldier at heart.”
• Wolf Queen
Maisie is a bit of a media darling, and travels around the globe giving interviews and personal visits to celebrities and journalists. She also visits politicians on occasion, but is very selective with whom she will grant an audience. She is very good at sniffing out corrupt politicians, so a snub from her should be taken as harsh disapproval of their professional and personal behavior, and a clear warning. She also indulges her playful side by appearing on game shows from time to time, and frequenting the local nightlife of wherever she may be. Some of her fellow immortals, and even her father look down their noses at her a bit for that, but she simply doesn’t care. Staying in the spotlight also helps her avoid being pulled into her father’s schemes, or anyone else’s for that matter.
Maisie learned from the shutdown of Altarraum’s public grid during the Samhain Massacre, caused by the massive damage done during a vicious fight between Mod, Maisie’s brother and e-ghost, and another powerful unknown matrix entity. The event left Altarraum crippled, and although the kingdom has recovered, some of its scars are still visible to this day. She quickly incorporated many “old world” technologies into nearly every aspect of the kingdom to render it capable of running effectively in the event of another shutdown. Should anything long-term go wrong with the matrix, Altarraum is capable of carrying on without it.
On the darker side of things, Maisie also suffers from PTSD and occasional migraines due to repeated head injuries. She is also a dry BTL addict and has a moderate phobia of hospitals, labs, clinics, or any other kind of sterile medical environment. Although she does a reasonably good job of coping, her trauma still rears its ugly head more often than she’d like. She endures frequent nightmares and flashbacks of both her dad’s death and her suffering at the hands of Aztechnology. She subconsciously blames herself for her dad’s murder, and it fuels a deep self-loathing. The loss of all but two members of her family has only deepened her grief and sense of inadequacy. Instead of taking a geas, she went the opposite direction and leaned more and more on the Blood Jewel to increase her own power. She initiates at every possible opportunity, and her means of initiating often border on reckless self-castigation for her perceived failure to protect her loved ones. Her love for her family and her pack is both her greatest strength…and her greatest pitfall.
“As much as it pains me to face my own inner demons, the consequences of running away from them are far direr.”
• Wolf Queen
Relationships:
Maisie has a teenage son named Gregor, of whom she is very protective. She has never been married, and by all accounts appears to have no intention of that changing any time soon. Harlequin, who was once incredibly close to the throne, having actually sat on it for a short time, seems to have completely abandoned his duties and goals in Altarraum. He is currently AWOL, his status and current location are unknown. Since his disappearance, Maisie has been seen with other men, including Sean Laverty, a Druid from Tir na nOg named Scott MacBrádaigh, and yes, even Damien Knight (they play chess).
“The hell happened between you and Laughing Man, anyway?”
• Slamm-O!
“Very long story made incredibly short, he left.”
• Wolf Queen
“My offer to shoot him in the face is still on the table.”
• Bull
“I know, and I appreciate the sentiment, but I still need him alive. I’m not sure you’d ever get the chance regardless.”
• Wolf Queen
“What do you mean?”
• Bull
“He had what I guess you could call a rough patch after I helped him take out Gwynplaine for good. He’s already known to suffer episodes of depression, but this time was…different. It was less like something snapped, and more like something finally clicked. He stopped drinking and smoking, stopped dying his hair and painting his face, and said something about “going back to where it all began”. If you’re wondering what the hell that means, welcome to the club. I helped him through it, and he seemed to come around a bit. Then I woke up one morning and he was gone. It was like he just fell off the face of the Earth. It’s been eighteen years since he left, but I’ve recently received some intel regarding him that has me very concerned for his wellbeing.”
• Wolf Queen
“What kind of intel?”
• Frosty
“I received a report from one of my informants of a man matching Laughing Man’s description sneaking around Chernobyl. My informant supplied photographs, and it’s definitely him, sans the face paint. I’m certain he knew he was being watched, because he vanished after leading my informant on a wild goose chase through the ruins of Pripyat. There’s been no sign of him since.”
• Wolf Queen
“If he truly is poking around Chernobyl, then you are likely right to be concerned. Though I do wonder what his motivations are for periodically commenting in the other dossier entries.”
• Wordsmyth
“I’m not sure. I’m wracking my brain trying to figure out what could possibly keep his attention fixated for eighteen years, and why he’s decided to keep me out of it.”
