Bekkah Swann

Bon Vivant and Socialite, deviant and pothead. These are only a smattering of the appelations that have been lain on Bekkah Swann, owner of The Pink House gentleman's club. Call her what you will, there can be no denying that Bekkah Swann is a force of nature, a herald of hope and healing.

Background
Bekkah Swann was born the only daughter of Hollywood make-up artist and part-time prestidigitator Philip Swann and Amy Swann, a research chemist. Both of her parents are respected members of the magical Tradition colloquially known as The Order of Hermes. When Bekkah turned 11 both of her parents invoked her Awakening and ushered her in the ranks of the Order.

Bekkah's natural predisposition of the Forces sphere coupled with her brilliance in being able to quickly memorize and utilize the complex rituals and tools of the Order made her a source of pride to her parents, but the young lady herself was quite dissatisfied. No matter the greatness of her achievements she was always unhappy, feeling out of sorts and believing that something was wrong. She complained of feeling as though she didn't belong. Her parents assured her that she would eventually adjust but Bekkah herself remained unconvinced.

Bekkah's inner conflict eventually manifested into the real world of the local Chantry, causing her to become bellicose and morose. She challenged orders from her superiors, picked fights with her peers, and sowed seeds of disrespect in every direction around her. At the first the Chantry Masters were patient, then not so patient, and eventually resorted to punishments and excises. Only one of the Chantry masters, Anastasia, took the time to really listen to Bekkah's complaints and she began watching the fiery young girl studiously.

Because she was labelled a "discipline problem", Bekkah's friendships and associations collapsed. A pariah in her own Chantry, Bekkah withdrew into herself and wore a crown of bitterness. She felt isolated, picked on, and lonely and made several attempts to run away only to always be found and brought back by one or other of her parents. At Bekkah's final attempt to escape to New York City the Chantry masters came together to discuss the matter and decide what must be done. Chantry Master Anastasia recommended that Bekkah be allowed to escape the next time she tried, Anastasia herself would keep tabs on her and bring her home. The other Masters agreed and disseminated this information to the elder Swanns, whom complied. Nobody suspected Anastasia's true motives: to follow Bekkah and confirm what Bekkah herself believed, that being that Bekkah was in the wrong Tradition.

In the wee hours of a balmy night where fog rolled off the sea in thick clusters and rain ran hard lines across the city like soldiers on the march, Anastasia caught up with Bekkah in a small greasy spoon. Joining the youngster for a cup of bitter coffee, Anastasia began to talk. To this day Bekkah will readuly state that she can't recall a single word of what the Chantry Mistress said to her. She knows only that her mood improved by leaps and bounds. The heat of the coffee mug prickled all through her fingers and hands, the smell of cooking foods overwhelmed her, and the lyrical resonance of Anastasia's voice seemed to be calling to her, demanding her, to dance. And dance she did. Both women ended up outside in the middle of the street, dancing in the rain. Bekkah threw her arms up to embrace the downpour, feeling each individual rain drop dance against her skin, laughed when the drivers of passing cars shouted at them to get the hell out of the street, and felt herself ignite when her lips concussed against Anastasias. She truly Awakened that night, held gast and close in the wet and chilled arms of her new mentor: Anastasia, Chantry Mistress of The Cult of Ecstacy.

The elder Swanns were outraged. They held a conclave, accusing Anastasia of not just bringing Bekkah home as they had expected her to do but also seducing her into a different Tradition. The Chantry Masters listened well to the accusations, deep dark eyes like eternity mirroring Anastasia and the young wman seated next to her in reflection. Anastasia said nothing to the claims, did nothing to defend herself. All she did was hold Bekkah's hand when the teenager rose on the wings of righteous infignation to discount her parents for keeping her from her true Tradition, denounced the Chantry Masters for denying her the right to choose her own Path, and denouncing the entire Chantry itself as a prison of opression and despair.

Anastasia was censored by her fellow Masters, excised from the Chantry for a period of one year. Anastasia left quietly and without complaint. At her earliest opportunity Bekkah fled the Chantry, following Anastasia to a remote ranch in the rolling emerald hills somewhere in Montana. There, the Estatic inducted Bekkah formerly into the Cult with the Diksham. When Philip and Amy Swann saw their daughter again a long eighteen months later, they could not deny that Bekkah had been wholly enceloped into The Cult of Ecstacy. Any possibility of Bekkah rejoinging the Order of Hermes was vaporized. Ties were severed, bridges burned, and Bekkah has never looked back.

Since that time Bekkah has become a mover and shaker in Raven's Grove. She has attained the rank of Adept in the Cult of Ecstacy, and has rescured more than a dozen lost souls. She is currently the owner of The Pink Housem a bar and nightvlub where under the thud of Melodic Trance and the crush of sweaty body against sweaty body there will be an occasional Awakening, and Bekkah Swann is right there to welcome the new Estatic.

Appearance & Personality
Bekkah Swann is a petite woman of 19 or 20 standing approximately five feet and one inch tall. Her sweet, innocent seeming face--with it's large wet brown eyes, slightly upturned nose, and full lips that dimple at each corner when she smiles--framed by a wild and unkept wave of black hair that sweeps down to the small of her back. She is fond of very loose clothing without embellishment, loose blouses and ankle length printed skirts being a favorite ensemble. Her voice is deep and husky, as if it were made of smoke.

She appears to be constantly in a euphoric haze, her eyes clouded and glassy. During conversations she often becomes distracted, stops listening, or trails off with whatever she is saying. On occasion it seems just simply impossible to talk to her. She is very mellow and laid back, never having once been known of losing her temper. Her smile comes easily, and she is genuinely warm-hearted, gives selflessly, and is the very picture of politeness and propriety.

Skills, Abilities, and Talents
Bekkah Swann is a simply brilliant young woman with an IQ of 136. She is well versed in euphorics, biochemistry, pharmacology, mixology, and history. If she wanted to she could easily earn a degree in any of these fields. She is an exceptionally talented chef, dancer, and singer. While the outside world tends to see her as an absent-minded drug addict, those within the Mage Community know that she is something very different. When fighting must happen--especially when supernatural evil rises to menace Raven's Grove--she is as fierce a warrior as anyone can find. She holds a third degree black belt in Shotokan karate and is famous for her gold coloured Lotus Sword, which can strike people and monsters with equal and deadly ease. She is also a skilled marksman, though she hates guns.

Magically, most of Bekkah's rotes are defensive and utilitarian. She doesn't personally see herself as a fantastic combatant but instead a helper and a healer; for her magic is a tool to be utilized only when everything else fails.

Please click Bekkah's Rotes for a complete list of her magical abilities.