Some Musically Inclined Thoughts On Leander

Initially inspired by this post over on John's Scion Resources (which is a GREAT site to check out if you're playing Scion).

In thinking about music for Leander (and by extension Malena), I came up with a few things that would fit him pretty well and provide some insights.  One song that came to mind pretty quickly was AC/DC's Hail Caesar.  The lyrics remind me a lot of the potential intrigue happening behind the scenes for Leander with him being distrusted by Zeus.  After all, he's a piece of Athena... A male piece, which was also born of Zeus.  Which just might make him as much Metis' son as Athena's, and that might make him the son prophesied to overthrow Zeus the way Zeus overthrew his father.  Which Zeus is decidedly against.

Another clear choice for Leander is the Hyperion Overture from StarCraft II (well, more appropriately, from the trailers for StarCraft II).  It nods back to his hobbies and his strategic leanings.  It also has a rather triumphal and mythic feel to it, which is definitely more where Leander leans a lot of the time, given he's been on Olympus or acting as an agent of the Gods for a while.  I also think it has some tragic notes, which probably also fit well with Leander.

Madonna's Like A Virgin is also on the list.  If you've read the interaction between Leander and Malena, this is a fairly self-explanatory selection.

Celldweller's Hyperion fits pretty well, I think, with the battle between the Scions and Fafnir, with segments that match up with the different phases of the fight.  Similarly, Celldweller's Jupiter fits pretty well for those situations in which Leander steps up from the back lines and suddenly puts a lot of damage into someone.  It's rare, but the build in the music seems to fit so well with him suddenly blurring into action.

For Malena and Leander's relationship, I'd use Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's White Sandy Beach of Hawaii.  The lyrics speak of soothing dreams of a loved one, which I think is pretty much where Leander is at in that relationship right now.  I think Malena would probably be amused that I think the song that would work for her is Meredith Brooks' Bitch.  While I don't think of her as a stereotypical "bitch," I think her outspoken and forceful nature could easily get interpreted that way.  And she's rarely regretful or ashamed, but she's also very caring and kind when it's appropriate.

The game's theme song has long been the Russian cover of Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas, so both versions need to rate on this list.

`Ilio

The forest was quiet beneath the moon.  `Ilio leaned back on the koa wood throne he'd had made and gazed into the darkness, ignoring the whimpers of the girls chained to either side of his armrests.  His nostrils flared and his tongue darted out to lick at his muzzle.  Something was coming.  It stank of the Kin of Tāne...

Malena stalked through the darkened forest, cutting between ancient trees.  Two weeks ago, something had moved into this area, driving out the usual spread of hunters and tourists in the Molokai Forest Reserve.  A number of girls of all ages and young boys had disappeared from the towns on the island.  The two things were obviously related and Malena had decided to put it down with extreme prejudice.  Calls to past allies had yet to be returned, so she had set out on her own.

Her clothes, transformed to dark fatigues with an obsidian belt carved in the form of two eels biting the moon, rustled softly, but she moved slowly, trying to mask it with forest sounds.  It reminded her of the days she had Not that they were many; the birds and beasts had apparently cleared out, making it far more clear that the thing in the forest was not just a trumped up mortal.  Ahead, a twig snapped.  Malena froze.

A dark-haired girl rushed into view, crying breathlessly.  Not waiting a moment to consider, Malena broke her cover and sprinted to the child.  "It's okay, hoaloha, it's okay.  I've got you."

The girl sobbed aloud, then whispered, "But... My friends!  He let me go!  He has them!"

Malena grit her teeth in frustration.  "I'll come back for them.  I promise.  But you need to go home, now."

The girl sniffled and didn't move, so Malena scooped her up before retreating through the forest.  She headed for the hunter check point, where a ranger would be stationed.  He could take the girl and she could come back for the others.

