Moffett Moschella Midgley, "Moff"
Moffett, generally referred to by her nickname "Moff," is a Shirren from the space beyond Chronus. Moff has been deemed an ambassador by her people, sent to Chronus to study their kind and learn their ways so that her people can forge a stronger relationship with the mysterious and powerful inhabitants of the planet. Inadvertently, Moff has grown quite attached to her new home, and tends to see the good in the planet and its people even when others only see the worst. Moff is a potent magic user who, more than anyone else on the planet, specializes in combining various forms of magic into one, making her one of the pre-eminent theurges of Chronus.
Origins from the Hive
The Hive is a tribe of Shirren that is unique due to possessing a hivemind that connects the thoughts and emotions of her people. The Hive are a matriarchal society, serving and generally sharing lineage with a Queen. Furthermore, the Hive also had a connection with the goddess Hylax, who was also a part of this collective hivemind.
When the gods fell, a similar fate is believed to have befallen Hylax, who went missing at the time. Her exact whereabouts remain a mystery to this day. However, without the voice of their goddess, the Hive fell into a state of despair and panic. It was Moff's brother, the original Firefly, who eventually brought peace and unity back to her people, by declaring that they shared a common foe...Chronus, the origin-point of the Godfall.
While Hylax encouraged her people to pursue individualism and retain their freedoms, the Firefly viewed this as a sign of weakness, and used the hivemind to allow hatred and anger to fester within his people. The Hive became aggressive and began making preparations to invade Chronus, with only the Dark Fleet's presence deterring them from an immediate assault on the planet.
Moff, however, rejected the change the Firefly brought upon the people, and felt that in his anger over the absence of Hylax, the Hive had strayed from her teachings. For her disloyalty, the Firefly had his sister exiled from her people, severed from the Hivemind.
C.S.S. Venture
It was during her exile that Moff began traveling the stars, more alone than she had ever felt before, and without the comforting presence of the hivemind. In her travels, Moff fell into despair, and in her naivety, began using drugs provided for her by a shady group known as the Optimists.
However, as she sank to her lowest state, Moff would soon be given a blessing. The Optimists were attacked by the crew of the C.S.S. Venture who took Moff in. It was thanks to information provided by Moff that they were able to infiltrate the Optimist base, and she became a part of their crew.
Over the course of a long and daring journey, Moff and the crew managed to defeat the Firefly, restoring control of the Hive to the former Queen in the process. Though Moff has never regretted her actions towards her brother, she still thinks about him frequently, and often uses his memory to remind herself about what would happen were she to stray from the right path.
Though Moff's exile was ended, she would be given a new and dangerous mission...the Queen sent her to explore Chronus, to help determine if the Firefly's fears were true, and if the people of Chronus were truly as dangerous as the rest of the galaxy believed them to be.
The Coven of the Juggernaut
Upon her arrival on Chronus, Moff heard stories about adventurers, all of whom were viewed with a mixture of awe and fear by the people of the planet. As such, Moff decided to become an adventure herself to better understand the planet through association with the most famous individuals on the planet. One of her first missions involved a series of contests in the arena of Babel, where she met a group of witches calling themselves the Coven of the Juggernaut.
With little understanding of who the Coven was or what their intentions were, Moff's tendency to assume the best of people failed her. The Coven used the battles of the arena to fuel their own magic, opening a portal to Hell itself and unleashing waves of devils upon the unsuspecting populace. Their leader, Errend, had taken an interest in Moff due to her magical prowess, and the two had formed a friendship. However, that bond was severed when their intentions were made clear, and Moff battled the coven alongside her fellow adventurers.
It was here that Moff was faced with a difficult decision. With the coven defeated, Moff had Errend at her mercy. While most of her fellow adventurers wanted to slay the witches, Moff hesitated due to her friendship with Errend, and chose to see them redeemed. Moff would flee along with Errend, relocating the coven to a remote forest on Etera.
