[Phantasm]

GEMINI, VERA

Real Name: Unrevealed; "Vera Gemini" may or may not be her legal name.
Occupation: Cult leader, crimelord.
Identity: Although Vera apparently does not use a dual identity, her existence as a demon-human hybrid is known only to a select few.
Legal Status: Allegedly a citizen of Mexico with no known criminal record.
Other Aliases: High Priestess; "cold-hearted two-faced sow".
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: Former leader of the Cult of the Harvester of Eyes.
Base of Operations: An abandoned Mesoamerican temple in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico.
History: Little is known about the early life of the woman known as Vera Gemini. She is apparently of Mexican descent on her human side, though it is unknown which parent was the demonic one. What is known is based solely on her own ranting. She claims she was raised in a Catholic orphanage but nearly killed in an exorcism after she first discovered her demonic form as a teenager; yet after seeking out her demonic heritage was nearly killed by a demon lord who saw her very existence as an insult to demonkind. How much of this account is factual and how much is exaggeration or outright lies is unknown.

It's not known if she founded the Cult of the Harvester of Eyes or usurped it for her own purposes, nor is it known how long she has led the Cult. (According to Doctor Strange, there are no Hell Lords or demons of any outer planes known to use the alias or epithet "the Harvester of Eyes"; see Doctor Strange). What is known is that she personally recruited Eric Payne into the Cult and gave him the Shadow Cloak he later used as Devil-Slayer after leaving the Cult (see Devil-Slayer).

Vera was first encountered in her human form while attempting to persuade Payne to return to the Cult; he refused and teleported away, vowing to take her down and stop her plans.

She was later seen in her Mexican stronghold where she and her cultists performed a ritual which summoned the demon Belathauzer, who possessed a US Air Force general the Cult had abducted (see Belathauzer). There, Belathauzer made some disparaging remarks about Gemini's heritage. Following that, Gemini arranged a "bet" between them at a casino in an unrevealed location, where Gemini subtly used her innate psionic power to cheat at roulette, tricking the demon into serving her rather than the other way around.

Not long after, however, Gemini was confronted by Doctor Strange, Strange's apprentice Clea, and Devil-Slayer, who defeated Gemini by shunting her through myriad dimensions (see Clea). Whether she will ever again appear on Earth is unknown.
Age: Indeterminate, appears 35.
Height: 5' 8".
Weight: 130 lbs.
Eyes: Brown (human form); red (demon form).
Hair: Brown (human form); none (demon form)
Skin: Light brown (human form); orange scales (demon form)
Other Distinguishing Features: In her demonic form, Vera possesses light scales, a number of fins running down her arms and legs, and a bone crest in the shape of a four-pointed star lacking the bottom point with four eight-inch long tentacles instead of hair.
Uniform: None; as high priestess of the Cult of the Harvester of Eyes, her ceremonial garb consists of a red tunic with elbow length loose sleeves, a plunging neckline and a cut-out in front which bares the navel, a high-cut red skirt, and a belt of gold discs.
Strength Level: In her human form, Vera possesses greater strength than a woman of her apparent age, height, and build, although her strength is not superhuman; she approaches "peak human" strength, being able to lift (press) roughly 650 pounds. In her demonic form, her strength is greatly increased, enabling her to lift (press) roughly one ton.
Known Superhuman Powers: As a human-demon hybrid, Vera possesses a number of powers connected to her demonic heritage. Foremost, Vera can shift between her human and demonic forms at will; the shift takes several seconds, but does not impair her mobility.

Her demonic form is highly resistant to harm, being effectively invulnerable to most conventional and even a few laser weapons; while rifle rounds bounce off her skin, it is unlikely she can survive being hit with anti-tank weaponry. While in her demon form, she is also able to see in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums, and can hear in the subsonic and near ultrasonic ranges. She is also able to produce beams of concussive energy from her eyes.

In both human and demonic forms, Vera possesses a number of telekinetic abilities. She is able to levitate herself or up to 200 pounds, but not both at once. She is more skilled, however, at more subtle telekinetic manipulations, such as cheating at roulette by nudging the ball where she wants it to go.

Gemini's demonic heritage makes her a natural at using magic. She primarily relies on egocentric and necromantic magic – the magic of the self and the magic of death. Unlike fully human sorcerers, she is able to use her internal magic energy (egocentric magic) to produce various energy effects. Her innate raw power is not on the same level as sorcerers such as Clea or Wong, but Gemini is known to increase her power through various external sources, including the slaughter of dozens if not hundreds of her Cult's followers (necromantic magic).
Other Abilities: Vera Gemini is a master con artist, social manipulator, and gambler. She is well-versed in many types of demons and in demonic psychology. She is also a skilled martial artist.
Limitations: As a human-demon hybrid, Vera Gemini is considered an insult to demonkind by most demons; those humans who know of her demonic form tend to reject her as well.

(Stats next post)