Characteristic

Cost

END

Cost

7

Cost

2

0

Ebony found herself enslaved in Singapore, a part of Evol Khan's harem.  She had responded to the promise of exotic work in public relations and had left Australia with dreams of working her way into the jet-setting crowd.  Instead, she had her passport seized, and was kept in one of Khan's palaces where she worked as a servant.  Khan noticed her after several weeks and seduced her, giving Ebony a glimpse at happinness; but that glimpse only lasted three months before she was relegated back into the household staff.  The three months was enough, however, for Ebony to become pregnant and it was the knowledge that her unborn child would be brought up in Khan's world that drove her to find a way to escape.

One of the other women in the palace seemed to offer Ebony a chance of escape.  She was a mystic, a middle aged woman who had been bron into a family rich in the traditions of magic, although she had turned away from the legacy in search of bigger dreams, much like Ebony had.  The woman agreed to help Ebony, even though she knew that escape would be pointless.

The two women did manage to escape, due more to Ebony's persistence than the other woman's magical ability, but once free they managed to escape Singapore.  Ebony returned to Melbourne where the woman brought her into the care of Hecate before disappearing.  Ebony was safe in Hecate's sanctum, and Khan was unable to locate her although he did try.  Ebony and Hecate became close friends, and at Ebony's gentle insistance, Hecate initiated her into the world of magic.  Ebony proved to be a natural student and learned quickly.  When her son was born, Ebony had become Hecate's apprentice and they both lived above the Hecate Club.

This situation continued for years until Ebony and Hecate had a disagreement.  Hecate promoted a neutral position on everything, while Ebony believed that their power shoud be used to make the world a better place.  Ebony was furious at Hecate's willingness to overlook evil in the city, and in her anger Ebony was unable to see the subtle manoeuvrings of Hecate.  While professing neutrality, Hecate had always been a force for good in the world.  Ebony was too idealistic to see it.

And so Ebony left, taking her son Sean, with her.  Hecate had foreseen the departure and allowed Ebony to travel the path she had chosen.  Taking on the name of Witch Hazel, Ebony began a career in superheroics, which had the unwanted effect of bringing her to the attention of Evol Khan.  He dispatched a retrieval team to Melbourne and Witch Hazel was almost killed, saved only by her nascent magical abilities.

After Khan realised she had grown more powerful, his interest in Ebony changed from wanting to eradicate her, to wanting her back in his 'collection'.  Ebony also realised things had changed, and knew she needed support.  She approached the Southern Knights and was accepted as a member, thus bringing her safety in numbers while also allowing her to continue her work opposing evil.

Witch Hazel is a magician, able to channel magical energies for a variety of effects, most notably for causing darkness, creating phantasmal hands, opening portals across space and dimension, controlling others and communicating telepathically.  In addition to her sorcery, Witch Hazel also employs two mystical artefacts which have fallen into her possession: The Ring of Persephone, which enables her to alternately fly through the summoning of winds, or change her appearance; and the Band of the Goddess, which grants her magical sight and protection, focussed willpower and the ability to see across great distances.

Witch Hazel has long unruly hair which has never been tamed not matter how hard she tried in the past.  Her costume consists of a hooded red robe lined with arcane-looking symbols.  She wears a silver face mask to hide her identity.  She always wears the Band of the Goddess, which is a thick-plated necklace, and the Ring of Persephone, which is a simple silver ring.  When she is not on duty, Ebony wears New Age style clothing: long flowing dresses and shirts, lots of jewellery although she never wears makeup.