`Ilio watched the Kin of Tāne go.  He delt sure he could take the woman, despite her blood.  She appeared unarmed and unarmored.  Her clumsy stalking in the forest would have given her away had he not been able to smell her from miles off. When she returned, he would take her.  He would eat her and return to the founding of his family.  The family that would rule Molokai and war on the Kin of hated Tāne.

Malena knelt over the spot where she'd found the girl.  The moon had begun its decent towards the west, which changed the shadows, but she was fairly certain she could make out the girl's tracks coming from the northwest.  She rubbed her fingers across them for a moment, trying to sense just what the girl had run from.

Rising, she stalked in that direction.  She shook her wrists, feeling the weight of the koa wood bracelets there hitting against the backs of her hands.  The night air was warm, making her clothes cling, and briefly she considered changing them to something more comfortable.

Ahead there was a clearing, moonlight pouring down on something polished and golden.  It look, for the most part, like a large chair, but two hooks protruded from the fronts of the armrests.  Malena paused a few yards back of the clearing's edge, watching and listening.

The Kin of Tāne pause, clearly afraid of entering the unprotected area of the clearing.  'Ilio snorted at her timidity.  He shifted his weight, creeping forward on the branch.  He hovered over her, waiting for her to look up at the sound of his breathing.  She didn't.

It dropped out of the trees at Malena, snarling maw descending towards her face.  Instinctively, Malena stepped backwards, letting her bodyweight shift and take her into a reverse tumble that brought her out from beneath the Titanspawn and back up into a crouch.  She smiled at it, toothy and wide.  It growled low in its throat and then spoke, "Kin of Tāne, I am the master of this place.  Leave and I will allow your bones to remain in your flesh for but a little longer."

She laughed in its ugly dog-like face.  "You've been watching too many Brock Landers movies, friend.  Where are the children you've stolen, hound?"

It growled again and darted forward, crouching low.  Malena leapt backwards, wrists coming forward in a snapping motion.  Her bracelets slapped against the backs of her palms and then flowed forward, forming into the familiar shark-toothed weapons she called Ukupanipo's Bite.  She spun, slashing out at the charging Titanspawn, who stopped short as it registered the weapons' appearance.

'Ilio circled, newly wary of the girl who'd come to face him.  He'd thought, given her relative clumsiness in coming through the forest, that she would be an incapable fighter.  Her sudden response to his attack had changed that perception for him.  He changed tactics.  "I've eaten all the children.  They were delicious.  Would you like to weep over their bones before I eat you, too?"

Malena grinned at the Titanspawn.  "Darling, the only way you'll make me weep is by your stench.  I know they're alive.  The girl you lost told me as much."

"Ah yes, the bait."

Malena pivoted as he stalked circles around her, keeping her right hand and the weapon there trained on the center of his chest.  "You're a descendant of Kaupe, no?  I heard your kind have no control, chasing after women like dogs in heat.  Trying to create more of your filthy kind."

"Are you offering to take their place?"  Malena danced right as he feinted towards her left.

"In your dreams."  She returned her own feint, watching as he guarded low as she took a sharp step forward.  And then all her tactical scheming ended as he doubled in size.  She backpedaled, her clothing twisting into a full set of tactical infiltraition gear.

'Ilio grinned, more like a dog's corpse rictus than any semblance of actual pleasure.  He lumbered towards the Kin if Tāne, clawed hands flexing.  I wonder, he thought, what a crossbreed of one of her kind and one if mine would be.  The strength of such a being...

Malena recovered, shaking herself to break fron the fear.  Boundibg forward and under the Titanspawn's outstretched arms.  Lightning quick, she struck at his solar plexus, driving the air from his lungs and ripping his flesh.

But it swatted her away like a fly and flex its midsection, revealing unbroken skin.  Malena's eyes widened in horror.  She scrambled for any inkling of a plan.

'Ilio laughed to himself as the girl turned and ran.  She bounded into the forest like a frightened rabbit and he was all to happy to oblige and play the role of hungry wolf.

