xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
Morkais, by any means, have the Walker all for you.
My char is far from defined.
My char is far from defined.
The Black Conference (Abyssals, Recruiting)
- Thread starter TherealBrickwall
- Start date
MorkaisChosen
One Thousand Club
Cool, thanks! Just thought it was worth mentioning.xarvh said:
That said, I do need to tweak a couple of things, as currently written the background doesn't really seem to take into account the unusual nature of the Walker's stronghold (i.e. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM).
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
My char will likely undergo extensive redesign.
His Liege will most likely be the Silver Prince.
His Motivation will be about the destruction of another Deathlord, and I can pick one of the Lieges of my fellow players to paranoia up and make things more interesting, or pick an independent one to make things smoother.
ST input would be really valued here.
His Liege will most likely be the Silver Prince.
His Motivation will be about the destruction of another Deathlord, and I can pick one of the Lieges of my fellow players to paranoia up and make things more interesting, or pick an independent one to make things smoother.
ST input would be really valued here.
TherealBrickwall
One Thousand Club
Monty Python is very funny.
Oh, I presume you meant input relevant to your inquiry? Fishslap, it doesn't matter. Choose the Motivation you will have the most fun playing. Honestly, if someone is applying for this game, and they have no intention of dealing with the fact that another character is opposed to their character in some way, they did not correctly internalize the first post. Conflict will happen. I am banking on it not tearing the group apart in any quick sense. After all, there are external motivators for you not to kill each other.
Just don't look for excuses to start intra-party conflict. It will happen on its own. I guarantee you. In fact, even if every player makes every effort to avoid it, it will still happen. Just let it come about. I'm here to referee if the shit drifts too fan-ward.
Oh, I presume you meant input relevant to your inquiry? Fishslap, it doesn't matter. Choose the Motivation you will have the most fun playing. Honestly, if someone is applying for this game, and they have no intention of dealing with the fact that another character is opposed to their character in some way, they did not correctly internalize the first post. Conflict will happen. I am banking on it not tearing the group apart in any quick sense. After all, there are external motivators for you not to kill each other.
Just don't look for excuses to start intra-party conflict. It will happen on its own. I guarantee you. In fact, even if every player makes every effort to avoid it, it will still happen. Just let it come about. I'm here to referee if the shit drifts too fan-ward.
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
I cherish the idea of playing with a context-sensitive ST!
Morkais, are you ok with playing shoulder-to-shoulder with a deranged sniper bent on destroying your Liege (ie not necessarily your PC)? ^^
EDIT: Also, are we using a color for each player or a color for each language?
In the former case, dibs on RED!
Morkais, are you ok with playing shoulder-to-shoulder with a deranged sniper bent on destroying your Liege (ie not necessarily your PC)? ^^
EDIT: Also, are we using a color for each player or a color for each language?
In the former case, dibs on RED!
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
Edit: charsheet and background moved here: viewtopic.php?p=83560#p83560
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
Edit: charsheet and background moved here: viewtopic.php?p=83560#p83560
TherealBrickwall
One Thousand Club
I have strong objections to the Silver Prince ever uttering the word 'dude' :|
cyl
Creepy smile
Oooh color me interested.
Starting to work around two concepts:
- a day criminal mastermind (inspired by Makoto Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin) most likely working for Mask of Winters or a customed Deathlord (you allow this ?! I have a great concept for a DL)... though I'd have to see what can be done with the charms... because clearly the mastermind option for solars is not clearly.
- a dusk spirit hunter (based on Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher) serving Walking in the Darkness.
You got a deadline ?
Starting to work around two concepts:
- a day criminal mastermind (inspired by Makoto Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin) most likely working for Mask of Winters or a customed Deathlord (you allow this ?! I have a great concept for a DL)... though I'd have to see what can be done with the charms... because clearly the mastermind option for solars is not clearly.
- a dusk spirit hunter (based on Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher) serving Walking in the Darkness.
You got a deadline ?
d1ng0d0g
Member
I'm withdrawing my interest for this game.
I had a concept in my head, even put some of the numbers on paper, but the Abyssals are just lacking the charms that would make it work.
It was supposed to become an speed / dexterity unarmed fighter with an incredible capacity to take punishment. But beyond the ultimate I don't see a way to give the scene long soak he requires without grabbing what are in my opinion pretty lame artifacts.
