Still have to tweak a few of the precise details, but here's that sheet. For my Curse, I'll go with Doom of the Hungry Ghost, to reflect the fact that under the deicidal outer shell of the Dusk caste is a woman with an eternal hunger for life. She has to remind herself sometimes that there are things worth living for.
Interested to see what the plot line ends up being. We have an interestingly varied party, all in all...
Name: Gift of Welcome Oblivion Exalt Type and Caste: Abyssal Dusk Caste Anima: A surging whirlpool of pitch black water, thrashing with nameless things that claw and bite.
Motivation: Destroy the monsters that plague the nightmares of mankind.
Background:
Though many could be forgiven for not realizing it, at the heart of every Exalt is the soul of a hero. This does not by any means guarantee that they are nice people, as has been proven throughout history - the Exaltation can come to many different types of individuals. Some noble, some cruel, some completely insane. But the one thing that unites them all, regardless of their other differences, is that no Exalt can ever be called inconsequential. One way or another, they plan to change the world. Gift of Welcome Oblivion, Abyssal Exalt and servant of the Silver Prince, is no exception.
At the age of eight, Tanya Caral saw her mother and father slain and devoured in front of her by Lintha pirates. She never made a sound, staying hidden in the small cupboard where her mother had placed her shortly before the monsters broke down the door. Nor did she visibly react when the ruthless military force of Skullstone broke through the pirate lines and slaughtered them all with cold efficiency. She simply emerged from her hiding place, identified herself, and asked if there was a way she could join. And eventually, several years later, she did.
In the military forces of Skullstone, she quickly distinguished herself for her willingness to adopt unsavory tactics in pursuit of her goals. Indeed, it was often whispered that she held an unhealthy attachment to the arts of terror and one sided slaughter, that she was a sadistic monster hiding in the guise of a valiant officer. Tanya never especially cared to correct them, because to her the issue was self evident - fear cut deeper than any blade. If the enemy could be terrified and broken by the application of psychological warfare and deliberate cruelty before she unleashed the undead hordes to devour them alive, then her losses would be reduced and the enemies increased. Was that not the driving goal behind any strategy?
The Silver Prince, for his part, marked the young officer as potentially interesting material, and when she eventually perished - felled by a lucky blow from an enemy raider driven mad by fear - he offered her Exaltation, and was delighted when she didn't so much as hesitate before accepting.
The education that followed, and the journey into the Labyrinth that all Abyssals undertake, altered the worldview of the newly elevated Gift of Welcome Oblivion in subtle but distinct ways. She understood now that the Lintha, formerly the greatest monsters she had ever encountered, were in truth some of the smallest threats to stalk the surface of Creation. There were other things, older and fouler, that lurked just beneath the thin surface of rationality that most humans clung to as a safety blanket. The maddened Neverborn, the twisted and broken Yozi, the teeming hordes of the soulless Raksha - they were all out there, and they all needed to die if humankind was to survive. And so the newly Exalted Dusk caste set to work.
Artifacts and Equipment:
Artifact: X [What it is], fluff name Important features.
[Source]
Manse: X
Stone: [Which Hearthstone] (Location, if socketed) [Source]
Spoiler
Creation Points: [(Value of Manse x2)+bonus from Manse Flaws]
>[List what the points are spent on]
Resources: X Reason for value
Spoiler
>[List of purchases, and sources]
Charms
Spoiler
Archery:
Melee: First Melee excellency
Blade Summoning Gesture - For one mote, may summon one of my weapons to my hands reflexively from within 30 yards.
Void Sheath Technique
Thousand Arms Prana - For every mote committed indefinitely, I may keep six weapons stored Elsewhere. Releasing the mote causes ghosts of the items to appear embedded in the terrain all around me - these ghosts are solid only to me for one hour.
Five Shadow Feint- As a supplemental effect, for every two motes I spend, the enemy's DVs are reduced by one against an attack.
Unfurling Iron Lotus - For three motes, as a simple action I may make a single Melee attack and apply it against every target within three yards. Each resolves defense and damage separately.
Time-Scything Attack - For five motes and one willpower, I make up to six Melee attacks as a magical flurry.
Elegant Flowing Deflection - For two motes, I may instantly remove all penalties currently applying to my Parry DV.
Vengeful Riposte - For three motes, I may make a Melee-based counter attack against a single enemy.