Malena could hear the child of Kapue hot on her heels.  She dodged around trees and leaped a fallen trunk, all the while heading north.  A low hanging branch threatened to block her way, but a right cross burst it into a splintery explosion.  She pressed on.

'Ilio could smell the woman's fear.  It was aromatic and delightful, promising him months of enjoyment before her usefulness was expended.  He pounded on, focused, growing closer, ever closer, to his prey.

Malena heard rushing wind and water and pivoted abruptly to her left and sprang forward.  The Titanspawn was mere inches behind her, but with all his bulk, he couldn't turn as nimbly as she could.  He charged into open air, legs still pumping like a cartoon and begun to plummet.  Malena crept to the edge and looked down after him.

'Ilio howled at the Kin of Tāne as she gazed down at him.  He cursed her and her parentage.  And then all was black.

Malena watched the surf for signs of the Titanspawn surfacing, but after twenty minutes there was nothing.  Satisfied, she turned back to the forest to go and find the kidnapped children.

Malena Character Sheet

While Malena isn't likely to be played at the table beyond brief stints as an NPC, the fact that my fiction has likely made her GM plot hook fodder means I'd like her to have stats, so I'm taking a chance to do that and give a bit of a bio for her.

Full Name: Malena Haumea
Aliases: -
Calling: Defender of Children
Nature: Gallant
Pantheon: Atua
Divine Parent: Hina
Attributes

Physical		Social		Mental
Strength	•••••(x)(x)	Charisma	••••(x)	Perception	••••(x)(x)
Dexterity	•••••(x)(x)(x)	Manipulation	••	Intelligence	••••
Stamina	•••••(x)(x)(x)	Appearance	••••(x)	Wits	•••••(x)

Abilities

Academics •• Animal Ken ••
Art (Dance) •• Athletics •••
Awareness •••
Brawl •••• Command
Control (Car) • Craft
Empathy ••
Fortitude ••
Integrity •••
Investigation Larceny Marksmanship
Medicine ••
Melee ••••
Occult ••
Politics ••
Presence •••
Science Stealth ••
Survival •• Thrown

Languages

• English
• Hawaiian

Birthrights

Ukupanipo's Bite ••• - Paired koa wood beaded bracelets with a shark tooth inlaid on the largest bead.  They transform into Ku'eku'e Lei-o-mano, a sort of round knife which fits over the knuckles of each hand.  These provide access to the War, Water and Guardian purviews and enhance Malena's speed in combat and deal extra damage. Na`au holokū ••• - This garment, assumed to originally be a holokū style dress given its name, can change  its form to become any normal style of clothing.  However, there is a catch.  Somewhere on these clothes must be a representation of the moon and eels.  Malena frequently makes these prominent, but has been known to wear a long black dress with eels gripping the moon as the clasp at her neck.  This dress provides the stats of heavy clothing and access to the Moon, Animal (Eel), Illusion, and Prophecy perviews.  Anuenue puka • - An anklet of puka shells providing access to the Fertility and Health perviews, each shell in the anklet appears white on first glance, but each shimmers faintly with a different color of the rainbow. Hōkū Honu Isle ••• - This Terra Icognita was gifted to Malena by her mother upon Malena's ascension to demigodhood. It sits on the site of the Detroit Seamount and comprises the area that island comprised before it collapsed and sank into the sea.  Malena has a large compound just inland from the eastern shore of the island.  The compound never existed on the island when it was above the waves, but is built in the style of a 1940's military base and hospital.  Sea turtles frequently arrive on this beach to lay eggs.  Unbeknownst to Malena, the volcano on the eastern half of the island has a fallen star at its core.  The island is inhabited. Honukane •• - When sea turtle eggs on Hōkū honu hatch, they generally birth mundane sea turtles, but on the night of the full moon, they birth ethnically Hawaiian humans with green hair.  These individuals stay on the island to tend to its vegetation and protect the volcano.  While most operate independently, a group of them have adopted Malena as their leader and serve to maintain and protect her compound on the island.