• Wolf Queen
She has a powerful and bloodthirsty vendetta against Aztechnology, and Aztlan as a result. In fact, her hatred of them is so great that the mere mention of the Big A in her presence will get her hackles up. Through her vast network of proxies, she has personally bankrolled dozens, if not hundreds of runs against the megacorp. The runs are well planned and well supplied (thank you, Ares), and range from the utter destruction of Teocalis as the blood spirits within, to precision strikes against Aztech’s juiciest cash cows. If any companies within Altarraum are discovered to be a subsidiary of Aztechnology, they are promptly given the boot, often violently. The president of the last subsidiary the Big A tried to use to get into Altarraum was put to death (with an honest-to-God executioner’s axe), and his body was fed to the wolves that haunt Altarraum’s forests. His head was then shipped to the Aztechnology HQ in Tenochtitlan as a clear and grisly message: STAY OUT. This shadow war has raged for nearly two decades, and is showing no signs of ending any time soon. The Big A’s PR team once tried to spin public opinion against her and her decision to eject them from her kingdom. She responded by having her team of deckers release security footage the public that showed them torturing and experimenting on her. By the time Aztech managed to get the uproar under control, the damage had been done and their public image was permanently tarnished. The Corporate Court opened an independent investigation into the incident, and levied painful fines, which in turn went straight into Maisie’s bank account. One thing is clear: Maisie’s vengeance is far from complete, and she will not rest until the jaguar is groveling at her feet, toothless and declawed. She also has a hefty bounty on the heads of any members of Humanis and Alamos 20k, due to their involvement with the Samhain Massacre. She prefers that they be brought to her alive, but dead is also fine.
She also has a three-way feud with Alachia and Jenna Ni’Fairra. She has tried on multiple occasions to take the high road and find a peaceful way to settle the dispute, but her efforts so far have been fruitless. Alachia and Jenna seem dead set on escalating the conflict, though no one is sure why. Maisie herself has expressed both confusion and exasperation regarding the issue. She maintains a cordial relationship with the other immortals, but is frequently irritated by their racist ideologies and holier-than-thou attitudes.
Her relationship with the dragons is for the most part peaceful, if not tense at times. The exceptions to these are Ghostwalker and Sirrurg, with whom the animosity is palpable. Maisie’s relationship with her father is a rough one, mainly due to her involvement with Ares and her protection of drakes within Altarraum.
Speaking of drakes. Maisie’s closest friend, ally, and confidant is a powerful drake known as Lord Michael Quecksilber. He is her advisor, expediter, and essentially acts as her “voice”. He speaks and acts on her behalf, and sees that her will is carried out. He has also survived multiple assassination attempts, and each time Maisie has reduced the would-be assassins to their component parts. They work together to build and maintain a sanctuary of free drakes hidden deep within Altarraum’s mountains. The location of the sanctuary is a closely guarded secret, and for good reason.
Miscellaneous Facts:
• Maisie still has the Loffy plushie given to her as a Christmas Gift by her adoptive dad. It currently sits on the bookshelf in her bedroom at Neuschwanstein Castle. It has an ugly scar across the chest where it was once torn by a neighborhood bully, and sewn back together.
• Maisie’s gold diadem has twelve stars incorporated into its design, each star holding a jewel. Three of the jewels are black and dull. When the craftsman was questioned about it, he replied “I believe those stars will become an important symbol in your life.” When asked to explain what he meant, he simply shrugged and claimed it just came to him, but he felt it was important.
• Maisie is an avid gardener and keeps several hives of bees at Linderhof Palace. She uses the honey from the hives to brew a sweet white honey wine that is now world famous (and expensive).
• Some of Maisie’s power is fueled by Brisingamen, the ornate necklace she always wears. The necklace is, among other things, a rating 16 power focus, and seems to be growing in power alongside Maisie.
• Harlequin taught her the Astral Walking ability after the birth of her son, and that ability is what saved her and the infant Gregor from a powerful twisted spirit. Using the ability is very draining on her, so she uses it sparingly. It was after the destruction of that spirit that Maisie began forging her close alliance with Damien Knight and Ares. An alliance that eventually led to Ares taking over S-K’s military and heavy industry contracts within Altarraum after the Samhain Massacre ten years later.