I had a concept in my head, even put some of the numbers on paper, but the Abyssals are just lacking the charms that would make it work.
It was supposed to become an speed / dexterity unarmed fighter with an incredible capacity to take punishment. But beyond the ultimate I don't see a way to give the scene long soak he requires without grabbing what are in my opinion pretty lame artifacts.
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
The Silver Prince likes to appear in many different personas according to whom he speaks with, and cherishes his own flexibility with words and manners.TherealBrickwall said:
Having him using a lower register was deliberate, but I can revert him to the usual stuck-up "I can haz Oblivionz" Deathlord register if it's better for you.
Perfect Kata Bracers? ^^d1ng0d0g said:
TherealBrickwall
One Thousand Club
Custom Charms, custom artifacts, et cetera. Still, you generally want to avoid mixing speed/dexterity fighters with stamina defenses. It's a thin spread (unless you're a Lunar, in which case, it's very optimal).d1ng0d0g said:
As for the rest of y'all.
xarvh: I don't care how you phrase it, I have strong objections to the Silver Prince ever uttering the word 'dude'. Honestly, it's not a word I like in my Creation. Creation has no California. It might work for comedy, but comedy is not going to be a major element of this game (but seeing as I'm the ST, there's probably going to be some comedy no matter how hard I try to avoid it).
cyl: If your custom Deathlord is good, I really don't see why it's a problem (though it should infringe minimally upon established canon...a Deathlord with greater military power than FaFL isn't gonna fly, for example). As for deadlines, well, no, not yet. I can't feasibly start this game for another two weeks minimum, if that helps.
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
Awww, I like comedy!
Anyhooow, fixed.
Anyhooow, fixed.
MorkaisChosen
One Thousand Club
Yeah, sure. It's not perfectly clear from what I've got up so far, but at the moment, the Threefold Ebon Magister is very loyal to the Walker in Darkness- mainly because of the big Order thing (betraying one's master kinda cocks up the daily routine).xarvh said:
At the moment, that is.
New sheet here: it's got DVs and such, and I've swapped a spell; it makes sense to give him Blood Mirror Speech so he can keep in touch with the Walker without them needing to send messengers back and forth (which also has the beneficial effect that none of the Walker's minions need to hear the Magister bitching...).
Name: The Threefold Ebon Magister
Caste: Daybreak
Motivation: Bring order to Great Forks (yes, that probably involves killing everyone and making them come back as happy ghostly citizens).
Anima Banner: The Magister's anima forms a flickering purple shroud around him, and a nine-pointed black crown-shape forms above his head.
Strength: oo
Dexterity: ooooo
Stamina: oo
Charisma: ooo
Manipulation: oo
Appearance: oo
Perception: oooo
Intelligence: oooo
Wits: ooo
Caste Abilities:
Craft (Fire): o
Investigation: ooo
Lore: ooooo (First Age +1)
Medicine:
Occult: ooooo (Ghosts +1)
Favoured Abilities:
Melee: ooooo (Reaper Daiklave +1)
Presence: ooooo (Intimidation +1)
Awareness: oo
Resistance: ooo
Integrity: oo
War: ooo
Socialise: o
Dodge: ooo
Linguistics: o (Native: Rivertongue; Others: Old Realm)
Athletics: o
Backgrounds:
Liege: oo (The Walker in Darkness appreciates the Threefold Ebon Magister's skill and loyalty, but his vocal displeasure at what he perceives as the waste of his talents means he is not as trusted as the Walker's more reliable servants.)
Artefact: oo (Prophecy of Stasis, the Magister's Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave. Shaped roughly like this guy's sword.)
Manse: ooo (Death-Speech Gemstone. The Library of Ivory and Skin is situated in the mountains west of Great Forks, in a small Shadowland. The Walker prefers that the Magister stay there in isolation when engaged in research.)
