tl;dr.
MAX is an original character set in an original FANTASY setting ( ambiguous time period, think like the grishaverse — where there are fantasy elements of things like magic, and political ideals that are decidedly not modern, but that also has some basic technological advancements that are absent in most ‘fantasy' settings ), but she can be adapted to fit basically anywhere - i have written her in modern, post-apocalyptic, forgotten realms, etc. etc.
if you are interested in writing in her world - the cliff notes are this: powerful women, goddesses, warriors. a war started by a male-led military misled by one heartbroken soldier. MAX is essentially a tinkerer, an inventor of sorts, who is kind of an outcast. no one knows who she really is ( neither does she, really ) and her legacy brings with it a lot of danger.
if you would like to write with max in another setting, her story is essentially the same. her parents were more important than she knows, and the details of their death are different than what was told to her. she is still a loner of sorts, still tinkers, is often consumed with the way things work. she does not like to fight, and will avoid it whenever possible.
OTHER THINGS YOU MAY FIND IMPORTANT:
AGE: early-mid 20s in most settings
EYE COLOR: brown
HAIR COLOR: varies, but usually black
SEXUALITY: pansexual
PERSONALITY TYPE: intj
lore.
in a world where women are born with abilities passed down from the GODDESSES, or a warrior's prowess, those who have neither are considered nothing by their peers, outcasts. such has been the case for hundreds of years, since the days of the first goddesses, since the power was discovered in their blood, written to their DNA
at the time of the first goddesses, military powers were controlled by men. it was thought that in order to strike a blance between military strength and this otherworldy power, that the kings or generals should be paired up with a powerful woman, encouraging the continued strength of the bloodlines. this practice was generally adopted by those in power.
about fifty years ago, ANTONIO - the now general of the TOSKANA army fell in love with a healer - ILIANA - and after a short dalliance, proposed to her. unbeknownst to him, his love had also been courted by the prince of the neighboring nation OSTOR. the two believed a union between them would strengthen the alliance between their two nations, and iliana chose him.
so enraged by this betrayal refusal, antonio sought her out in an attempt to change her mind, to force her to choose him instead. in her anger, however, iliana told him that she was already pregnant with the prince's child - knowing it would not be appropriate for antonio to take her as his wife, and such a scandal could ruin his career. she was right (even though the parentage of the child was not known) and he left, disgusted.
antonio appealed to his mentor - a commander in the army - about the risks involved with allowing their king and generals to marry magic users, explaining that some could control others (and blaming such compulsion for his own feelings for iliana) and how dangerous it could become if these women were allowed such power over the military force. these fears of a weak and broken young man spread through the minds of his fellow soldiers like a plague, and by the time iliana and her prince were sitting down to sign a wedding contract, a law was put into place that forbade such a thing.
the child of the two had already been born, however, and despite iliana being one of the most powerful users of light magic since the first goddess, she was unwilling to fight and took her daughter - KATERINA - into hiding to keep her safe. as soon as her own powers began to manifest, iliana trained katerina as rigorously as if she'd grown up in the capitol schools. but they were always on the run from antonio, who - even through his rise in power - still saw her escape as yet another betrayal. this whole blow to his ego inevitably plunged both nations into WAR.
much later, and long after her mother's death, katerina met ODHRAN while working as a healer on the front lines of toskana. he was a soldier who had fallen in battle, and it wasn't until she'd nursed him back to health (and fallen in love with him) that she learned he was actually a soldier for ostor - the nation with which they were at war.
the two fled to ostor together, but the law was against them there, too, with their two nations at war, and people from opposite sides being forbidden to wed. in addition, antonio had learned of katrina's powers and that knowledge (plus a lingering grudge against her mother) pushed him to continue his hunt for her.
almost by accident, the two stumbled on a small settlement of defectors and refugees, and - with the training iliana had given her and the powers she'd inherited - katerina created an invisible shield around their new found sanctuary, ensuring that no one who didn't have need of its safety would be able to find it.
it was here that they met HAROLD and ALICE - who had a similar tale of forbidden love - and became fast ffriends - despite the large gaps in their ages.
katerina and odhran brought MOIRA into the world just over a year after finding their new home, but they had never been good at settling down. the two would leave for weeks or more at a time, seeking out others like them that needed a sanctuary. harold and alice - having tried but never been so lucky as to have children of their own - were more than happy to watch over moira during these absences.
bio.
please make sure to click any links for additional information! this world is still a Work-in-progress and so more information will added as it becomes available
"MAX" was a lucky kid. despite being born without any abilities, no warrior's aptitude, and living in a world that was still at war, she lived as MOIRA COATES in a relatively safe settlement that was rarely touched by the horrors of the war raging beyond its borders. her parents worked as traders, and while their work sometimes took them away for extended periods of time, she was never really alone.