Death-Deflecting Technique - For eight motes, I can make a perfect parry against anything that is not an unexpected attack. Flaw of Temperance - After using this, my next two actions must go towards violently slaying the nearest enemy, without retreating.
War:
Ever-Ready Killers tools - Do not require a miscellaneous action to draw of swap weapons. Every swap after the first in a single action costs one mote. Permanent.
Presence: First Presence excellency
Resistance:
Ox-Body Technique x 3
Awareness: Second Awareness excellency
Ominous Portent Methodology - So long as my Resonance is not above 7, attacks against me cannot be unexpected.
Athletics: First Athletics Excellency
Combat Stats:
Spoiler
Join Combat:
Attacks:
Spoiler
Hands:
Acc: X [(((Dex+Martial Arts)+1)+Any other dice bonuses)] | Damage: [Str+0B] | Parry DV: [(((Dex+Ability)+2)= X /2 round up) = Base + Modifiers] | Rate: 3
Feet:
Acc: X [(((Dex+Martial Arts)+0)+Any other dice bonuses)] | Damage: [Str+3B] | Parry DV: [(((Dex+Ability)-2)= X /2 round up) = Base + Modifiers] | Rate: 2
Clinch:
Acc: X [(((Dex+Martial Arts)+0)+Any other dice bonuses)] | Damage: [Str+0B] | Parry DV: - | Rate: 3
Dodge DV: X [((((Dex+Ability)+Essence)+Bonus Dice From Equipment) = X /2 round up) = Base + Modifiers]
Permanent Charms (Effects)
Soak:
Bashing: [((Stamina+Armour)+Any other Modifiers)]
Lethal: [(((Stamina /2)+Armour)+Any other Modifiers)]
Aggravated: [Armour+Any other Modifiers)]
Hardness:
Bashing: [Highest value from any source]
Lethal: [Highest value from any source]
Aggravated: [Highest value from any source]
Mental Defenses:
Dodge MDV: [((((Willpower+Integrity)+Relevant Specialty)+Essence)+Any other dice modifiers) /2 round down) + Any other bonuses.]
Charisma Parry MDV:
>Presence: [(((Charisma+Presence)+Relevant Specialty)+Any other dice modifiers) /2 round up) + Any other bonuses.]
>Performance: [(((Charisma+Performance)+Relevant Specialty)+Any other dice modifiers) /2 round up) + Any other bonuses.]
Manipulation Parry MDV:
>Presence: [(((Manipulation+Presence)+Relevant Specialty)+Any other dice modifiers) /2 round up) + Any other bonuses.]
>Performance: [(((Manipulation+Performance)+Relevant Specialty)+Any other dice modifiers) /2 round up) + Any other bonuses.]
Virtues:
Compassion *
Conviction *****
Temperance *****
Valor **
Virtue Flaw/Flawed Virtue:
Intimacies:
The Silver Prince (He is my liege, and it is by his will alone that I still live. That earns a degree of gratitude.)
The Neverborn (They are powerful, and I respect both that and what they can offer me. Eventually, however, they have to die before they can destroy everything.)
The Lintha (My oldest enemy, and one I will rarely pass up a chance to slay)
Others to be defined.
Name: Verdana of the Infinite Waves Caste: Changing Moon Spirit Animal: Chameleon Anima: An aura of malevolent black light obscures her. Tell: Bright green eyes and streaks in her hair. Motivation: Find someone that stands above her.
Background:
Verdana herself could only give you a rough outline of her history, mundane things such as location and time meaningless in the grand scheme of her memories. She could tell you that she was born onboard a great boat in the western seas, and that her parents were vagrants who had no true citizenship to pass down to her. She can also tell you that the boat crashed soon after she was born and shipwrecked her family and the crew of the grand ship.
Detailing that everyone survived and that they made a small community on that island on the months leading to their rescue, she'd also mention that with no means of communication she was raised on that island without any outside influences. Verdana would mention to those who would listen that she didn't like the sea, that even surrounded by men of the mast she had learned nothing about sailing from them.
You'd hear that they instead taught her language and parley, how to weave words smoother than the silk of a spider. She'd add that they taught her how to play the sanxian, only having three strings with the ability to play an endless tide of notes. You get a feeling that she was happy despite her small existence on that unnamed island, that without extraneous circumstances she wouldn't be speaking to you right now.
You're enthralled by the stories of her exploring the jungle with not even the slightest ability to fight, how she avoided great beasts by hiding within the shades of the trees and used them as inspiration for her songs. As you listened closer you'd know that her stealth had eventually failed her, that she was caught by a terrifying and enormous bird that she couldn't resist.
