OOC Can't Take the Sky From Me-[Exalted, Heaven's Reach]

[Tavar]

Tick Order Explanations: WK does refer to whispering killer. SH refers to the two bodyguards, who are Embodiment of Solar Hero Stye, while TS is the more sinister looking bodyguard, who is an Embodiment of Throne Shadow Style. Stats have been adjusted somewhat for both. They are all on your side.

At this point, DM1 refers to Dayen's former character

DM2 refers to Gan's former character.

IF's are the big Hulking green dudes.

Now, onto the hard stuff:

Yeah, I messed up: partially, it's because I'm really bad at keeping things moving in the sense that I generally have a hard time issuing reminders to people if they stop posting(which is something that delayed several parts of the game).

As for the battle, yeah, I actually wasn't sure about it, but several chats online with people led me to believe that several individuals really wished for combat to start(then, of course, some dropped).

At this point, though, I do have a pretty quick exit planned for the fight(like, one action or so), the main issue being the lack of posts. I mean, I could just run things but I feel conflicted, largely due tot he fact that I've been 'skipping' several people for awhile now, which at this point includes the entire party.


I do understand about the character.

[Tavar]

So, at this point, do people want to continue this combat? It is several character's action at the moment. Or I could just end combat with a dramatic sequence, and we could move one, integrating characters once recruitment is done.

[Myllinnia]

I'm for the latter. ^^ I'm not sure if the rest of us are capable at this point, but then... I've been out of it for what... a month... and am not sure if we are now less numbered than they. My chara should have bought a weapon that can do damage. XD

[DrakeRaids]

Yeah. I think cutting it here and jumping forward fresh is the best thing we can do.

[Tavar]

Quick question: would anyone be terribly upset if we changed to Revlid's Craft rules? Probably not his rules regarding quality, but certainly his rules regarding charms and how long it takes to craft something.


Also, IC post incoming.

[DrakeRaids]

I'm cool with it

[Myllinnia]

So am I. Completely cool with those. ^^

[The_Snark]

Note: am assuming that Midnight is one of the people who left, since Kobold-Bard indicated he'd like to change characters. I'll edit if that's not the case.

[The_Snark]

Aaaand that would be Des's cue to show up with Drive Charms. Industrious is still with us, yes?

[Tavar]

Okay, I'd like to welcome babel_matrix, Dragnar, and Noble Savant.

The IC is here.

I'll have an introduction post up shortly.

[babel_matrix]

Thanks for having me. I still need your OK on the armor choice, and I still need to calculate combat values, but all that'll have to wait till I get home. -.- Until then...

EDIT: What color armor/banner did the Swan use?

Other EDIT: May I propose knowing the Whispering Killer because he helped sabotage a target I had when I was leading the Red Dwarf Risk Management Group, (for example, they sabotaged the security and power systems in a base, allowing my men to break in, get a hostage and some data out, and get away)?

[babel_matrix]

Deuce Alexander Kind
Former General of the Swan Dynasty and Founder of Red Dwarf Risk Management
Solar Exalted of the Dawn Caste
Motivation: To see the Swan Dynasty rise from the ashes with honor, without the Empire.
Anima: A halo glows behind Deuce’s head, shooting out beams of irradescent light that grow into the arms of a glorious sunburst. As the power grows, the air wavers around him as if a great heat had come over his being, rippling the image so that the halo of light, now exploding with incandescence, seems a crown in truth.

Two years ago: "I trust the Empire in many things: I trust them to persecute the weak. I have full faith that they will, without hesitation, grab the neck of the Swan, wherever it may still barely draw breath, and squeeze."

Today: "The battlefield, the tactics and the winds of Fate have all changed... all that remains the same is the soldier."


Appearance

Spoiler

A short crop of pure white hair crowns this tall, imposing man. Wide-chested and usually sporting matte-black armor cloaked in a simple duster, this man's striking ice-blue eyes look like they're always staring down the barrel of the blaster rifle he occasionally slings over his shoulder. His face is square and chiseled, with a thin white beard linking his sideburns to his chin. Despite his appearance, he is prone to smiling once the business is done, and that dour disposition seems to melt away.