Charms:
2nd Melee Excellency
Elegant Flowing Deflection
Vengeful Riposte
Blade-Summoning Gesture
1st Presence Excellency
Dread Lord's Demeanour
Spirit-Sensing Meditation
2nd Investigation Excellency
Deception-Piercing Stare
Adept Degree of Geomancy
Shadowlands Circle Necromancy Initiation
Summon Ghost
Blood Mirror Speech
Essence: ooo
Willpower: ooooooo
Virtues:
Compassion: o
Conviction: oooo
Temperance: oo
Valour: ooo
Prophecy of Stasis, Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave
Speed: 4 Accuracy: +6 (17) Damage: +4L (6L) Defense: +1 (DV6) Rate: 3
Dodge DV: 6
Dodge MDV: 6
Parry MDV: 4 (Charisma+Presence)
Soak: 1L/2B
As an aside, I only picked up MoEP: Infernals yesterday, which means I only then discovered exactly how much of a Defiler this guy is- he picked the wrong broken Primordials!
ops: :wink:
Caste: Daybreak
Motivation: Bring order to Great Forks (yes, that probably involves killing everyone and making them come back as happy ghostly citizens).
Anima Banner: The Magister's anima forms a flickering purple shroud around him, and a nine-pointed black crown-shape forms above his head.
Strength: oo
Dexterity: ooooo
Stamina: oo
Charisma: ooo
Manipulation: oo
Appearance: oo
Perception: oooo
Intelligence: oooo
Wits: ooo
Caste Abilities:
Craft (Fire): o
Investigation: ooo
Lore: ooooo (First Age +1)
Medicine:
Occult: ooooo (Ghosts +1)
Favoured Abilities:
Melee: ooooo (Reaper Daiklave +1)
Presence: ooooo (Intimidation +1)
Awareness: oo
Resistance: ooo
Integrity: oo
War: ooo
Socialise: o
Dodge: ooo
Linguistics: o (Native: Rivertongue; Others: Old Realm)
Athletics: o
Backgrounds:
Liege: oo (The Walker in Darkness appreciates the Threefold Ebon Magister's skill and loyalty, but his vocal displeasure at what he perceives as the waste of his talents means he is not as trusted as the Walker's more reliable servants.)
Artefact: oo (Prophecy of Stasis, the Magister's Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave. Shaped roughly like this guy's sword.)
Manse: ooo (Death-Speech Gemstone. The Library of Ivory and Skin is situated in the mountains west of Great Forks, in a small Shadowland. The Walker prefers that the Magister stay there in isolation when engaged in research.)
Charms:
2nd Melee Excellency
Elegant Flowing Deflection
Vengeful Riposte
Blade-Summoning Gesture
1st Presence Excellency
Dread Lord's Demeanour
Spirit-Sensing Meditation
2nd Investigation Excellency
Deception-Piercing Stare
Adept Degree of Geomancy
Shadowlands Circle Necromancy Initiation
Summon Ghost
Blood Mirror Speech
Essence: ooo
Willpower: ooooooo
Virtues:
Compassion: o
Conviction: oooo
Temperance: oo
Valour: ooo
Prophecy of Stasis, Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave
Speed: 4 Accuracy: +6 (17) Damage: +4L (6L) Defense: +1 (DV6) Rate: 3
Dodge DV: 6
Dodge MDV: 6
Parry MDV: 4 (Charisma+Presence)
Soak: 1L/2B
As an aside, I only picked up MoEP: Infernals yesterday, which means I only then discovered exactly how much of a Defiler this guy is- he picked the wrong broken Primordials!
ops: :wink:
cyl
Creepy smile
Ok so that helps a great deal
Depending on your answer I'd have had to sacrifice a few working hours to build the sheets :roll:
d1ng0d0g
Member
Cestus
The roar of the crowd was intoxicating. It was his first fight in the ring, and his trainers were looking proud as he held his opponent in a proper headlock. He looked up at the organizers of the fight as he was supposed to.
And the crowd kept droning: "Kill, kill, kill." The sixteen years old agile young fighter had his first win in the pit. And the power he felt, the thrill he felt was nearly intoxicating, but the droning of the crowd really annoyed him and he glared at them, only just noticing the thumb of the organizer going down. A quick twist with his arms, followed by a loud snap as his opponent's neck broke, then followed by a silence from the crowd and yet he could still hear them drone in his head. And they the crowd cheered, and he felt satisfaction in his head, even though the crowd still droned, and it was not his own. As he felt disgusted.
Days after the fight he still heard the droning in his head an endless murmur of voices constantly murmuring "Kill, kill, kill." . Several fights, several deaths later, each putting that sense of satisfaction in his head that wasn't his own, he had grown disgusted by the teeming masses of Gem that came to look at his fights.