A Deal with the Devil
Moff would learn that the Coven of the Juggernaut was actually under contract to Asmodeus himself, meaning that any of Moff's attempts to redeem and save the coven would ultimately fail as they were forced to follow His orders. However, Moff learned that Asmodeus may consider releasing them from their contract if given and equivalent trade. Unfortunately, Asmodeus would only consider releasing them for something that was extremely valuable to him...the soul of a Sparked individual.
Understandably, Moff wanted to free the Coven, but did not want to do so by stealing the soul of someone innocent. And so, she sought out an individual with a Spark who was pure evil, whose death would actually be a good deed as opposed to an evil one. Her search brought her to the Scarlet Kingdom, where she and a few of her close friends slayed a necromancer. With the necromancer's soul in hand, the Coven was released from their contract, and Moff set about converting them into followers of Hylax.
The witches were hesitant to embrace Moff as their leader or Hylax as their god, but when Moff defeated one of their members, Kerri, in battle, she earned their respect and admiration. They began following Hylax and began to take on an appearance similar to Moff, acquiring insect-like characteristics due to the blessings of the Forever Queen. Their village became a haven in the forest for insects, where they lived alongside the little creatures in perfect harmony.
The Ghost in the Shell
During her wanderings, exploring the planet she now called home, Moff came across a creature that fascinated her...a mechanical arachnid that walked like a spider. Much like all insects, the creature was friendly towards her, and Moff ended up falling the creature to its home, the Brass City. Though she did not get the chance to explore the city, because she had made prior contact, Moff was recruited to a group of adventurers who were hired to investigate the city and cease their manufacturing of powerful constructs that could threaten local kingdoms.
As part of their group, they were accompanied by a being known as DREKI, which requested that they be connected to the city itself in order to gain control. Unfortunately, the group of adventurers had been deceived, and DREKI would quickly take control of the city to make use of its abilities for his own goals. Moff accompanied the adventurers from the city of Etera in raiding the city and fighting DREKI. Through her use of magic, they were able to bring control of the Brass City back to its original master, a mechanical being known as the architect. Moff still hunts DREKI for his betrayal and attempt to rob other beings of their free will.
Forming the Sentries
Due to various events, Moff had found that the world of Chronus had lost faith in many of the adventurers that fought to protect them. One of the more notable events involved the Tower of Mana, which caused individuals with the Spark to explode and become safety hazards in many major cities. Though powerful adventurers had saved the world numerous times, the population was beginning to view adventurers as dangerous and arrogant. For all the good they did, adventurers seemed to do these things only for the rewards, unconcerned with whatever collateral damage their battles leave behind.
Despite all the potential Moff saw on Chronus, she felt that these adventurers were not living up to their full potential. The people of Chronus did not need their adventurers to be mercenaries only interested in rewards, god-like wizards concerned only with their research, Paladins fighting only for the ideals of the gods they served, or any other force fighting for reasons beyond serving the public good...what they needed were heroes.
And so, the adopted daughter of Chronus formed an organization consisting of like-minded individuals willing to fight to protect people and the common good. The priority of the Sentries was saving lives, and they allow those who wish for redemption the chance to alter the course of their lives. The Sentries hold many public events in major cities, mostly centered on charity and providing food and other necessary resources for those who often go without. The Sentries quickly earned fame throughout the planet of Chronus, and have even had an impact on the Setlaar Civil War.
Moff and her fellow Sentries have recently discovered a Space Station, allowing them to watch over and protect the planet from any interplanetary threats in the absence of the Dark Fleet. As a tribute not to her brother, but to the role the Firefly used to play for her people, Moff took on the moniker, guarding the planet much like her brother protected her people.
Appearance
Moff presents as a humanoid with insect-features, particularly those of a Moth. She has four arms, large wings, antennae, and soft, fluffy fur covering her skin. Moff also has large reflective eyes, that typically cause anyone who stands face-to-face with her to feel as though they are looking in a mirror. When walking around her village, Moff typically wears a witch hat so that she fits in with the rest of the general population there.