And she'd tell you that as the giant bird called for borthers and sisters to help devour her flesh, she played the purest notes she had ever played in her life to pacify them and give her a chance to escape. That with the beauteous resonance of her sound she pleased the Fickle Lady who floated across the sky in her Silver Chair. That she was blessed as one of her chosen, and that her skills had gone beyond the comprehension of mortals.
She regales you with tales of her exploration after having become one with the moon, how the community of the island dissolved after rescue came for them. Verdana told the story of how she strode across creation to find the Manse named the Predatory Beast Hall, grasping the Unsurpassed Sanxian slotted with two remarkable stones. She told of how she traveled and enjoyed the Blessed Isle, then finally explaining why she returned to the west.
At the island where she had been raised, there were still people waiting for her and enjoying themselves having forfeited the choice of rescue. You feel a tear rolling down your cheek as she tells of meeting two people in particular, talking for hours before bidding farewell to the parents who had raised her hidden away from the world. You wipe your tears as she explains why she left the island again, wishing to pursue her greater destiny with the power of the moon.
...And you forget what you have been told, for Verdana of the Infinite Waves has commanded you in song.
Name: Fenris Caste: Full Moon Spirit Animal: Horse Sized Winter Wolf Warform: Mammoth sized Winter Wolf Anima: A full moon halo Tell: Golden Flecked Eyes
Motivation: To hunt and kill fey.
Background: Background goes here as soon as I come up with one or find the one that goes here.
Attributes
Spoiler
Primary (Physical/Social/Mental): 8 [9 If using Peter Schaefer's rules]
Secondary (Physical/Social/Mental): 6 [7 If using Peter Schaefer's rules]
Tertiary (Physical/Social/Mental): 4 [5 If using Peter Schaefer's rules]
[Note: Place [C]aste and [F]avoured tags, for clarity. Casteless do not get Caste abilities, obviously]
(Specializations +)
[Note: Place [F]avoured tags, for clarity.]
Total without BP/XP: 25 [28 If using Peter Schaefer's rules]
(If using Dawn Solution rules, 4 free specialty dots)
Blights:
Fur +4L/+4B Soak (no survival or resistance to endure cold)
Charm descriptions:
Spoiler
CLAWS OF THE SILVER MOON
Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Strength 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple (Speed 4)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Gift, Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: None
A silver nimbus swirls around the Lunar’s limbs, coalescing
into claws of pure Lunar Essence. All of the Lunar’s natural
weapons add +2 Accuracy, +5 Damage, +2 Defense. They
also gain the Overwhelming tag, with a minimum damage of
two dice. The Lunar may deal lethal damage with his natural
attacks and parry lethal attacks unarmed without a stunt.
DILIGENT HIVE IMITATION
Cost: 3m; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2; Type: Refl exive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Until next action
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Excellency
Stewards work quickly so they may return to the things
they enjoy. Until the character’s next action, he treats all
miscellaneous actions as Speed 3.
WASP STING BLUR
Cost: 2m per tick; Mins: Dexterity 3, Essence 2;
Type: Refl exive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Fury-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any Dexterity Excellency
With the blinding speed of a striking insect, the
Lunar lashes out and almost immediately recovers. This
Charm reduces the Speed of a Lunar’s action by one
for every two motes spent, after persistent effects, to a
minimum of 3.
Used with Relentless Lunar Fury, this Charm reduces
the Speed of all attacks by one (minimum three) for the
duration.
OCTOPUS AND SPIDER BARRAGE
Cost: 6m, 1wp; Mins: Dexterity 5, Essence 3;
Type: Extra Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Wasp Sting Blur
Lunar Exalted are talented improvisers, using every
method and advantage at hand to survive. This Charm
gives a character one attack at her full dice pool for every
combat-capable extremity she has. Each limb must actually
be used for the attack—a character cannot use a weapon
for each attack unless she can use it with each relevant
limb. A Lunar in typical human form using this Charm
receives four attacks when using this Charm, one for each
arm and leg. In her war form, she may receive more attacks
due to antlers, tusks or extra sets of limbs.
