Magus Antirrhinum

"If homeboy rolls up in a sweater it's quiet. It's quiet for him. If homeboy rolls up in a crop top he's gonna like... Get iiiit."

- Astro.

Magus Antirrhinum (マガス アンティアイニャム Magasu Antiainyamu) is an instructor of Kōjōryū at the Lucky Dojo, and a legal mage of the Rising Tide guild. A master of an array of ancient martial arts (古武道, Kobudo) and a proficient user of Plant Magic, Magus is known for being one of the few certified instructors in a martial art that focuses on the use of plants in close quarters combat to defeat an opponent. His proficiency in Plant-based Magics and a variety of martial arts has caused many across Fiore to know him as the Primordial Snapdragon (古来 金魚草 Korai Kingyosou). He spends his days instructing people in the art of Kōjōryū and by night makes a majority of his money as a mage.

Part of an ancient clan, he is the sole heir to the Antirrhinum name due to clan wars that took place while he was a child. Now only he and very few members of the enemy clan survive, living in peace with the help of Magus' grandfather, Draco Antihirrum. Living peacefully, Magus spends his days trying to make enough money to ensure he can continue his family's legacy in the teaching of Kōjōryū to almost anyone who is interested in learning. Many people are unaware that the Lucky Dojo is still in business, and so the bulk of his money comes from working as a mage.

Appearance
A young man with a hyper-masculine appearance, many people can distinguish Magus in a crowd for his distinct way of dressing paired with his muscular physique. Oftentimes Magus has a habit of wearing clothes that show off his body and put an emphasis on showcasing the defined muscles he's worked hard to develop. He stands tall, at around 6'1", with broad shoulders and hips and extremely long legs. His features in general are quite defined, from his wide jaw, to his protruding brow line, to his large callused hands. Magus is quite confident in his body, but is shyer about his face and so he tends to style his hair messily in hopes of drawing attention away from his face. Despite his more "masculine" appearance Magus keeps an assortment of more "feminine" interests, and shows an interest in many trends around the world. He insists that his current manner of dressing is popular in a specific region in Alakitasia, but many people don't believe him.

His face is extremely distinguished, and his features are all very unique in shape. He has a broad jawline, connecting with his large curved ears. His eyes are thin, and a striking shade of gray, pairing nicely with his long icy blue hair. His eyelashes are long, and black and color, contrasting with the periwinkle bushy eyebrows that stand proudly on his large and defined brow bone. His hair is long and overgrown, extending down to his mid-back. He often styles it messily, particularly in the front, his hair framing his face. In terms of his body, Magus has paler skin and his muscles are all very well defined, taking particular pride in his abdomen, shoulders and back.

Magus is well known for his very distinct way of dressing. He believes whatever he wears to be "on trend" however, many people tell him that it must be "on trend" far, far away. Typically his outfits are primarily easy to move around in, particularly the one outfit he wears the most. Day to day he wears a white crop top, which is shorter in the middle than at both sides. It has a deep neckline and doesn't conceal much of his skin. Along the sleeves are ribbon, laced up to the top of his shoulders where the ribbon is fastened into two bows, bows so long that the material falls below the sleeves of his top. On his legs he wears loose forest green pants, secured at his hips with the help of two leather fasteners. On his legs he wears a set of short silver greaves, which continue over the top of his black shoes.

Personality and Traits
With a reputation that precedes him, most people are intimidated by Magus at first. His history as a delinquent paired with his intimidating size and shape has a habit of effecting the way others interact with him. Many people tend to reply extremely politely to him, somewhat out of fear, however he typically then angrily asks people to stop being so formal. In interactions with others Magus primarily tries his best to come off as welcoming, however his resting face is similar to one's brooding face, and so he comes off as standoffish and stoic. With this he doesn't actively make friends, but instead tries to show a particular amount of affection to those he is close with. That being said, once he is close with someone he is a devout and loyal friend, offering his assistance and a bright smile to the ones closest to him. He is a big fan of physical affection, and if his friends ask for hugs or to be given a piggy-back ride he happily obliges, however he almost never initiates physical contact with others.