PHOTOGRAPH LABEL: The Castigan Generals

Spoiler

Backstory

Spoiler

The Fall of Castiga

Spoiler

The sun’s glow was muted in the dome of monitors that emulated a skylight on the bridge of the Amadeus. There, above the heads of two dozen tacticians, engineers and communications experts, glittered the other two Ziz-class battleships, the Ludwig and the Sebastian. They would supplement a fleet of five dozen warships and over two-thousand fighter planes, all ready to defend Castiga III, the capital of their star system, the home for the majority of them, from the grip of the Empire. Most of the system’s soldiers and pilots were veterans of the skirmishes with the Bejuani clans of a neighboring system outside the Swan Dynasty’s reach. Those clans had been silenced, and both rookies and veterans were eager to see the Empire suffer the same fate.

The wide, circular door at the back of the bridge dilated to reveal the leader of this bridge, ship, navy, army. Deuce Alexander Kind was the only one of four Castigan generals left, one lost to the initial contact with the Empire and the other two to assassination. An attempt had been made on Kind’s life as well, but the Exalted were not so easily slain, not even if the assassin herself was an Exalted, no doubt a slave to the Empire. The bridge technicians beamed proudly at their general, whose face remained hidden under the bowed beak of his hat. Deuce walked to his seat, and the faces of his men soon faltered. Their general did not have that bright, shining gaze, that hint of a smile buried under professional demeanor. His shoulders were not held up and his head was not held high. This man was not the leader they had served under in the Bejuani wars. This man, lacking in all emotion, as cold as the metal of the blaster at his side, was an effigy of General Kind.

“Gideon.”

The head of the communications team stood at attention, saluting. “Aye, sir?”

“You are to communicate the following to the three fleets and all ground forces upon Castiga III. You are not to change a word, and you are not to question my logic. Is that clear?” His voice was contemptuous steel on skin.

“… Aye.”

The general looked up, the sunburst glowing upon his forehead as his eyes burned with the light of unforgiving fire. “All forces are to dismount, disarm and stand down. The enemy is not to be engaged, and all efforts should be made to not impede their invasion.” The stunned silence of the bridge came first from the essence that enriched the air as Deuce spoke, and again at the madness he ordered. What sort of tactic was this? The general never let his eyes float away from Gideon. “Once you have relayed that order, you are to ascend the Celestial Mountain and seek out the diplomatic channels of the Empire. There, you shall tender our complete surrender.”

“Our… what?”

“Our surrender, Gideon. The Castiga star system shall offer no fight, and will surrender in full to the Empire on the terms they themselves have outlined for surrender.” Complete disarmament. No civilian casualties. Death sentences by martial law to any dissenting forces. Trials for all military and civil leaders. They were generous terms, if one had no fight left. But the bridge was filled with men and women with plenty of fight, and the general in the center was the almost divine portrait of this.

Was.

Four long years.

Two years into the war, when the Swan was still unaware of how close to the end it was, there had been that fire of hope in the Castiga system, a flame that Deuce had snuffed out. The next two years were a disaster, a typhoon of Imperial war that proved, without hesitation, that might makes right. That adage, too ancient to date, did not comfort Deuce or the billions he let fall into Imperial hands. The weight of his decision had almost driven him mad; he fled the system with smugglers, and faded into obscurity. That was four years ago, with a mercenary career between him and that dark day. The Red Dwarf Mercenaries took him in as a grunt, ignoring the painted armor that was his only personal possession, asking no questions of the past he never spoke of. For those first two years, they took him to the very borders of the old Swan Dynasty and beyond in clandestine warfare for a slew of clients, usually against the Empire. The end of the war saw the company almost dissolved under Imperial edicts, and this left the company disenchanted and disenfranchised in an Empire that didn’t want PMCs running amok in hard-earned peace.

Kind’s days of leadership were, he thought, behind him; instead, he found himself spearheading the operations of the Red Dwarf Risk Management, a mercenary company of two-hundred men and women masquerading as a security personnel and advisement firm. For the next two years he led this firm, wading into the thick of their operations with the same “lead from the front” philosophy he had throughout his twenty-five year career in the Swan military. Now, with a head full of white hair, forty-five years of age and enough financial security to live comfortably, this Solar finds himself unable to rest. The Swan never rose again. The Empire still burdens his home. For four long years, the din of battle met, the heat of incoming laser and fire blasts, the fierce glint of inspiration he saw in the eyes of his soldiers, held off what he was truly starved for:

The glory of the Swan. He could no longer ignore the call to arms.