Weapons

• Ku'eku'e Lei-o-mano - as hadseax ACC:1 DMG: 2L DEF: 0 Speed: 4

Boons

Know Tapu Warrior's Mana Animal Communication Animal Command The Subtle Knife Assess Health Blessing of health? Water Breathing Water Control Changing States Prophecy Warrior Ideal Green Thumb Toxic Thorn Hero's Mana Declare Minor Tapu Unseen Shield Heal/Infect Silver Blessing	Mana • Mana •• Animal • Animal •• Illusion • Health • Health •• Water • Water •• Water ••• Prophecy • War ••• Fertility • Fertility •• Mana ••• Mana •••• Guardian •••• Health ••• Moon ••

Willpower •••••••

Virtues

Conviction	•
Courage	•••
Expression	••••
Endurance	••

Knacks

• Holy Rampage (Str)
• Untouchable Opponent (Dex)
• Body Armor (Stam)
• Benefit of the Doubt (Cha)
• Subliminal Warning (Per)
• Armor Crusher (Str) (bonus points)
• Perfect Partner (Dex)
• Holy Fortitude (Stam)
• Omnidexterity (Dex)
• Under Pressure (Stam)
• Social Chameleon (Wits)
• Environmental Awareness (Per)
• Knockback Attack (Str)
• My Eyes Are Up Here (App)
• Spatial Attunement (Per) (bonus points)
• Widespread Appeal (Cha) (bonus points)

Combat

• DV: 20
• Join Battle: 8

Soak

9 Bashing

7 Lethal 3 Aggravated

Armor

3

B

1 L

Legend •••••
Legend Points: 25/25
Experience

• Total: 80
• Spent: 77
• Remaining: 3

Malena was born in the town of Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii.  Her father, Ano, was among the last workers at the Kalaupapa colony working with sufferers of Hansen's Disease.  As a young man, he taught the children of the colony, and his own parents were doctors serving the colony.  So perhaps it was no major surprise that the goddess Hina was drawn to Malena's father.

She left not long after her daughter's birth, but a few days later a young woman called Nalani arrived at Ano's home.  She claimed to be Malena's half-sister, born a number of years earlier than the child and sent by Hina to care for the girl.  Despite his initial resistance, Ano consented and treated the girl like a daughter.  Nalani told Malena stories every night, recounting the history of the Atua and telling the child her mother was the goddess Hina and that she was chosen.

This gave Malena a rather driven personality, with the young girl never afraid to speak her mind and pushing boundaries.  She was a bit of a tomboy at times, but still managed to have many of the local boys wrapped around her finger.  None of them stood much of a chance, though.  Malena knew none of them was her equal.

At 15, Malena was Visited by her mother and tasked to do as Nalani had done for her.  She went to live with a man named Palani and his newborn child, Grace.  Nalani, feeling unprepared to move on, stayed to care for her adoptive father.  Malena cared for her sister as she had been cared for, teaching her to dance and to tell the old stories.  And on some nights when Grace was cared for by his father, a mysterious girl would be seen on the streets, saving children from those who would prey on them.  As she grew, Malena took on bigger and badder targets, breaking up child labor and catching predatory adults.  And 15 years later, Hina Visited once more.

Grace went to care for the next sister, continuing the cycle.  Ready to at last enter the next phase of her life, Malena threw herself into the war with the Titans. Wherever children were threatened with slavery, injury or death at the hands of Titanspawn, an avenging angel descended.  In whispers, they told their families of their fierce savior, like a Polynesian warrior woman of old.  And so Malena's legend grew.  She dated other Scions, finding them closer to her peers, but she never felt they quite measured up.  She ascended to demigodhood after defeating a descendant of Kaupe who had attempted to set up a barony in the forests of Molokai.