Many are often surprised by Moff's height. She stands about six-feet-tall, which may not be impressive compared to certain beings, but does cause her to tower over many of her fellow witches and the insects that tend to gather at her heels. In combat, Moff's arms all tend to be in constant motion, generally with each arm focusing on one of the many forms of magic she makes uses of in combat. When she is upset, Moff's hair and eyes tend to glow with magical energy.
Often, Moff wears an astral suit in battle, covering her body with protective magic and enhancing her natural combat abilities. When operating as a Sentry, her suit tends to glow brightly, drawing attention to her or causing fear in the evildoers she pursues.
Personality
Moff is generally a cheerful and curious creature. Her language typically stands out, as Moff's typically refers to herself in the third-person and often uses prepositions improperly when she speaks. She tends to write down and new vocabulary she learns immediately and likes to greet people she has only just met with what she refers to as a "Traditional gesture of Chronus good-tidings and mutual respect," otherwise known as a handshake. Because of her friendly demeanor and manner of speech, many mistakenly believe that Moff is foolish, but are often taken aback by her understanding of magic and high level of intelligence.
Moff is typically optimistic, and prefers diplomatic, non-violent solutions to problems. Per the teachings of Hylax, diplomacy should always be attempted before combat, though her religion is forgiving of what must be done if these efforts fail and force is required. When pushed, especially if she is betrayed by a individual she thought she could trust, Moff shows that her kindness should not be mistaken for weakness, and she is not afraid to use the full extent of her magic on those who have earned her wrath.
Moff is still learning to understand many of the traditions and cultural aspects of Chronus, and certain tasks, such as dating, were initially lost upon her. However, she is always eager to learn more. As an adventurer and a Sentry, Moff prioritizes the greater good, and will always put herself at risk before any member of the general population or one of her trusted allies. Moff typically feels that, rather than killing a foe, it is better to put them to use, such as when she fought followers of Gorrum and converted them to Hylax and had them fight to protect her village of witches.
Because of her relationship with her brother, Moff can be very suspicious of or distrusting of other authority figures, and feels that many rulers go to great lengths to justify violence and other courses of action that she does not support.
Fighting Style
Moff's strength comes not from her mastery of any one particular form of magic, but her ability to combine them. Moff makes use of arcane, divine, and psionic magic, and is able to combine them with speed and creativity that often confused and breaks through the defenses of her opponents. Moff typically focuses on using her diverse array of magic to find non-lethal solutions to problems, but when necessary, has been known to use combinations of offensive spells with deadly efficiency. With the aid of her familiar and animal companion, Moff is able to warp fate to her own ends, and rarely misses in one of her attacks. Her ability to combine magic typically leads to her being referred to as a "Theurge," and she is regarded as one of the most exceptional individuals to practice such a wide variety of magic on Chronus.
Moff's signature spell is Crystal Shards, which she uses to attack foes from long distances and, when necessary, even pin a particularly dangerous adversary to a wall. Due to her alien heritage, Moff often uses spells that those of Chronus are unfamiliar with, giving her more versatility. In combat, Moff typically starts by donning her Astral Suit, which is typically associated with her alter ego, the Firefly.
Relationships
Yuina - A bunny girl whose brawn matches Moff's brain. Moff has teamed up with Yuina on many of her earliest adventures and is also a member of the Sentries. Though Moff had to be told that Yuina was flirting with her, what started as a curiosity turned into mutual affection, and the two have been dating for some time.
Cormick Thale - Initially, Moff was curious about the King of Etera, but since meeting him, she often finds herself at odds. Cormick reminds Moff of her brother, justifying actions for the greater good, and has conquered and fought many people for the sake of expanding his kingdom. Though the two generally share goals, there is an unmistakable tension between them.
Hashmal - Coincidentally, Hashmal and Moff have worked together on numerous missions, forming a friendship and bond as allies on the field of battle. Hashmal has also become part of the Sentries, and she continues to combine her technical knowledge with Moff's magical might to spectacular effect.
Carmilla - A vampire and member of the Sentries. Moff views Carmilla as an example of how certain beings that are typically viewed as inherently evil can work for good.