Sheet

Spoiler

Attributes
Strength ●●
Dexterity ●●●●
Stamina ●●●

Charisma ●●●●
Manipulation ●●
Appearance ●●

Perception ●●●
Intelligence ●●●
Wits ●●●●●

Abilities
Firearms ●●●●● (+Blaster Pistols)
Martial Arts ●●
Melee ●●
War ●●●●● (+Tactics, +Space Battles)

Integrity ●●
Presence ●
Resistance ●●●
Survival ●

Lore ●● (+Space Navigation)

Athletics ●●
Awareness ●
Dodge ●●●
Stealth ●

Bureaucracy ●
Drive ●
Linguistics ● (Galactic West, Empire Standard)
Sail ●

Advantages
Virtues
Compassion ●●
Conviction ●●●●●
Temperance ●●●
Valor ●●●●
Limit Break: Heart of Flint

Backgrounds
Allies ●
Artifact ●●●
Contacts ●●
Resources ●●●

Charms
Mob-Dispersing Rebuke
Heroism-Encouraging Presence
Nova Shell Ordnance
Searing Radiance Fire Tongues
Heaven's Eye Marksmanship
Lightspeed Trigger Technique
Ox-Body Technique (Third Type) x 3
Body-Mending Meditation

Excellences
Essence Overwhelming (Dodge)
Essence Overwhelming (Firearms)
Essence Resurgent (Firearms)
Essence Overwhelming (War)
Essence Triumphant (War)

Intimacies
Castiga System (Resolve)
Castiga Citizens (No Regrets)
Empire (Distrust)
Empire's Honor (Doubtful)
Red Dwarf Risk Management (Pride)
Red Dwarf’s New Leader, Gilbert Vice (Trust)
Swan Dynasty (Loyal)
Swan Dynasty's Honor (Protective)
War (Ambitious)
Zi Notar, Fixer (Cautious Neutrality)

Essence: 3

Combat Values (Under Construction)

Spoiler

Join Battle: 6
Attack Pool with Guns: 9 + Accuracy - Mobility Penalty
Dodge DV: 5
Parry DV: Not Applicable
Soak (and Hardness) with Armor: 20B / 18L / 0A (H: 11L/11B)
Health Levels:
-0: □
-1: □□□□□
-2: □□□□□□□□
-4: □
-I: □

Background Details

Spoiler

Allies
Gilbert Vice & the Red Dwarfs: His second-in-command who takes over for the Red Dwarf Risk Management, Gilbert has the licenses and ammunition Deuce could make use of now and again. Those members who remained from under Deuce Kind's leadership are as fiercely loyal to Gilbert as they were (and, in spirit if nothing else, still are) to Deuce.

Artifacts
The Swan's Light (Orichalcum Super Heavy Plate: +17L/+17B, Hardness 11/11, Mobility -2, Fatigue 2, Attune 8)

Contacts
Avaen Pelosh: The head of the Pelosh & Becker Financial Firm, manager of Deuce Kind's liquid assets, and the only friend from the Castiga system who ever forgave Deuce Kind, taking the man's word alone on surrender being the right action at that critical moment. She herself is financially stable and a secure contact who keeps her nose clean, and is also a blogging enthusiast on the Celestial Mountain.

Zi Notar: A fixer from the Empire and, through his lack of love for Imperial authority, one of the few Imperials Deuce has ever gladly done business with. Zi is by far the dirtiest of Deuce's contacts, but by that virtue one of the most useful.

Resources
Managed through various accounts secured by Avaen, Deuce has rebuilt a sizeable wealth in his two years of mercenary work and investment of what little money he had after leaving the Castiga system.