the whole settlement was a tight knit community, but moira liked to stay with LUCY, who ran the inn, and help out when needed, and with lucy's husband HAROLD - the local mechanic (of sorts), who had taken the child's fascination with how things work, and helped her to cultivate it and hone it into a real skill.
by the time she was eight years old, moira had earned the nickname "ACE" after a deserter had discovered and delivered an explosive device to harold for decomissioning, and max disassembled it for parts in record time while he stepped away to warn everyone to take cover (just in case). if there was fear in harold's eyes upon his return, he did not express it, nor did he discourage max's ever-growing skills.
it wasn't long after that tragedy struck.
a messenger delivered news of moira's parents' death, claiming they had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time - getting caught in the crossfire of a battle while on their travels. she wouldn't find out until years later that this was far from the truth.
moira remained in the settlement until she was 17, apprenticing under harold and learning his trade, and whatever else he was willing to teach her (plus additional skills she taught herself). when a rare blood disease caused by chemical poisoning from early in the war finally took its toll on harold, moira could not bear to stay any longer in a place that reminded her so much of tragedy.
as she said her goodbyes to alice and the rest of the settlement, the woman pulled her into a hug stronger than she'd thought such a frail woman capable of, and whispered a warning that moira should never use her real name outside of their home. there was no explanation to be had, but from that day she adopted the name MACS (a shortened version of moira ace coates) and eventually MAX.
as she made her way toward the capital city (where she assumed she'd be able to find work to assist with the war effort), max took odd jobs - asking few questions, keeping her head down. she managed to make a few connections along the way, and once she made it to her destination, she met THERON, a who was working at the barracks not as a soldier, but as a sort of honorary member of the guard (but who was essentially a glorified servant). theron was able to help get max a job working as an assistant to one of the scientists the military had working on a secret project. she wasn't given any real responsibility, but did her best to continue keeping her head down while making a living as best she could.
she was 19 when someone discovered that max's skills would be better put to use working on the project, rather than cleaning up after the scientists. it was only then that she realized the project was for a WEAPON that could cause massivee destruction, and worse - max realized she already knew how to complete it.
after losing so many to the war, the last thing she wants is blood on her own hands. but....
how will she keep this secret?
canon verses.
alternative universe.
note that the below are not all-inclusive. max's story is written in a way that i can adjust minor details to fit her in most fandoms - as long as i'm familiar with them. if you don't see something you're interested in below, feel free to shoot me a message and we can figure something else out!
prologue.
traded savagery for solitude
to catch up with the story before max’s birth, CLICK HERE
TIME FRAME: childhood - late teenage years.
SETTING: settlement of sicuran and surrounding areas
this verse follows the time before she became max — here she is still MOIRA COATES: a girl who was loved by everyone who met her. too smart for her own good, they used to say as she pulled things apart and put them back together again — often BETTER than they’d been before. but surrounded by an entire village of love, moira felt a bone-deep LONELINESS whenever her parents were gone ( which was often ). from a young age, she let her curiosity RULE her, but it also consumed her. as she grew older, she was so preoccupied with her work or whatever projects she was doing on the side, that hours and hours would pass before she realized it.
she stayed primarily with HAROLD and ALICE, her parents’ best friends ( and her eventual guardians after their death ). apprenticing with harold — who was a mechanic of sorts, but also general repairman for the settlement — or helping alice at the inn, there was no shortage of HELP needed, and moira was happy to oblige. she was 11 years old when her parents died, and she remained with harold and alice until harold’s death 6 YEARS LATER .
as moira shared tearful goodbyes with alice, the older woman hugged her tight and warned her with such VEHEMENCE that she should never share her name with anyone outside of her home.
chapter one.
only the dead have seen the end of war
TIME FRAME: late teens - early 20s
SETTING: ostor capital city and surrounding areas
this verse begins the moment moira coates became MAX . it follows her departure from sicuran and travels throughout OSTOR and into the capital city. this journey is long and hard, but max’s skills made it easy for her to offer a trade of services for shelter, coin, or a ride closer to her destination. keeping her head down as best she could, and taking odd jobs when available, she made a few connections along the way — none of them ever knowing her TRUE NAME or where she’d come from.
most women are born with powers handed down from the GODDESSES , or train from a young age to become warriors. since max had NEITHER MAGIC NOR TRAINING , she was destined to become an outcast among her own people. upon arrival in ostor’s capital city, and with the help of her new friend THERON , max was able to find a job working as an apprentice to the military’s scientists. the project they’d been tasked with was so SECRETIVE, that different locations around the nation were given separate pieces of the puzzle, so that no one person would ever solve it.
but she did.
max was 19 when she was deemed worthy of the title of scientist — no longer a mere assistant — and shortly thereafter discovered the truth of the project: A WEAPON OF UNIMAGINABLE DESTRUCTION. and worse, she knew how to complete it.
chapter two.