RELENTLESS LUNAR FURY
Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;
Type: Reflexive (Step 1 or 2)
Keywords: None
Duration: (Essence x 2) actions
Prerequisite Charms: None
After activating this Charm, the character enters a
devastating battle fury. She may slaughter her foes as dispassionately
as the most cold-blooded assassin, show her rage with
shouts and grimaces, or act any other way she desires. This
short-lived Charm is the exemplar of Lunar—indeed, some
say Exalted—combat. Shielded by their fury, the character
becomes a truly frightening foe.
The Charm’s initial benefi ts are modest. The character
adds one automatic success to all combat actions, from attacking
and resisting knockdown to keeping balance during
the fi ght, but her Defense Values remain unaffected. She
does not suffer wound penalties until they are worse than -1
and completely ignores fatigue for the duration. Finally, the
maximum benefi t the character may obtain from her physical
Attribute Excellencies increases to (Attribute + Essence).
Relentless Lunar Fury’s real power lies in other Charms.
Certain Charms have the Fury-OK keyword. These Charms
describe special (but related) effects that they have when activated
simultaneously with the Relentless Lunar Fury. Any Fury
Charm’s special benefi t may be activated as a part of Relentless
Lunar Fury without a Combo by adding two motes to the cost of
Relentless Lunar Fury. These Charms’ fury effects always end
with Relentless Lunar Fury. Characters may have the normal
version of a Charm active at the same time the Fury-OK version
of a Charm is active. A character may not activate more
than (Essence) additional fury Charms at once.
DURABLE BATTLE-MIND
Cost: —; Mins: Stamina 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Relentless Lunar Fury
Durable Battle-Mind increases the duration of Relentless
Lunar Fury by four actions.
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
Artifacts:
Moonsilver Essence Lash
Orichalum Hearthstone Bracers
Jewel of the masters hand
Equipment:
Chain Shirt
Charms
Spoiler
Free Ox Body x1
Second Martial Arts Excellency
Thunderclap Rush Attack
Second Craft Excellency
Crack Mending Technique
Craftsman Need No Tools
Wonder-Forging Genius
First Lore Excellency
Third Lore Excellency
Spirit Detecting Glance
All Encompassing Sorcerer Sight
History: Raised in the Imperial city he was the only child of Ledaal Talia and Ragara Turin. He favoured his mothers house in looks and greatly took after his cousin, Ledaal Kes, in intellect. He was able to read and write in Old Realm by the time he was 3 and enjoyed playing his cousin at gateway by time he was 5.
His love of history and the construction and design of artifacts led everyone to believe that he would be a great crafter of artifacts when he exalted, but no one expected him to exalt in the way he did. When he was 15 he was staring at his fathers Daiklave when there was a sudden rush of power and a burning sensation on his forehead. He could then see the essence flowing through the blade, how it moved and flowed. In excitement he grabbed the weapon and ran to his father.
His father, horrified at what he saw, snatched the weapon from the boys hand and attacked him. Only the timely arrival of his mother, who subdued her frantic husband, saved his life. Tears streaming down her face she embraced her son and explained what he had become. An anathema!
In desperation to save her only child's life she gave him what supplies she could and ushered him out of the city. She took him to the families private manse, of which she was keeper, and taught him to attune to it before handing him three things, two of which she had kept hidden for years. A lump of orichalum, a lump of moonsilver and the hearthstone to the manse. With a final farewell she pushed him away, begging him to get as far from the blessed isle as he could.
He made his way west and used the last of his money to buy passage to Abalone, where he became a street urchin. He learned how to survive and eventually formed to materials his mother had given him in designs he had studied in his youth, and now wonders the archipelago looking for clues and rumors that would lead him to any first age objects.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Talya
A guy going by a forum moniker starting with "Darth" asks what amounts to...
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
You, or the first Solar to appear with the ride skill. My Giant Sea Otter form also has a saddle after all.
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
Yeah, if the next Solar actually has the ride skill, and ride charms, I'm going with them. She's intended as a combat mount.
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
Well I can already craft 4dot artifacts so I'll hold off on improving my craft for now and increase ride instead. I've put it as favored and swapped a dot from investigate
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Talya
A guy going by a forum moniker starting with "Darth" asks what amounts to...
Yeah, if the next Solar actually has the ride skill, and ride charms, I'm going with them. She's intended as a combat mount.
Probably won't happen. Prescia (my solar, and the only other one so far) is based around lore, investigation, and social combat. Her only battle training is also martial arts, so no riding a steed into combat.
Well, it is in the fine tradition of Solars to ride weird looking mounts into battle. Ignis Divine actually has a ride speciality for 'Luna', which is somewhat amusing.
