Puella Magi

Origin - Puella Magi

"Sign a contract with me, and become a magical girl!"

While many magical girls are called by fate or guardians to become heroes, there's another path for those who find themselves approached by an adorable little white fuzzy creature intent on making a contract with them.

It may take several tries by their would-be mascot Kyubey, and even a point of crisis, but those who eventually become the magical girls known as Puella Magi take on the role of a protector and slayer of monsters in exchange for a single wish of their choice.

The fact that these wishes often cause regret later is merely a coincidence of fate.

The fact that their fuzzy mascot appears during the most difficult times of their life to offer a deal in desperation is merely suspicious timing.

Puella Magi must hunt specific monsters known as Witches - creatures who create strange pocket dimensions in which the rules of reality bear little meaning - and destroy them to harvest their Grief Seeds, which a Puella must keep on hand to recharge their Soul Gem, the source of their power.

Puella Magi may for this reason find it harder than most magical girls to ally with each other, as each grief seed is good for only one use. They can often take a business-like or hostile attitude. The use of energy to fight non-witches is a choice that is more fraught for them as well.

But it is a dangerous thing for a Puella Magi to let darkness overwhelm them, to give into it, to let their soul gem turn black. Because giving into Dark Energy is more dangerous for a Puella Magi, and letting a soul gem go dark without the cleansing help of a Grief Seed will expose the Puella to Kyubey's last secret - the fate of all Puella Magi in the end.

Puella Magi generally fight with weapons - a bow, sword, or similar - and the weapon and associated visuals and power connect to the contract and wish the Puella Magi made with Kyubey. For example, A Puella Magi who wished to heal a musician has a musical motif and a sword that is similar to a violin bow.

Puella Magi are particularly durable even among magical girls, and keep some of that durability out of henshin as well. But their Soul Gem provides a critical weak point that must be protected, and the constant need for grief seeds and emotional management is a sharper price than any other type of magical girl must pay for powers.

Additionally, they are pawns in the schemes of a twisted entity, who will secretly seek to ensure their story ends in tragedy, going to great lengths to attempt to control the narrative.

Origin Default Powers

Unnatural Form: Rather than the henshin armor of other origins, the unique nature of Puella Magi instead grants them the ability to expend their energy in henshin to resist damage to their bodies and restore them after taking wounds, and in henshin, grants them a resistance to the pain that would be inflicted by serious injuries, allowing them to continue to fight as they heal and stay combat-relevant through injuries that would cripple a mundane fighter. Attacks against their Soul Gems (which are generally visible as a part of their henshin form) can immediately cripple or kill them, however (a Puella Magi who's soul gem is shattered dies instantly).

Grief Seed Economy: Puella Magi can use Grief Seeds to cleanse their Soul Gems and restore their energy - but they also do not restore it naturally, thus forcing them to hunt Witches in order to maintain themselves. A tragic fate, worse than death, awaits any Puella Magi who lets their soul gem completely darken - becoming the Witches they must hunt. However, a Puella Magi who has several Grief Seeds to spend may be able to unleash truly devastating attacks, if they're willing to pay the price.