These men he fought, they were warriors and while each of them was prepared for death, they didn't deserve it as part of amusement to the crowd. That sense of satisfaction it was driving him nuts, because it wasn't his own. He felt the loss, though never remorse, of another honorable man. Another warrior.
And even outside the ring, the voices of the crowd just kept roaring in his head.
Twelve fights. Twelve wins. Twelve deaths. And then he was paired of unfairly, at least in his opinion, to a beastman with a lion's head, a rippling muscles and wicked sharp claws. Real ones, unlike the ones he himself used in the pit. And the beast pummeled him, tossed him around like a ragdoll and left him a bloody pulp, finishing him, with it's claws resting against his throat.
"Kill, kill, kill." the voices of the crowd roared, so easily had they forgotten their champion. "Kill, kill, kill." the voices in his head droned, increasing in volume, until they droned out everything else. And he closed his eyes, preparing to die.
"You have been trained as a weapon." a strong voice in his head said, as suddenly the voices went quiet, but were filled with anticipation, "Become my weapon and I shall give you a purpose. Become my weapon and you shall never have to kill for anyone's entertainment again."
And the beaten, dying, bloodied young man on the ground nodded, barely perceptible and he felt a rush of power flowing into him, his muscles strengthening, his breath nearly stopping and his skin chilling and within the blink of an eye, in front of the shocked crowd, the warrior turned the fight around, having gained a new life, flaring in the full glory of Oblivion, his caste mark bleeding on his head, taking out the beastman with grace and speed, with sheer brutality and greater skill. Snapping it's arm as it drove it's own claws straight into it's throat.
And he had become a Deathknight. A chosen of Oblivion. A warrior. A servant to the First and Forsaken Lion
His Liege, the First and Forsaken Lion sent the young man to train with the best of his ghost, to hone him and train him further to be a weapon. But even though his purpose was clear and the First and Forsaken did not screw over his end of the deal, the voices from the Neverborn's nightmares, as he now knew what they were, still annoyed him incredibly.
To find a balance between honoring his agreement with the Deathlord, the voices of the Neverborn and his own ethics, he adopted his own view of things and this is were the problems started. Even though his loyalty wasn't in question. He refused to slay the harmless, not because he couldn't, but because it was just not right. There was no honor in that. On the other hand killing a soldier, even sneaking up to them from behind and slitting their throats. Or attacking when they slept. Those things were perfectly alright. It's a warrior's duty to be on guard at all times, and if a foe takes advantage of that, then it's their loss. There is no dishonor in that.
Another disappointment that his Masters had with the young man was that he was not inclined to learn the finer arts of his caste. It's not that he didn't try, he just wasn't good at them. His focus lay much more on being the weapon that he was trained to be.
And so, when the request from the Neverborn's pet came, his Liege send his weapon for he had no direct need of those services, requiring generals, recruiters and diplomats. And his adventures would do well to hone his skill until the time the First and Forsaken would move against Creation.
Name: Cestus (for he considers himself the First and Forsaken's mailed fist, at least for those things that need to be done up close and personal)
Concept: Weapon of the First and Forsaken Lion
Motivation: To make those f***ing voices in his head finally shut up.
Caste: Dusk
Intimacies: First and Forsaken Lion (Loyalty)
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2, Temperance 3, Valor 3
Abilities: Archery 2, Martial Arts 5, Melee 4, Thrown 4, War 1, Integrity 1, Performance 1, Presence 1, Resistance 1, Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Dodge 5, Stealth 3, Linguistics 1 (Firetongue, Riverspeak), Lore 1, Socialize 1
Backgrounds: Artifact 2 (Decay (Soulsteel Hearthstone Bracers)), Artifact 2 (Dread and Fear (Soulsteel Razorclaws)), Liege 2, Whispers 3
Charms:
Excellencies: First Martial Arts Excellency, Ravening Mouth of Martial Arts
Athletics: Raition's Nimble Perch, Crouching Gargoyle Stance
Dodge: Flitting Shadow Form, Foe-Shaming Defense
Martial Arts: Ravaging Blow, Foe-Blinding Jab, Dead-Man's Grasp, Inescapable Iron Grip, Dark-Messiah Form, Rapacious Lamprey Technique, Owl Seizes Mouse
Stealth: Shadow Cloak Technique
Thrown: Improvised Assassin Trick
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 10, Damage 3B, Defense -, Rate 1 (Piercing)
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Defense 4, Rate 2
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 3B, Defense 6, Rate 3
Dread and Fear: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 8L, Defense 6, Rate 3
Soak: 1L/3B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 6
Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 12 Peripheral Essence: 26 (36)
Committed Essence: 10
Other Notes:
Decay reduces the soak of his targets by 2 to a minimum of 1
Dread and Fear if they damage steal his Essence in motes.