Equipment

Spoiler

Blaster Rifle
Blaster Pistols (x2)
Three rifle energy packs, six pistol energy packs
Trail rations and camping supplies
Long-range communications device (Gel’Vekash Micro-Cell)
The Swan’s Light (Segmented Orichalcum Armor, ordinarily a golden coat, now painted a matte black with the Swan insignias covered)

BP Purchases:

Spoiler

BP Purchases (Cost):
Valor +1 (1)
Conviction +3 (3)
Temperance +1 (1)
Willpower +5 (5)
0-12 intimacies allowed (0)
Resistance +1 (2)
Firearms +3 (3)
Melee +1 (1)
Martial Arts +1 (1)
Essence +1 (7)
Resources +1 (1)
Contacts +1 (1)
Charisma +1 (4)

[Dragnar]

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be great friends! Just don't make me mad and it'll aaaaaall be fine~"
Tremia's sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...0kOVpDaFU/edit

[Noble Savant]

And... done! More or less. Everything has been picked, and written down. I just need to fill in combat stats and such. I hope this is fine.

"So... You want to be bisected or exploded? Don't worry, I'm not picky."

Sheki, the Azure Ascendant

Name: Sheki Almakosta dy Vereste

Exalt Type and Caste: Dawn Caste Solar

Anima: Sheki's anima takes the form of a cloud of luminicent butterflies, each one shining like a sunset, blue, with a core of red and yellow. As she spends more essence, they multiply, swirling faster and faster around her, creating a rough Silhouette of Sheki herself.

Spoiler

Motivation: To be known throughout the galaxy.

Background:

Spoiler

Sheki Almakosta dy Vereste, or more often, "Sheki", "Captain", "That bitch", and "Oh god don't kill me", was born in far more humble surroundings than her grand name would suggest. Born in the filthy, backwater slums of a filthy, backwater rim planet, daughter to a street-side prostitute, it was about as low as it gets.

But there was something her little family was rich in, and it was pride. Sheer unbending, stubborn, relentless pride. She had a name, a proper name, and a history. An heir to a proud and noble line. Or at least, that's what her mother told her. At fifteen, she died, before telling Sheki any more. But Sheki had already inherited the family's stubborn pride. She never worked the streets, her mother spared her from that. She became a clever, light fingered thief, and a bully on the streets. She would never, ever back down from a fight. A few years after her mother died, she decided that she had to get out, see the world, become a 'real person'. So she hopped on the first ship off-planet. Short and chesty, she didn't have a chance passing her self off as a man. But she -could- outfight and outdrink half of the other would-be sailors, and she earned herself a ride.

Lacking any morals, it wasn't long before she made her first forays into piracy. Possessing a great deal of talent, it wasn't long before she became prominent. She managed to take control of a ship, and get her own crew, and it wasn't long before the canals were haunted by "The Azure Scourge", named for her distinctive blue-trimmed sails. And Sheki was perfectly happy, robbing and looting and thumbing her nose at the authorities.

And then, she and her crew ran into a ghost ship, floating empty through space. Naturally unafraid, Sheki took her crew to examine the limping wreckage. On it was... A man. A shining, golden man. Dying but not dead, surrounded by the heaped bodies of his enemies, a gunshot wound bleeding from the back of his head. The person who fired the shot was a few feet behind him, a massive golden sword riveting him to the ground. Sheki was, for once, impressed. The entire crew of the ship was dead.

A weak gesture. Sheki leaned in front of the stricken man. "Save... Them..." And then he fainted. Wonderingly, Sheki ordered her men to try and help the man, while she searched the ship. She felt like she owed it to him, somehow. One fighter to another, in this crazy galaxy. In the cargo-hold she found what she was looking for. Slaves. The human cargo. She'd never dealt in slaves, not because of any sense of morality, but because she preferred to cut out the middle-man, and just rob the slave merchants. Then again, he had asked... She had no idea why this bothered her so much. The first, faint pangs of a conscience.

Eventually, they hooked the ailing ship to theirs, and started dragging them to the nearest port. She would decide what to do with the slaves there. The man she stowed in the room next to hers, to keep a careful eye on him.

That night, checking up on him, he gestured for her to come closer, like before. "Good person... Can tell. Do what I would." And then he died. And a golden light leaked out. Into her.

...

It's not quite clear if Sheki turned over a new leaf. She certainly never quit piracy. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her new abilities pushed her to new heights, more daring heists, bigger hauls. Money no longer seemed to be as important as it had been. Mere wealth wasn't important. Fame, recognition, and perhaps a few rare relics were more up her alley. But her choice of targets did shift. She targeted slavers, crime-lords, other pirates. When the war started up, she made reckless raids against military supply lines, watching as the bounty on her head steadily rose up. She never said anything about her 'change of heart', and the profits certainly did rise after her exaltation. Anyone stupid enough to mention it in front of her, or to imply she was going soft was liable to get shot. But ordinary selfishness was beyond her now.