the game was rigged from the start
TIME FRAME: early 20s and beyond
SETTING: ostor, toskana
this verse begins with the revelation that max is not as ordinary as she might have thought. after a strong emotional reaction serves as a CATALYST ( and the shield her mother had placed on her had worn to nothing ), max’s powers finally MANIFEST in a brilliant burst of light. when the SHOCK wears off, there is a glow coming from the project she’s been working on, and as she picks up a piece of it, max has a sudden and horrible understanding of what it is — A WEAPON. worse, she might be the only one able to trigger it, since it is now keyed to HER POWER which… she doesn’t know how to control.
the worst part of all is that theron — someone she trusts with her life ( and her hear ) is waiting in the wings to BETRAY her to the enemy of her nation — toskana’s high general, antonio… who happens to be her grandfather. neither party knows the TRUTH of max’s heritage yet, but antonio will stop at nothing to get his hands on the WEAPON she has created ——and the girl who can create more.
modern au.
a universe full of secrets
MAX is a friend to most, but a mystery to all. three years ago, she opened up a tech repair shop DOWNTOWN* — where she spends most of her time — and she’s been what one might call an exemplary citizen ever since. at least, ON THE OUTSIDE.
behind closed doors, max works as a hacker for some reputable organizations ( she’s even helped the FBI on occasion ) and some… not-so-reputable ones. you’d think this would get her into trouble — double dipping on both sides of the line of the LAW — but she always pays her debts and she’s good at what she does, MAYBE TOO GOOD.
on the side, she’s looking for ANSWERS about what happened to her parents. the story she’d been told as a child was that they’d gotten caught in the crossfire of a gang war. a SIMPLE CASE of two people in the wrong place at the wrong time. except nothing is ever THAT SIMPLE, and despite her ability to get into just about any records system she wants — max has only ever found a flimsy case file and INADEQUATE PROOF of this claim. no story is that thin, and she will not REST until she knows the truth ——no matter what it costs her.
*whatever 'downtown' means to your muse
grisha au.
what is infinite? the univrese & the greed of men
MAX’S origin is much the same. she grew up in a place hidden from her family’s enemies, but not out of reach of the grisha testers. a corporalki with no real aptitude for the craft --- she was unable to heal nor harm with her powers, and all attempts to tailor were subpar at best --- max was not welcomed or treated well by the other grisha at the little palace, and never earned a place among their ranks.
when alina starkov spread her powers out to the world, max gained a spark of them and somehow the two powers merged. her abilities made themselves known when, during an attack, her hands shot out in reflex as debris fell around her and some of the younger students, and a shield of light prevented any harm from coming to them.
with the sun summoner gone, max worries that she will be called upon to help cleanse the fold.
theron
THERON ORSO was the first person to show max kindness once she arrived at the workshops in ostor’s capital. it wasn’t that the others were unkind, necessarily, just that she was an outsider --- born with no power, raised outside of the training grounds, having shown no remarkable abilities in a world full of remarkable women. the scientists working alongside her were all men who, once it was understood that she was ordinary in a sea of extraordinary, barely gave her a second thought.
when they met, theron had arrived shortly before her and, like max, was an outsider. he had found himself a position as a sort of honorary guard ( but was treated like a glorified servant ) and had enough pull to help max find work with the scientists.
the two bonded over their similarities --- arriving in the city well past the age when most began training, both having lost their parents, feeling like they were too dull for a place so filled with excitement. theron was all captivating charm while max was quiet and somber. it wasn’t that she was morose or anything, just that her mind was often so preoccupied that it made her seem unapproachable. theron never seemed to have a problem approaching her, however, and they quickly became unlikely friends.
of course, they wouldn’t remain in outcast solidarity for long.
soon he’d managed to sweet talk his way into a spot in the training halls, and had proven his skill so rapidly that he had a good shot at becoming a soldier --- among the ranks of men who had trained since boyhood --- less than a year later.
despite his new place and new friends, theron and max remained thick as thieves. she knew that the others wondered why he’d waste his time with someone like her, but who he was becoming never forgot where he’d come from, and that he’d had a friend who understood.
max was 19 when friendship became something more, and her feelings for theron consumed her in a way that she’d never felt before. but her rising emotions had an unforeseen side effect.
it’s said that the shields crafted by gaera’s descendents would be impenetrable except by the goddess’s own blood and for more than a century, this was believed to be literal. unbeknownst to max, that blood runs through her own veins, and with the years passing since her mother’s death, and the onset of strong emotions, the shield that protected her and suppressed her abilities began to fade.
when she finds out that theron has been lying to her about… everything ( though she hasn’t discovered why, or what it means ) the pain of his betrayal causes her powers to flare to life in a brilliant way --- literally. light explodes from her through the empty workshop, and leaves behind a weapon of unimaginable destruction.
the last person she wants to know about this revelation is the only one who witnesses it ------standing with his hand on the handle of the door to the room, prepared to open it is theron. the problem now, is that he is her enemy.