Cynis of the Burnt Woods (Fire Dragon Blooded)

[xenopsyllus]

During my last gaming session, the storyteller suggested we each have back-up character concepts for the next chapter in our game; something about a good chance of a few of us not making it through alive. I'm currently playing the tank (Full Moon Lunar) in a party of characters who like to pick fights with people bigger than themselves and but don't like to get their hands dirty (possibly why we all need back-up characters). The character will have approximately 200 experience with which to start. So, I present to you Cynis of the Burnt Woods, my back-up character.


Background: (WIP; it is a back-up character)


- childhood under construction; probably involves burning a forest during my exaltation (oops)


I was a bodyguard for Solars during the First Age and fought on their side during the Usurpation (at least one of them a current party member). In the final days of the Usurpation, when I knew all hope was lost and my fellow Dragon Blooded bore down upon us, I was pulled outside of fate, but not before I watched my charge(s) die. I was held, suspended, outside of fate (Elsewhere?). I was 'reinserted' into fate a year ago (less time?), with only a vague sense of what had transpired in my absence, and took off to find my charge(s). I have recently found him/her/them (party member(s)) and taken back my position as their protector and am working with them to restore the Solars to their rightful place as rulers of Creation.


Stats


Name Cynis of the Burnt Woods


Caste Fire


Motivation Restore Solars to power


Attributes


Strength  2    Charisma      3     Perception    3    


Dexterity 5    Manipulation  3     Intelligence  3


Stamina  4    Appearance   2     Wits            3


Abilities


Archery       1  Linguistics    3  *Presence 4


*Athletics    3  *Lore          3  Resistance 1


*Awareness 3  *Martial Arts 5  Ride         1


*Dodge      4  Medicine       1  *Socialize  2


Integrity     3  Melee          1  Survival    1


Larceny      2  Performance  1 War          1


Charms and Knacks


Tiger & Bear Awareness


Tiger & Bear Utility


Fire Dragon Style (all)


Wind-Carried Words Technique


Threshold Warding Evasion


Hopping Firecracker Evasion


Virtuous Negation Defense


Ox Body Technique


Observer Awareness Method


Virtues


Compassion  2   Temperance  2


Conviction    5   Valor           4


Willpower  9  Essence  4


Backgrounds


Artifact  4  (Jade Hearthstone Amulet, Jade Hearthstone Bracers, Jade Paired Short Daiklaves, Jade Reinforced Breastplate)


Allies  2  (Gold Faction allies of which I am not aware)


Breeding  5  (First Age blood)


Manse  4  (Hearthstones: Seven Leaping Dragon (4), Gem of the Calm Heart (1), Freedom Stone (3))


Resources  1  (pocket change)


Merits & Flaws


Anachronism? (or something similar to the "I just woke up from a really long nap" flaw from elder vampire games)


* Yes, character generation was fudged slightly; if I ever use him, the books will be balanced more precisely.

 

[Persell]

Sounds cool. I like the concept of a DB from the 1st Age suddenly finding himself in the 2nd. Don't forget to take into account the massive amount of brainfucking his 1st Age Solar masters invariably did to him. (I know you mentioned the Anacronism thing, but I don't know how that works exactly)


One point mechanically. Manse/Hearthstones. Unless the three manses that generated those hearthstones got sucked into your character's prison to I'd say somebody probably came along in the 1500+ years and took over the manses, adjusting the structure to end the attunement.

 

[xenopsyllus]

Ooh, forgot about the brainwashing. I was planning to role play it as such, but I could probably get some Flaw points for that.


Anachronism basically means he's out of touch with the present. In V:tM, you got penalties on technology based rolls, but this would be more a social flaw in this case, like not knowing the history of the Realm or the names of the important players (Lore penalty to current events?).


As for the hearthstones/manses, yes, that is a weak point of the character history. I could probably justify a small one or two as those I have regained since my return, but in the end it will likely be a detail worked out with the storyteller if I ever run the character.


Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Chaka]

Oddly enough, a guy playing in a campaign I was running a couple of months back had a similar idea. He was a crackwhored Air aspected crafter with Breeding 8(!!!), but he was 1st age. It was enjoyable watching him go around the place going 'Anathema? But the Solars are the true rulers of Creation!' etc. Sadly he died whilst saving the rest of the party from a soulbreaker orb their arch nemesis the Sidereal (who was the 1st character of another player who between one thing and another wound up getting all the other Sidereals, the Lunars, the people of Sijan, the Guild, the Emissary, and a Deathlord hunting him down. Not to mention the other players... I had to make him an NPC antagonist) carried onto the airship they were using.

 

[Coyotekin]

Actually the funny thing about the Anachronism is it would actually be more correct for someone from the 2nd Age heading to the 1st Age. Remember in the 1st Age that everything else was more advanced, efficient, and filled with wonder and anything was possible. Now you have this character that is in, for the most part, a backwater world with people having things ass-backwards and confused. Not to mention it would seem for the most part that Creation as a whole has lost touch with itself by not being connected to the working of Yu-Shan like it used to, not to mention it would probably seem that society as a whole has deevolved if you will into a semblance of barbarism. Imagine what the guy has to think of the current state of Lunars, their obsession with their tattoos, and the fact that most of them have lost all sense of being civilized.


I hope this sparks a few things to think of.

 

[brennanhawkwood]

Despite the risk of committing thread necromancy...I had to comment.


I like the idea in general...makes we want to build a similar character.  A couple of the things that came to mind specifically regarding your build (I am assuming 2ed here if it matters):

• The character would probably be a good candidate for the Sidereal Background (Savant?) that gives them familiarity with 1st Age stuff.
  
• Role-playing the 'culture-shock' could be pretty fun.  Don't forget language.  How much might it have changed outside of Old Realm?
  
• You took Fire Dragon Style...wasn't that developed by the Sidereals AFTER the usurption?  If my recollection is correct, I suppose it could be justified as being a very similar style that was around back then and has since been forgotten.
  
• If you wanted to minimize some of the 'brainwashing' (or not) this could be a dragonblood that fell defending the Queen of Whitewall from the 10 Sidereals that came to take her out.  Surely taking on an experienced Sidereal using who knows what SMA + Sorcery in a massive fight to the death (according to Bastions of the North 7 out of the 10 Sidereals were killed) could open up the possibility of your character having been dumped 'somewhere' for many years...