__________________
"Not trusting me might be the smartest decision you made since getting off of your horse."
Kharal Zhou, Fire Aspect of Lookshy:
Image and avatar by Ifni, who is rightly awesome.
Probably won't happen. Prescia (my solar, and the only other one so far) is based around lore, investigation, and social combat. Her only battle training is also martial arts, so no riding a steed into combat.
Anvil is probably the best choice.
Yeah, and even better is that I've got a whip, which means I can beat Fenris to go faster :P
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Talya
A guy going by a forum moniker starting with "Darth" asks what amounts to...
Right, here we go. I figured being on patrol with a small unit of Shadowland mortals was a reasonable excuse for why Gift was here. They've stopped to replenish supplies.
And since it's just a routine patrol, as far as Gift knows, she won't go overboard on the requisitions. We'll go with a longbow, a bunch of different arrow types, a chopping sword and a dagger for general equipment. And if the Silver Prince allows it, we'll go with a Soulsteel Daiklaive set with a hearthstone of some kind - this is mostly what I need ST approval for. Liege 3 should allow it, but better to check first.
The chopping sword is for fights when Gift doesn't want to advertise that she's Exalted. All of these items are hidden Elsewhere at present.
__________________
"Not trusting me might be the smartest decision you made since getting off of your horse."
Kharal Zhou, Fire Aspect of Lookshy:
Image and avatar by Ifni, who is rightly awesome.
Character sheet mostly finished. There are still a few loose ends (intimacies, last two charms), although I have enough details fleshed out to use the char now.
Prescia, the Songstress of the Realms
Spoiler
Name: Nellens Prescia Exalt Type: Chosen of the Sun (Solar) Caste: Zenith Anima Banner: Thanks to phantom-conjuring performance, Prescia's anima banner is whatever she wants it to be at that moment. Motivation: Record a perfect history and account of the bronze age.
"Some years ago, we ruled creation. Sometime ago, we proved to be complete bastards to our people, and the chosen of the maidens ended our legacy. Now, the chosen of the dragons ruled creation, and now, they proved to be complete bastards to their people as well. What in creation is it, exactly, that makes this so?"
Background - Exaltation within the Nellens House
Spoiler
The girl that is now known as the songbird of House Nellens was originally destined to be a mere mouse in the streets; you may say that her birth and exaltation was a product of fate or just some twisted chance (brought about, no doubt, by the meddling of some accursed anathema of the green sun sort), but somehow, somewhere on one of the long-forgotten slums of the realm, a prince of the falling House Nellens exchanged a moment of passion with a commoner. No one batted but an eye on this event but the prince himself; somehow, a hint of guilt had consumed him over the years, and when he had gotten wind that the girl died of assault after giving birth to a child, he conducted a personal search and, upon finding the child, invited her to his mansion and treated her as a full dynast child.
Prescia had an uneventful childhood living under her father's guardianship. A bastard child of greatly diluted blood and almost no social status, no one expected Prescia to exalt or amount to anything more useful than a dress-up doll for her father - and for the most part, they had left her along. Certainly, Prescia was never able to receive the favor of the dragons due to her heavily mixed blood; instead, she had received a different gift. Alongside her body, her voice had matured into a soft, sweet soprano - one that would banish demons from dreams and lull her listeners into a calm, joyous serenity.
Her father had gotten wind of this and exploited her talents. Before long, Prescia had became the sole songstress of her family - and soon, of House Tepet and House Ragara. Soldiers of war and weary politicians would make a habit of retiring to the manor just to hear the songs and reassuring words; her songs would heal their wounded minds and broken spirits, and with vigor anew, they would return to demonstrate the might of House Ragara to the realms. In a few short years Prescia has risen from a mostly ignored child to one of greater fame than even the patriarch of the house; her life was a jumbled mix of songs and prayers, leaving little time for a proper education or a journey to learn the ways of the world. The forgotten doll had suddenly became the doll of the three houses, her life spent running around in a cage to satiate the ambition of her elders and her cousins.
Somewhere during that time, her defiance of her destiny had impressed the unconquered sun. Prescia was never one for great battles or legendary swordsmanship, but there were other ways to overcome the impossible than just martial prowess. At that time the sun had descended personally from the heavens to speak to his new priest; the halo of the zenith caste flared on her forehead. She exalted.