Abundance
Long before his birth the Antirrhinum bloodline was prominent within the town of Aenon. Most dojos within the region specialized in only a single kind of hand-to-hand combat, but the Lucky Dojo run by Magus' ancestors taught and practiced a plethora of different fighting styles. For nearly ten generations the Dojo was within Antirrhinum family hands, however it was all thought to be lost when it appeared that Magnus' mother was infertile. He appeared as a miracle to the family, the one that would be able to carry their legacy on for years to come, and little did he know he would be the one, but at a very young age.

He grew proficient in a variety of ancient martial arts, taught by any relative available to help. He spent his days working hard in the dojo, taking lessons with some of the local kids, and at night he would practice for hours. His talent was near genetic, and he quickly managed to master many of the Kobudo taught by his ancestors. It was good he caught on so quick.

The numbers of his family began to dwindle after he had managed to master various Kobudo, and at the time Magus hadn't known why. Uncles and aunts started dying. Cousins started dying. It was worrying to him. He tried to speak to his grandfather about what was going on, on multiple occasions, only to be dismissed. His grandfather feared that if he told Magus that he would do something that would risk his own life, and so he kept quiet for as long as he could. The Antirrhinum Clan was entangled in the middle of a great clan war, and the members of each clan were killing each other in the hopes of achieving dominance in the region.

Barren
The clan war had reached a boiling point with the murder of one clan's youngest daughter. Tensions were high and the target on Magus would be bigger than ever. Draco took Magus to a cabin the family owned far from Aenon on the outskirts of western Fiore, and they stayed there for months. Magus believed he was on a camping trip, and so he spent his months enjoying his time and learning valuable skills. His grandfather and he would fish in the early morning, cook a large lunch, spar in the early afternoon, nap, and then recount stories well into the evening. Being in a heavily wooded area Magus' abilities in Plant Magic developed quickly at a rate they wouldn't have had he stayed in Aenon. His grandfather taught him all he could, and it was once they were about to head back that his grandfather first referred to him as the Primordial Snapdragon (古来 金魚草 Korai Kingyosou), a name that would follow him for the rest of his life.

Upon returning to the Lucky Dojo, Magus and Draco discovered all of their family dead, and with that Magus learned the truth of what was occurring. Furious he couldn't have done anything to save his family he lashed out and spent his youth causing trouble as a member of the Birds of Paradise, a group of teenage delinquents that would cause trouble by committing small crimes. His relationship with his grandfather worsened and worsened for years, and Magus felt truly alone in the world. Anger welled up inside him, and he would spend weeks at a time in areas highly populated by monsters, leaving it up to fate for him to live or die, either with the members of his gang or totally alone. As they got older many of the other young men left there pasts as a Bird of Paradise behind, but Magus couldn't. He kept causing trouble, kept risking his own life for foolish and pointless reasons. Well into his early twenties he was feared by the people of Aenon and malicious rumors about him spread from town to town.

He too, eventually stopped acting foolishly. The day he was read his grandfather's will he immediately stopped acting foolishly. Magus made the realization of what he had done, the heartache he had caused his grandfather, and everything his grandfather had tried to do for him. He was no longer intoxicated by his fury, sobered up by his grandfather's heartfelt goodbye he managed to see the bigger picture, and he saw it clearly. He abandoned his delinquent ways and decided to take on the Lucky Dojo, to continue his family's legacy.

Regrowth
Upon taking over the Lucky Dojo he noticed how deep his grandfather was in debt. Due to his poor health he hadn't been teaching classes for over a year, and payments on the land were extremely late. Upon consulting with an accountant, Magus realized that there was no way he would be able to only instruct classes to make money to support the Dojo. The quickest fix, he decided, would be becoming a mercenary. He began to take up work in the local Dogwood Tavern, becoming a fixture for the people there. He dealt with a variety of issues people had, but because of his years spent throwing himself into wave after wave of monsters he found that dealing with jobs that required him to escort people to dangerous areas or eliminating targets extremely easy.