Melee 3->4 1fb
Thrown 3->4 1fb
Martial Arts 3->5 2fb
Dodge 3->5 2fb
Essence 2->3 7fb
Liege 1->2 1fb
Whispers 2->3 1fb
Lore 0->1 3xp
Socialize 0->1 3xp
Athletics 2->3 3xp
Charms: Ravening Mouth of Martial Arts, Owl Seizes Mouse, Crouching Gargoyle, Improvised Assassin Trick, Foe-Shaming Defense. 40xp
Left: 1xp
The roar of the crowd was intoxicating. It was his first fight in the ring, and his trainers were looking proud as he held his opponent in a proper headlock. He looked up at the organizers of the fight as he was supposed to.
And the crowd kept droning: "Kill, kill, kill." The sixteen years old agile young fighter had his first win in the pit. And the power he felt, the thrill he felt was nearly intoxicating, but the droning of the crowd really annoyed him and he glared at them, only just noticing the thumb of the organizer going down. A quick twist with his arms, followed by a loud snap as his opponent's neck broke, then followed by a silence from the crowd and yet he could still hear them drone in his head. And they the crowd cheered, and he felt satisfaction in his head, even though the crowd still droned, and it was not his own. As he felt disgusted.
Days after the fight he still heard the droning in his head an endless murmur of voices constantly murmuring "Kill, kill, kill." . Several fights, several deaths later, each putting that sense of satisfaction in his head that wasn't his own, he had grown disgusted by the teeming masses of Gem that came to look at his fights.
These men he fought, they were warriors and while each of them was prepared for death, they didn't deserve it as part of amusement to the crowd. That sense of satisfaction it was driving him nuts, because it wasn't his own. He felt the loss, though never remorse, of another honorable man. Another warrior.
And even outside the ring, the voices of the crowd just kept roaring in his head.
Twelve fights. Twelve wins. Twelve deaths. And then he was paired of unfairly, at least in his opinion, to a beastman with a lion's head, a rippling muscles and wicked sharp claws. Real ones, unlike the ones he himself used in the pit. And the beast pummeled him, tossed him around like a ragdoll and left him a bloody pulp, finishing him, with it's claws resting against his throat.
"Kill, kill, kill." the voices of the crowd roared, so easily had they forgotten their champion. "Kill, kill, kill." the voices in his head droned, increasing in volume, until they droned out everything else. And he closed his eyes, preparing to die.
"You have been trained as a weapon." a strong voice in his head said, as suddenly the voices went quiet, but were filled with anticipation, "Become my weapon and I shall give you a purpose. Become my weapon and you shall never have to kill for anyone's entertainment again."
And the beaten, dying, bloodied young man on the ground nodded, barely perceptible and he felt a rush of power flowing into him, his muscles strengthening, his breath nearly stopping and his skin chilling and within the blink of an eye, in front of the shocked crowd, the warrior turned the fight around, having gained a new life, flaring in the full glory of Oblivion, his caste mark bleeding on his head, taking out the beastman with grace and speed, with sheer brutality and greater skill. Snapping it's arm as it drove it's own claws straight into it's throat.
And he had become a Deathknight. A chosen of Oblivion. A warrior. A servant to the First and Forsaken Lion
His Liege, the First and Forsaken Lion sent the young man to train with the best of his ghost, to hone him and train him further to be a weapon. But even though his purpose was clear and the First and Forsaken did not screw over his end of the deal, the voices from the Neverborn's nightmares, as he now knew what they were, still annoyed him incredibly.
To find a balance between honoring his agreement with the Deathlord, the voices of the Neverborn and his own ethics, he adopted his own view of things and this is were the problems started. Even though his loyalty wasn't in question. He refused to slay the harmless, not because he couldn't, but because it was just not right. There was no honor in that. On the other hand killing a soldier, even sneaking up to them from behind and slitting their throats. Or attacking when they slept. Those things were perfectly alright. It's a warrior's duty to be on guard at all times, and if a foe takes advantage of that, then it's their loss. There is no dishonor in that.