Her father was also the first to have gotten wind of her exaltation. Excited that Prescia would become the chosen of the dragons, he opened the doors to her room, and the familiar face of a solar - an anathema - stared back at him. Alarmed, panicked, even, the Nellens prince readied his blade when, in the voice of her own daughter, it called out to him.
"Father, please, look into my eyes. Look into my heart if you wish. Can you honestly say, without deceiving your heart, that I am not still your daughter?"
Nellens Dahai was never a supporter of the anathema, but love had clouded his actions at that moment. Here, before him, was a girl no different from the daughter that he had loved, looking at him with those same innocent eyes that he had cherished for so long. What did the immaculate philosophy matter against family, after all? In that moment his body turned: his jade daiklave sliced through the servants that were unfortunate enough to bear witness to this awakening. Then, with every bit of his power as a chosen of the dragons, he veiled the room and hid his daughter until her anima would finally subside.
From that day, Dahai's relationship with his daughter was strained. The girl was still devoted and loyal, but the man could see that spark of ambition forming around the edges of his daughter's eyes, beckoning him to teach her new things and show her new places. At the same time, he found that his fear had overtaken him; fear that his daughter would eventually be discovered and executed by the house, and fear that her newfound curiosity would eventually lead her to a place where he could not follow. Where he had once allowed his heart to be soothed by her kind voice, he had now found her gentle console to be an ever-increasing necessity to surpress the demonds growing within his own heart. With time, his heart broken by the charms that the girl had subconsciously woven through his mind, he chose between the two outcomes: crafting lies each a bit more implausible than the last, Dahai had finally managed to smuggle the girl outside of the house under the pretense that she was exhausted of singing and requires a new experience, and what could be better for a defenseless young girl than an unguided journey through the worse of the realms and the wyld, constantly exposed to the danger of bandits and anathema alike?
Her father could not bear to abandon his daughter even now. It made him miserable, worrying about her well-being with every second of his waking life, but he had secretly funneled a sizable allowance to the girl so that she could travel without inhibition. On her side, Prescia was a relatively intelligent girl. She understands her father's love and the fact that she could no longer return to her house without risking discovery; it broke her heart to be away from the people that praised her, but the world is so vast and expansive compared to those isolated Ragara and Nellens mansions! There is so much to learn from just traveling around and seeing other people...
Artifact: The Worldstone Mirror of Priscilla - History and Details
Spoiler
To understand the meaning of the Worldstone Mirror, one must first look back at the first-age solar queen whose spark now resides within Prescia.
Empress Priscilla was one of the oldest solars of the first age; she was one of the few that had experienced the Primordial War with her own two hands and lived to tell the tale, and was content to carve a relatively small - but fertile in land and resources - empire to enact her very own version of the political game that many of her contemporaries busily devoted their time towards in a time of peace. She had made a name for herself as a maiden of war during the struggles, personally defeating and imprisoning the titans Adorjan and Kimberry. During the aftermaths she became one of the main supporters of the Solar Delibrative, laboring to establish it as a means to an end for the bitter infighting between her peers.
Priscilla was never really good at peace - not that she really preferred the warring era, but the empress never liked sitting in one place or, however simple it was, trying to shape a country to the vestiges of her own personal interest. Even as empress, she was quite famous in her empire for periodically - and quite often - leaving her post to her lunar lover and indulge herself in some journey to another corner of the world; she would always bring back a story or two to declare at some celebration, but this was never the main reason for her to travel. Rather, Priscilla was bored with the stability that the realms had offered to its citizens, and with nowhere else to channel her boundless energy, decided - somewhat on a whim - that she would record the entire history of the world from the war to the current golden age. The project was met with mild amusement from her peers, but many of them were cooperative on accounts that they would rather not make an enemy of a legendary heroine, however silly her hobbies may have been.
A single, unassuming artifact that can preserve the memories of its wielder. It was something that seemed to be redundant when compared to the vast libraries of the golden age, but the empress tolled on; she would obtain interviews with the other solars, pull strings to invite herself into their manse and record the advancements of science that occurred with each passing year. Everything - from the altruism and the beauty of the realms, to some of the inhuman actions of the so-called heroes of creation. Somewhere along her path, Priscilla had become jaded. Perhaps having so many facts collected into one place had allowed her to see, with clarity, the wretched state of Sol Invictus's children. Or perhaps it was something else - something so horrible that it managed to shake the heart of a solar empress that has seen the history of more than 4,000 years. Regardless, the empress began to appear less and less within the Delibrative that she had helped to create; she would often withdraw from her kingdom for a year or more just to work on her mirror, and - in an act that surprised th
Accounts from within the mirror certainly suggested that she had guessed the end of the solar reign, but even if Priscilla had predicted that the solar delibrative would fall, she was content to watch it all burn away with the rest of the First Age. "I wanted to see what would happen," she would remark; with it, the memories and stories within the mirror became more and more jaded in nature, cynically exposing the hypocrisy or corruption behind every chosen whether they were solar or sidereal. She also began to record completely unrelated advice into the mirror, speaking to her 'successor' with omnious warnings and advice as if she was expecting to die.