The people of the tavern grew to love him, but he knew that the missions they asked of him would always result in him spending days away from the Dojo, resulting in the Dojo looking rundown, and the number of students decreasing. It didn't help that his reputation as a delinquent was still at the forefront of people's minds. He decided the best way to attract people to his Dojo would be to showcase himself in a different light, particularly as a Legal Mage. Luckily, the guild Rising Tide, a local guild, focused primarily on doing work and making a living out of being a mage. He decided to join their ranks, however he decided to get his guild mark somewhere hard to see, and so many people mistake him for a mercenary still.

Supernatural Capabilities
Low Magical Aptitude: Despite being extremely proficient at Plant Magic, Magus is almost incapable of employing magic in any other form. His aptitude for Magic is so low that he faces issues when even trying to use Holder Magic items. Although this is somewhat problematic for him, he has resigned himself to only being capable of the one Magic, and focuses primarily on using and developing Plant Magic to the best of his abilities, in hopes of furthering Kōjōryū.

Low Magical Range: Another problem that Magus faces when casting Magic is that he faces an issue with ranged spells. Most of his spells demand that he summon forth plants to use on his body in close-quarters combat, and so he hasn't developed the same range of casting many other Mages have. He realizes how big of an issue this is, and is working on implementing more ranged spells into Kōjōryū, in the hopes that utilizing them and teaching others these spells on a day to day basis could potentially boost his range, even if it's only by a little bit.

High Magical Capacity: Despite his problems with range and aptitude, Magus' magical capacity is extremely high. Although he never had to cast ranged spells growing up, he has had to cast dozes of spells in quick succession, showcasing just how high his genetic capacity for magic is. Many people are in awe at how high his capacity is, particularly in the fact that he can teach martial arts based around Magic all day, and then still find the energy to frequently use Magic on jobs with Rising Tide.

Plant Magic
Plant Magic (植物の魔法, Shokubutsu no Mahō) is a Magic related to the creation and manipulation of any number of plant species. Plant Magic is a Magic with a long history in the Antirrhinum clan, practiced and mastered for generations. With that being said, it was quite easy for Magus to pick up on and develop his use of Plant Magic to an advanced level. Primarily he is able to use Plant Magic to an extremely advanced level in close quarters, with access to some ranged spells as well. For the most part he uses Plant Magic to reinforce physical attacks, for the sake of making them stronger or extending his reach, however he is capable of employing the magic for any of a number of reasons. If he isn't using his magic for hand-to-hand purposes he has shown himself to be particularly proficient in ensnaring enemies in vines or in summoning forth particularly dangerous plants to deal damage from a further range.

Although his Magical knowledge is insufficient in developing plants that are, themselves, alive, he is able to control the plants he creates quite well, even managing to successfully emulate life by causing vines to ebb and weave as if they had their own free will. He believes that this is one of the main focuses of Kōjōryū, being able to simulate plant-based life and working towards being able to manipulate plants in a free-form way in any situation or circumstance. Although Magus isn't currently at that stage he believes it to eventually be possible, as he has shown a great proficiency in controlling the plants without focus.

Many of Magus' plant based spells focus specifically on working around the various fighting techniques he is using. For instance, to send an enemy flying he imbues a kick with explosive fungus. Another example is when dealing punches or blocking, he can coat his arms in seeds with the properties of heavy metals to reinforce and protect his arms. The diversity of his Plant Magic is almost unrivaled, and his aim is to be able to summon and work with every genus of Plant that can be useful in battle. The genus he enjoys working with the most is that of carnivorous plants, as he finds that they can be quite useful in battle.