Another disappointment that his Masters had with the young man was that he was not inclined to learn the finer arts of his caste. It's not that he didn't try, he just wasn't good at them. His focus lay much more on being the weapon that he was trained to be.
And so, when the request from the Neverborn's pet came, his Liege send his weapon for he had no direct need of those services, requiring generals, recruiters and diplomats. And his adventures would do well to hone his skill until the time the First and Forsaken would move against Creation.
Name: Cestus (for he considers himself the First and Forsaken's mailed fist, at least for those things that need to be done up close and personal)
Concept: Weapon of the First and Forsaken Lion
Motivation: To make those f***ing voices in his head finally shut up.
Caste: Dusk
Intimacies: First and Forsaken Lion (Loyalty)
Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4
Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2, Temperance 3, Valor 3
Abilities: Archery 2, Martial Arts 5, Melee 4, Thrown 4, War 1, Integrity 1, Performance 1, Presence 1, Resistance 1, Athletics 3, Awareness 3, Dodge 5, Stealth 3, Linguistics 1 (Firetongue, Riverspeak), Lore 1, Socialize 1
Backgrounds: Artifact 2 (Decay (Soulsteel Hearthstone Bracers)), Artifact 2 (Dread and Fear (Soulsteel Razorclaws)), Liege 2, Whispers 3
Charms:
Excellencies: First Martial Arts Excellency, Ravening Mouth of Martial Arts
Athletics: Raition's Nimble Perch, Crouching Gargoyle Stance
Dodge: Flitting Shadow Form, Foe-Shaming Defense
Martial Arts: Ravaging Blow, Foe-Blinding Jab, Dead-Man's Grasp, Inescapable Iron Grip, Dark-Messiah Form, Rapacious Lamprey Technique, Owl Seizes Mouse
Stealth: Shadow Cloak Technique
Thrown: Improvised Assassin Trick
Join Battle: 7
Attacks:
Clinch: Speed 6, Accuracy 10, Damage 3B, Defense -, Rate 1 (Piercing)
Kick: Speed 5, Accuracy 10, Damage 6B, Defense 4, Rate 2
Punch: Speed 5, Accuracy 11, Damage 3B, Defense 6, Rate 3
Dread and Fear: Speed 5, Accuracy 16, Damage 8L, Defense 6, Rate 3
Soak: 1L/3B
Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incap
Dodge DV: 8 Willpower: 6
Essence: 3
Personal Essence: 12 Peripheral Essence: 26 (36)
Committed Essence: 10
Other Notes:
Decay reduces the soak of his targets by 2 to a minimum of 1
Dread and Fear if they damage steal his Essence in motes.
Melee 3->4 1fb
Thrown 3->4 1fb
Martial Arts 3->5 2fb
Dodge 3->5 2fb
Essence 2->3 7fb
Liege 1->2 1fb
Whispers 2->3 1fb
Lore 0->1 3xp
Socialize 0->1 3xp
Athletics 2->3 3xp
Charms: Ravening Mouth of Martial Arts, Owl Seizes Mouse, Crouching Gargoyle, Improvised Assassin Trick, Foe-Shaming Defense. 40xp
Left: 1xp
TherealBrickwall
One Thousand Club
Wow. Usually my Exalted games tend to accrue one or two melons among the posts, but everyone's stuff has been really great thus far.
Anyway, please make sure to have all materials related to one character in one post. You may make multiple posts, but also edit the post you want to have as your character's main post. It will make my life many times easier if I have to pick and choose, and will also increase your chances should that be the case.
Anyway, please make sure to have all materials related to one character in one post. You may make multiple posts, but also edit the post you want to have as your character's main post. It will make my life many times easier if I have to pick and choose, and will also increase your chances should that be the case.