The mirror was forgotten when the usurptation finally occurred. Conspicuously absent from the day's festivities, the empress hid herself only for long enough to record her own speculations on the sidereals' and the dragon-bloodeds' actions and to use what remained of her sorcery to erase the mirror from the very eyes of creation - including, even, the loom of fate itself. When the sidereals finally found the empress - rather, when she willed herself to be found - she casually greeted her would-be assassins with a cup of tea and a faint smile. Her lunar mate had already absconded with the mirror and hid it somewhere within creation; with that, the enchantments present would ensure that it would always find its way into the hands of her successor.
That was the day when the empress of scholars drew her last breath, and that was the day when the Worldstone Mirror of Priscilla was forgotten by the entire world.
Worldstone Mirror of Priscilla [Artifact: ●●●●●]
In the first age, there lived a solar who, unsatisfied with simply sitting in one place and ruling a kingdom, decided to challenge herself by compiling an encyclopedia of everything there was to know in the first age. After turning over command to her lunar mate, Priscilla traveled around the world with a simple memory device in hand; in it, she stored the memories and wisdom of everything that she had discovered - from tidbits about monsters, to the solar hierarchy and first age technologies, to other marvels unheard of in the second age. The mirror contains detailed information on everything up to the point of Priscilla's death, and while a simple storage device did not seem like very much compared to the likes of soul mirror, the memories stored within - an almost perfect account of the first age - makes the item one of the most powerful wonders of the second age.
It is ironic, then, that the mirror is also the least known. During Priscilla's final moments, instead of fighting or running like her peers had done, she put all of her charms and sorcery into concealing the mirror and ensuring that it would reach her successor. Thus, fate twisted around these powerful incantations, and the mirror was passed down to Prescia by her gold faction sifu as a simple trinket. Only when it reached the girl's hands did the mirror's functions truly reveal itself, and even today, it is Prescia's best kept secret disguised under the lie of "oh, I just remember everything from the first age."
The mirror itself is a lense for the first world through Priscilla's eyes. In addition to its knowledge about the first world, the solar empress also included a number of commentary about the age through her own eyes, as well as numerous pieces of advice to her successor as her own vision of the usurptation grew near. Accessing most of the knowledge and visions contained within is rather akin to speaking with her predecessor herself; a ghostly image of Priscilla guides the viewer through a pre-recorded movie, providing tidbits of information and commentary on everything along the way. The information within the mirror can be accessed by Prescia without any external actions, although if she wishes to directly share a memory with someone (such as to transfer knowledge of a script that she doesn't understand), the viewer must look through the mirror's lense, and at that time, the purpose of the mirror is made obvious to anyone.
Empowered by the knowledge granted by the mirror, its wielder gains a 2 dot bonus to all mental attributes. More importantly, the mirror confers to its holder all of the benefits of Past Lives 5 - she may call upon any knowledge of the first age at her whim, either as memories, as texts, or as an image playing out as if a lucid dream in her mind. All lore checks involving the first age thus automatically succeeds without a roll. As the experiences of its wielder grows, more memories can be stored in the mirror and played back later with but a thought. As an added bonus, the mirror's enchantments shields it from the loom of fate itself...which is probably a good thing, as such a potent artifact would otherwise instantly attract the attention of every bronze faction sidereal in Yu-Shan.
The mirror contains detailed descriptions on first age charms, sorcery, and martial arts and, while it cannot cast spells directly, can teach them to Prescia in the absence of a proper mentor. She will still need to pay XP costs and training time to learn them, as usual.
The mirror has a single hearthstone slot and can be worn around the neck. It is usually hidden underneath Prescia's clothing.
