Introduction:
When Anise was a young girl, she had a natural talent for White Maguery. Her body itself was infused with a long-forgotten deity that even she was not aware of; this hidden power allowed her moments of precognitive insight and an impunitive force of will which deterred many would-be hassles from disrupting the simple happiness of her day-to-day Life.
Although she was a commoner, all that lived in Anise's hometown knew of and loved her. The girl's intense expression and sharp mentality was a beacon of Hope to her friends and neighbors.
Then, all at once, happiness left the small town. A ruthless consul arrived claiming to represent the Queen and began imposing draconian taxes and laws upon the people. Anise watched this man slowly wrap his tentacles around her beloved home and wring the prosperity out of it like a dirty rag, leaving it in as similar a state.
A dark flower began to bloom in the poor girl's heart. With her divine resolve at it's limit, Anise's mind broke away and she inadvertently created Ashley, a Homunculus with terrifying intelligence. Ashley then taught Anise how to construct a deadly totem that she could ensnare her own lifeforce within, and showed her a rite of bloody sacrifice.
Anise fashioned the doll in her image, bestowed it with her sins and confronted the Consul. In the ensuing battle, the girl was drained of her vital essence, but managed to trick the Consul into stabbing her which drew the vile consul into a time-loop wherein he would continuously stab at the doll. This method of freezing the Consul in his tracks for a perceived eternity forced him to escape back to his Queen.
Having restored proper order to the town, Anise's community asked her to step in to provide leadership. She knew that the Queen would send her military, and so she asked Ashley for help once again.
The homunculus told Anise of a possibility for relief from the coming battles. "Hone your mind's eye and focus your talents on stripping away your opponent's enhancements.
"Search for the truth of this world, as well as a faithful ally in the Foothills. The safety of your city depends upon it."