Personality:

Spoiler

Sheki is a force of nature all on her own. Excitable and aggressive, she's perfectly willing to charge in on instinct. She's a loyal friend, if you can get on her good side. The people she respects though, are invariably people she feels are worthy of her, in some way, strong, tenacious, amusing. She feels it's beneath her to waste loyalty on an average person. A bit of a magpie, Sheki is inordinately fond of artifacts, especially weaponry, and will jump at a chance to get more.

She's grown something of a conscience, since her exaltation, though not because of it. Still greedy, still self-centered, but she's got a soft spot for what the underdog, for someone stuck in an unfair situation.

Description:



Sheki's appearance is perhaps not the one people would expect, if they heard of her reputation. She doesn't much look like a fierce pirate captain, breaker of a thousand ships, scourge of the canals. She's cute. She's small, with short boyish hair died blue, and small, lithe figure. But under her sunglasses, her eyes burn with a fierce determination, and the sight of someone swinging a sword just about sized with them would intimidate just about anyone. And she's got a way about her... When she wants to, she can give the impression of being far bigger than her size.


Attributes

Spoiler

Primary (Physical/Social/Mental): 8
Secondary (Physical/Social/Mental): 6
Tertiary (Physical/Social/Mental): 4

Physical:
Strength ●●●
Dexterity ●●●●●
Stamina ●●●

Social:
Charisma ●●●●
Manipulation ●
Appearance ●●●●

Mental
Perception ●●●
Intelligence ●
Wits ●●●

Abilities (Specializations +)

Spoiler

[Note: Place [C]aste and [F]avoured tags, for clarity.]
Total without BP/XP: 28

[C]Archery
[C]Martial Arts
[C]Melee ●●●●● (+++ Weapon and Shield)
[C]Firearms ●●●●● (+BIG GUNS)
[C]War ●●●●

[F]Integrity ●●●
Performance
[F]Presence ●●●●●
Resistance
Survival

Craft
Investigate
Lore
Medicine
Occult

Athletics
[F]Awareness ●●
Dodge
[F]Larceny ●●●
Stealth

Bureaucracy
Linguistics
Ride
[F]Sail ●●
Socialize

Backgrounds, Artifacts and Equipment:

Spoiler

Backgrounds:

Artifacts and Equipment:
Artifact: 3 God-Cannon

Artifact: 2 Orichalcum Reaver Daiklave - Dawn of Battle

Artifact: 2 Orichalcum Thunderbolt Shield

Artifact: 2 Revelation Sunglasses
Stylish and blue, Sheki is rarely seen without them

Manse: 3
Stone: [Gladestalker's Stone] (God Cannon) [Oadenol's]

Spoiler

Creation Points: [(Value of Manse x2)+bonus from Manse Flaws]
>[List what the points are spent on]

Resources: 4
Reason for value - Years and years of hoarding and looting

Spoiler

> Fine Lammelar Armor - 3
> Various Guns and Ammunition

Charms

Spoiler

Melee
Excellencies
Second Melee Excellency
Infinite Melee Mastery
[Charms]
Perfect Battle Array
Dipping Swallow Defense
Bulwark Stance
Perfect Blade Aegis
Heavenly Guardian Defense

Firearms
Excellencies
[Charms]
Nova Shell Ordinance
Searing Radiance Fire Tongues
Thunder Shot Reverberation

Wars
Excellencies
[Charms]
Elegant Dance of Bow and Blade
Dawn King's Strife

Presence
Excellencies
Second Presence Excellency
[Charms]

Larceny
Excellencies
Second Larceny Excellency
[Charms]

Integrity
Excellencies
Second Integrity Excellency
[Charms]
Integrity Protecting Prana

Sail
Excellencies
Second Sail Excellency
[Charms]

Combat Stats:

Spoiler

Join Combat: 8

Soak:
Bashing: 12
Lethal: 9
Aggravated: 7

Hardness:
Bashing: 0
Lethal: 0
Aggravated: 0

Attacks:

Daiklaive + Shield: 17 Accuracy, Parry: 9
God Cannon: 16 Accuracy

Health:
-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
X [ ]

Mental Defenses:
Dodge MDV: 8
Charisma Parry MDV: 5

Defenses:
Dodge: 3

Parry: 9 (Including Shield and Permanent Charms)

Virtues:
Compassion ●●
Conviction ●●●
Temperance ●
Valor ●●●

Virtue Flaw/Flawed Virtue:

Intimacies:

The Underdog (Protective)
Her Heritage (Curiosity, Pride)
Artifacts (And the acquiring of them)
The Empire (A bully and a good target)
Getting Her Way

Languages:
Galactic West (Native)

Willpower: ●●●●●

Essence:
Permanent: ●●●
Personal: Current (Max) 19
Peripheral: Current (Max) 32 (Value Attuned) 32

Bonus Points and XP:

Spoiler

Bonus Points:

Total: 30/30:

7 - Essence to 3
5 - WP from 5 to 10
2 - Valor from 3 to 5
6 - Charms
2 - Artifact 2
2 - Artifact 2
3 - Artifact 3
2 - Resources 3 to 4

Experience Points. Spent: X | Left: Y | Total: Z

[DrakeRaids]

welcome to the show peps

[babel_matrix]

Glad to be here. :)

Unfortunately got side-tracked and could only write my intro; I'll write the combat values later.

[Noble Savant]

So. I've taken a brief look over the OOC, and what with all the people quitting, am I correct in understanding that we don't have anyone who owns/captains the big 'free' ship?

Because that would be right up Sheki's ally. She's a pirate captain soldier of fortune, with a crew, not to mention ranks in War and Sail. She's got all the qualifications for it!

[babel_matrix]

So who do we still have? ROLL CALL!

Deuce Kind, reporting in!

[Myllinnia]

You'd be right. No one pilots the ship. Nova could, it is bigger than she is used to, and moves her from Fighter Escort to Big ship get into trouble a lot pilot. So if you want it you can have it! ^^

[Tavar]

At the moment, we have Myllinnia , DrakeRaids, the_Snark, and industrious, in addition to the new recruits. So, I think the people who can pilot the big ship are the newbies.

[The_Snark]

Hi new folks! I see we have a lot of Dawns now; we're shaping up to be the most heavily armed tramp freighter in existence.

[babel_matrix]

Originally Posted by The_Snark

Hi new folks! I see we have a lot of Dawns now; we're shaping up to be the most heavily armed tramp freighter in existence.

:(
I thought it was just me and one other player, so I thought I was filling a niche...
:(

[The_Snark]

It's not a problem, really. My character is more of an ultimate super-soldier than a leader; the only real similarity is that they're both good in a fight. Your general and Noble Savant's pirate captain have a bit more overlap in terms of role, but presumably you can work that out.

[The_Snark]

Originally Posted by Tavar

Are The Hound and Mikil waiting on something? If not, can we just assume they get some sort of transport?

Was just waiting on Drake; feel free to assume they grab something and arrive shortly after Des and Starlight.

[Tavar]

In that case, assume the description for Des and Starlight holds for you two as well.

[babel_matrix]

Tavaaaaar.... my armor quessssttttiioooooooon...

[Tavar]

Honestly, I'd prefer for you to use the normal stats for any armor you purchase. Also, did you look at the armors in Wonders of the Lost Age(or do you not have access to it)? The powered armors might be very much what you're looking for.

[babel_matrix]

Did I arrive at the burning wreck after the vehicle left with Sheki? Or am I going with?

EDIT: Also, after reading the errata, (and I don't have access to that book you mentioned,) I just decided to go with super heavy plate, which is also 3 dots of Artifact.)

[Tavar]

You arrived before Sheki.

[babel_matrix]

If I wanted to use my comlink to search for blueprints, descriptions or clues as to what lies ahead of us, (that search being narrowed as Hound leads us,) what, if applicable, would I roll? Intelligence + Lore?

Should I ask for permission before posting such a die roll, or just roll it and correct it when told to do so?

(On that note, I couldn't find anything in the OOC when searching for "dice"... we're using the in-forum dice roller, right?)