Artifacts and Equipment:
Artifact: ●●●●● [Worldstone Mirror of Priscilla]
Manse: ● [Memorial Iron]
Resources: ●●●●
Resource Items:
Spoiler
Travel and Living:
Horse [●●]
Feed for Horse [●]
Small Caravan [●●]
Weapons and Armor: Exceptional War Fan [●●●]
This war fan looks just like a normal fan at first glance; the fan, however, is made of steel disguised to look akin to paper, with retractable blades at the tip to cut unsuspecting opponents.
Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage +4L (+3), Defense +2, Rate 3, [M]
Regular War Fan [●●]
This is a normal war fan, usually wielded in pairs with its exceptional bretheren.
Speed 5, Accuracy +2, Damage +1L, Defense +2, Rate 3, [M]
Meteor Hammer (Weighted Rope)
The meteor hammer is, in reality, a piece of weight attached to the end of a sturdy steel chain. Since Prescia does not usually like to get her fans dirty with blood, this is her default weapon of choice against bandits and other weaker opponents. Also used in performance.
Speed 6, Accuracy -1, Damage +3B, Defense -, Rate 2, [M], [R]
Exceptional Chain Shirt [●●●]
A thin chain shirt that can be worn comfortably by courtesans and others without an athletic build. The chain shirt offers exceptional protection due to the materials used and the painstaking handiwork used in welding each link of the chains. This armor is not worn when
Soak +5L/+3B (+2), Mobility -0, Fatigue 1, Concealed
Other Items:
Age-Staving Cordial (3 Bottles) [●●●]
Seven-Bounties Paste x4 [●●●]
Maiden Tea x2 [●●]
Light Alcohol x2 [●●]
Perfect Violin [●●●]
This is a well-made violin, made to be portable and with a unique rest that fits to the user's shoulders and chest, allow the user to sing and speak unobstructed while playing it. It is considered a perfect tool and offers a +2 to Perform Checks where playing music is involved.
Charms
Spoiler
Resistance
Free Ox-Body x1
Martial Arts First Martial Arts Excellency
(2 more charms here)
In a quiet, almost absent voice, as her tail thumps the ground:
"I am Fenris, the magical talking sea otter."
That should help you to notice the use of the feminine pronoun I used in my IC post.
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
Uh, for the record, how is Anvil working out what everyone is? All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight only identifies active charms, and recognises essence 4+ individuals as supernatural. Am I missing something amazingly obvious here?
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"Not trusting me might be the smartest decision you made since getting off of your horse."
Kharal Zhou, Fire Aspect of Lookshy:
Image and avatar by Ifni, who is rightly awesome.
Maybe I should have been a donkey that can talk instead... or a fish.
Thoughts?
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
I admit, I'm also partially stalling because I get the impression that we might completely derail the intended game if we all run off the island immediately. I didn't clear Gift having access to a boat - it's basically a 1-dot Abyssal command from her Liege, which serves entirely to explain why she's out here in the middle of pretty much nowhere. Without being shipwrecked or something.
Though yes, she has no problems abandoning a bunch of folks to the Immaculates. Far as she knows, you're all mortals or unusually interesting otters. What would you lot have to fear?
__________________
"Not trusting me might be the smartest decision you made since getting off of your horse."
Kharal Zhou, Fire Aspect of Lookshy:
Image and avatar by Ifni, who is rightly awesome.
__________________
We require additional gaming!
78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
Neutral Good Human Cleric(2)/Monk(3)/Ranger(2)/Sorcerer(4)
With the Ability Scores:
Strength-16
Dexterity-16
Constitution-18
Intelligence-17
Wisdom-14
Charisma-14
Uh, for the record, how is Anvil working out what everyone is? All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight only identifies active charms, and recognises essence 4+ individuals as supernatural. Am I missing something amazingly obvious here?
Hmm, my bad. Didnt have my book as i was using my phone while at work. Shall we say i noted our individual artifacts and came to that conclusion or retcon?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Talya
A guy going by a forum moniker starting with "Darth" asks what amounts to...
Gift has no visible artifacts, really. That said, she is using a charm to store a bunch of stuff in Elsewhere, so I don't mind you figuring out she's clearly more than just mortal.
Also, I do believe SkullStone is rather infamous for counting Captain Moray Darktide amongst its navy, despite him being a Dawn caste. So in theory you'd be able to guess that the good captain won't freak out too much. Probably.
__________________
"Not trusting me might be the smartest decision you made since getting off of your horse."
Kharal Zhou, Fire Aspect of Lookshy:
Image and avatar by Ifni, who is rightly awesome.
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