Darkness Warm and Sweet

(Warning: Adult, but not strongly so, situations to follow)

Leander sat near one of the torches impaled in the sand every few yards on the beach.  Before him tropical waves darted in and out of the edge of the firelight, twinkling.

He sighed, hearing the soft crunch of the fine sand beneath a light step.  For a moment, his hand went to his belt, to the buckle there that could be a spear with but a thought.  His other things were stowed in the provided bungalo the Atua had provided him; here, in the heart of Au-ruroa, there should be no need of them.  Without turning, he said, "No use trying to hide Malena.  I know you've been sent be Pele to bring me back."

"She's done no such thing, Lee.  I'm here for me," retorted the Atua demigoddess as she crossed into the Son of Athena's view.  A child of Hina, Malena was lovely.  She was tan and dark of eye and hair, and built along athletic lines moreso than buxom like some of her half-sisters.  Both graceful and forceful described her as she moved down the beach.  If Leander was honest, he thought he might be more than casually infatuated with her.

He smiled at her.  "Oh really.  I haven't seen you all night, but if I do, I'll let you know that you're looking for you."

She laughed, standing in front of him, hands on hips and head back.  Involuntarily, his gaze traveled up her bare legs, to the short sundress decorated with a stylized picture of the moon above a sea full of eels.  Leander wasn't quite sure, but he felt like it moved each time he didn't focus on it.  And then, suddenly, it was all he could see as she moved in close.  After a dizzying moment of the moon inches before his eyes, she dropped onto his lap, straddling his legs and face close to his.

"Now do you understand, you foolish Greek?" she asked, locking eyes with him.

"I'm really more of an American," Leander responded, not looking away.

She laughed again and leaned in, kissing him furiously.

When he was freed and had caught his breath, he asked, "What exactly are you looking for out of this night?"

She ran a hand through his hair.  "Well... you're leaving tomorrow.  I thought I'd give you something to remember your new family by..."

Leander smile, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.  "Oh really."

She nipped at his nose.  "Stop playing hard to get, foolish boy.  I know you're as interested as I am."

She wriggled atop him and he had no recourse to deny her words.  He sighed again, having known this moment was coming.  "You're right.  Absolutely right.  But I can't."

She frowned at him, leaning back.  "Why not?  We're both adults.  You've been adopted by my pantheon, so there's no political issue."

He looked at her, waiting until her eyes met his to continue.  "I've never told anyone this, before.  I've gotten to this very moment...  Well, more than once.  But I've never gone past.  I can't.  Because I'm leaving.  I'm always leaving.  Sometimes something comes in the way when I think I'm about to move past this moment; fate's way of reminding me, I suppose, that this isn't for me, yet.  I have responsibilities to more than myself.  I can't allow myself to form the attachments that would prevent me from fulfilling them."

"Leander Adrastos...  That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard."  She leaned in against him.  "And, in some ways, it just makes me more determined.  Let fate stop us!  Let it try!  We'll have our fun over its objections."

He breath was hot on his neck as she moved against him, clothes still separating them.  His hands clenched in her dress, pulling her closer, ever closer.  He buried his face in her hair, drinking in the scent of her, like seafoam and coconut.

And so he didn't see the wave coming until it washed over them.  The force of it pushed them apart and washed the torch away, quenching its flame.  She tumbled away, writhing and turning to rise up in a crouch, moon playing off her skin and hair.  He looked at her as if to say See?

She laughed again.  He loved the sound.  It was, perhaps, one of the largest parts of his affection for her.  She looked the skies above, calling, "Okay, fates.  You may claim him a little longer.  But soon or late, I'll be able to walk his path with him, and you won't stop my claim then!  He will be mine!"

She stalked back towards him, eyeing the waves as if she expected them to push them apart again. Leander laughed.  "And you mine."

She smiled, and knelt to kiss his forehead.  "Of course."

He smiled and kissed her hand.  "But tonight, we can at least sit together."

Other posts on Scion and Leander.  Related recap.