Physical Capabilities
Superhuman Endurance and Durability: Unknown if genetic or through years of training, Magus has proven to have inhuman endurance, able to resist multiple attacks while seeming unphased. This is evident in how the Birds of Paradise would throw themselves into areas full of monsters for weeks at a time, risking life and limb for pointless reasons. Spending months in situations where he had limited time to recharge physically, mentally, and magically have made Magus into a mage who can handle a number of hits before finding his body giving out. This endurance is particularly evident in the way he would spend weeks alone fighting monsters. Magus believes somewhat that this ability is rooted in the knowledge of being able to ration the ethernano within his body, paired with a knowledge of various Kobudo that allow him to use moves that waste little energy. In fights Magus is a valuable ally, and many people are aware of it, as he can tank out hits for his allies while also being able to dish out heavy damage.

Enhanced Strength: Possibly sourced in years of martial arts training and dealing specifically in enhancing his physical appearance, Magus is extremely strong. His strength is near unrivaled, and he was known among mercenaries at the Dogwood Tavern to be one of the most physically powerful mercenaries in that region of Fiore. His body reflects his strength in his well sculpted muscles, and he makes an effort to maintain his strength by showcasing it in battle. He often backs up decisive hits with enormous power, being able to incapacitate most weaker monsters in only one or two hits.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant, Master of Various Kobudo: As Magus spent countless years honing his craft as a martial artist, calling his proficiency in hand-to-hand combat as only "masterful" seems insignificant. His knowledge of a plethora of ancient martial arts and his development of Kōjōryū have turned his body into a deadly weapon. He is able to employ the right moves at the right time, and deal powerful blows even without access to his magic, a testament to his strength and knowledge of human weak points. In battle he is able to quickly dispatch a number of enemies because of his versatile fighting style.

Kōjōryū
Kōjōryū (工場流 lit. Plant Style) is a close-quarters fighting style relying on both an expert knowledge of hand-to-hand combat, and an intimate knowledge and unique use of Plant Magic. This particular style of fighting was developed by Magus' ancestors, and has been taught and practiced at the Lucky Dojo for nearly ten generations. With that being said, being the last living of the Antirrhinum family Magus is one of the only living masters of Kōjōryū. He is so proficient in this particular method of fighting that he is able to instruct others on this particular martial art. Currently he continues to develop Kōjōryū on a daily basis, using it as his primary form of fighting, and one day he hopes to popularize it among Mages, hoping to eventually gain enough students to host a tournament.

This style is known for dealing very well against mages who lack sufficient close-quarters skills, and can incapacitate multiple people at once if used correctly. As the master of this particular martial art, Magus' capacity and variety in techniques is lethal. Some of the particular techniques he knows include:

Assorted Abilities
Proficient in Land and Water-based Transportation: As a mage of Rising Tide it is expected for Magus to have at least some proficiency in transportation, be it air, over terrain, or over water. Magus became extremely familiar by travel by water when he was younger, as he spent many months out at a lake with his grandfather. Although he is unfamiliar with manning larger ships alone, he is aware of major port locations and the basics of how to sail a boat. In terms of using transportation, he doesn't own a larger boat and therefore has to oftentimes rent a boat or pull favors with people at various ports to travel alongside a ship and crew for free. This oftentimes does take longer than most other mages of Rising Tide that work specifically in the water, but most people don't mind.

Terrain-based transportation is where Magus shines. Having an exceptional control of plant magic he is able to control wild plants easily, making terrain that most couldn't usually cross easy to hike over. He is aware of how to use a variety of different land-based transports and is extremely familiar with the region around Aenon and has an intimate knowledge of a variety of towns road systems. As a former delinquent with a reputation in the region he is aware of a variety of the dangers in certain towns, and is able to avoid them when transporting various high-end goods.

Equipment
Leg Guards:

Bō Staff:

Kama:

Shinai:

Extras

 * Magus' appearance is based on Regal Bryant from Tales of Symphonia.
 * The Astro quote at the top isn't serious and is a reference to this video.