Meet AURORETTEĀ āAuraā NIX. They are NINE HUNDRED and THIRTY-SEVEN years old and hail from unknown origins. Aura embodies the constellation, CERBERUS, and the planet SATURN. They use she/her pronouns. Aura teaches ELEMENTAL DARK MAGIC and CONJURING at Polaris. Their faceclaim is MICHELLE GOMEZ.
SATURN reminds me of nails painted black, half-smoked cigarettes, crystal balls for decoration, slanted glares, upturned lips, red-bottom heels, a dangerous set of swinging hips, burning incense, nothing but bad intentions. .
BIOGRAPHY
Getting into background is a useless endeavor for Aura āā she doesnāt remember where she came from. The years she spent climbing her way up to being something are as obsolete as the constellation that once embodied her; all she really remembers is that darkness made a lot more sense than the light, and she was happy to let it swallow her whole. Cerberus paved a way for a better life, and she took it.
Conjuring was one of the easiest skills to learn, back when she was a student at Polaris; it was as effortless as filing her nails and popping her gum. Unlike everyone else, she wasnāt interested in happy apparitions or silly pranks against her peers; she much preferred to summon nightmarish beasts and watch the horror spread across the room. Witnessing the terror of those around her was pure ecstacy, filling Aura with euphoria she never felt otherwise. As she grew older, she began to understand that the joy she felt was part of her magic itself and part of the reason she was alive. So she began to use her conjuring abilities to fuel her own power; she would show people their greatest fears and feed off of their terror. On the not-so-rare occasion someone died from fear, she didnāt waste time feeling bad about it; she simply took the life that they sacrificed, and she went about her day.
As one can imagine, sheās stepped on quite a few people to get to where she is. In theory, itās why Saturn chose her; while even the worst of people have some vague sense of right and wrong, Auraās morals begin and end with her own self-interest. While her selfishness already sets her apart from the rest, her ingenuity is what has kept her alive for nearly a thousand years.
She never planned on teaching at Polaris, but the job offered up an opportunity that she couldnāt pass up. In showing her students how to conjure, she could scare them in little ways every day, fueling her own power without anyone ever noticing. Itās why sheās so strict about attendance; while she does take conjuring seriously, she mostly needs the energy that her students can provide. Then again, instilling the fear of god into students who step out of line isnāt too bad, either.
Admittedly, she does play favorites with students. She prefers those who dabble in darkness similar to hers; those who give into her brand of darkness make for good proteges. As for the ones who try to fight off the darkness, but still thrive in it āā well, they make for good sources of energy. If she can feed off of their shadows and self-hatred, then she will.
All of that aside, she does take her job seriously. She never kills students, accidentally or otherwise, and she doesnāt take threats against them lightly. While very few students would consider her their favorite professor, they all know sheāll make quick work of anything that poses a threat to the school. It should be known, however, that even her protectiveness comes from selfishness; if someone kills a student, thatās one less source of energy for Aura.
INCLINATION & PLANETARY MAGIC
If there is a professor you do not want to get on the bad side of, itās Saturn. Something about them radiates terror, whether itās from the dark magic they exude, their lack of participation at most school events, or the fact that you never really see them outdoors. Thereās a rumor going around that Saturn is a vampire, but those who know Saturn best are aware of the use of the Dark Arts at school. One thing is for sure-- if you take conjuring, youād better do your homework. Donāt even think of trying to skip class.
CONNECTIONS
Ward: Aura very rarely gets attached to students, but this one worked their way past her defenses and became family āāā or as close as they could get, when it comes to Aura. She doesnāt necessarily give them preferential treatment, as she can still be strict and dismissive, but thereās always an underlying fondness. This is the only student that Aura genuinely cares for, though sheāll never say as much. She still uses them, but maybe not as much as she could. Simply put: this student needed adopting, and Aura filled that need.
Best Friendā¦ or Something: Another professor whoās known Aura since they were students. They know her better than anyone else on the campus, and theyāre the only person who can call her on her shit and not get killed for it. They probably know that sheās feeding off of the students, if only because theyāve known her for so long. Aura doesnāt spill her secrets to them, but if they ask about something, sheās not going to lie.
Constant Red Flag: Auraās problem with this person is that they always need help. They donāt know how to take care of themselves, so they constantly come to her for protection. Aura would leave them to fend for themselves, if not for the fact that they would probably die if she didnāt step in every time. Itās more work than she bargained for, but whatever. Sheās benefitting from it, either way.