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
Name: Withering Spider of One-Hundred Silent Nights
Concept: Conflicted sniper
Motivation: Destroy the Walker in Darkness
Caste: Day
Anima: Shards of black essence writhing and lashing at the surrounding
Liege: The Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water
Flawed Virtue: Convinction
Intimacies:
+Peasants (protect)
+Guerrilla (romantic view of the weak fighting impossible odds)
+Simple country life (longing)
-Gods and Exalted (toying with mortals)
-The Undead (as 'innatural' creatures)
Concept: Conflicted sniper
Motivation: Destroy the Walker in Darkness
Caste: Day
Anima: Shards of black essence writhing and lashing at the surrounding
Liege: The Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water
Flawed Virtue: Convinction
Intimacies:
+Peasants (protect)
+Guerrilla (romantic view of the weak fighting impossible odds)
+Simple country life (longing)
-Gods and Exalted (toying with mortals)
-The Undead (as 'innatural' creatures)
Strength ooo
Dexterity ooooo
Stamina oo
Charisma o
Manipulation ooo
Appearance ooo
Perception ooooo
Intelligence oo
Wits ooooo
F Archery ooooo (2BP)
Martial Arts
Melee
Thrown
War ooo
F Integrity ooo
Performance
Presence
F Resistance ooo
F Survival o
Craft
Investigation
F Lore o
Medicine
Occult
F Athletics ooooo (2BP)
F Awareness ooooo (2BP)
F Dodge ooooo (2BP)
F Larceny o
F Stealth ooooo (2BP)
Burocracy
Linguistics o
Ride
Sail
Socialize
Compassion o
Convinction oooo
Temperance ooo
Valor o
Willpower ooooo oooo
Essence ooo
Manse oooo Twice-striking Lightning Prism (Oadenol p88)
Artifact oo Jade Bracers
Whispers o
Liege o
Cult o Refugees of the Walker's invasion.
Archery II 2x
-RaveningMouthOfArchery 3 p123
PulseOfThePrey 3/5 p123m187
-PiercingGhostBarb 6W p123 ignore cover, armor, armed parry
SplinterOfTheVoid (BTA) 2 p125 +Essence to damage, -1 DV OR +2 post soak dam
-RelicArrowMethod (1) p126m189
--ExquisiteRelicBow 5W p126m189
SuperiorSightFocus 3 p167m225 +2 suxx to Sight Awareness
FlittingShadowForm 1 p169m227 Restores Dodge DV (Upgraded per GotMH)
-FlickeringWispTechnique 3 p169m227 Perfect Dodge, move Essence m, Conv Flaw
RaitonSNimblePerch 3 p222 Graceful crane stance
CrouchingGargoyleStance 4 p225 Spider-foot style, !!inverted sourfaces!!
Stealth II 2x
2 XP on charm upgrades
8 XP on attributes
24 XP on charms
16 XP on Essence
The stubby candle barely lits the old leathers that cover the inside of the hut.
A sad, young girl, dirty and dressed in rugs, plunges a stick in the remains of a burnt chicken, scrambling the ashes.
Her mother, hidden away from the glow of the candles, instructs her patiently.
The girl looks again at the chicken.
"I'm hungry."
"It is difficult, my dear. We are all hungry.
But let your hunger be for revenge.
Let your thirst be for the blood of our enemies.
Without our land, we are nothing."
The girl looks upon the mother, her face in a grimace of hopelessness.
"I miss them, mother."
The mother leads gently the neck of her daughter to her breast.
"Your father and your brothers... As he fights our enemies, their spirit still lives in Him.
He fights for His people, for us, for our beloved land."
A sudden gush of wind enters the hut and chokes the candles.
As the God accepts the offer, darkness and silence embrace the small hut.
Manse oooo: The Agathean Library
(somewhere along the River of Tears)
The reclusive First Age Zenith Caste Agathea built the Manse in the middle of a the caldera of an extinguished volcano, where no Gods nor Exalts could bother her.
With Agathea's death during the Usurpation, the Manse stood lost for millennia, and contains intact and inestimable information about the First Age.
The No Moon Lunar Moon-Howling Wisdom located it after years of research, but was ambushed and murdered by the current Heartstone bearer, the Abyssal known as Withering Spider of One-Hundred Silent Nights, that claimed it on instruction of his patron Deathlord the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water.
The Abyssal has no clue of the Manse's real value and leaves the library to the attention of his Deathlord.
Manse oooo: Twice-striking Lightning Prism
8 points:
-4 Outside Fate (Oadenol, p76)
-4 Archive x2 (Oadenol, p68)
[Note: Every item refers to the First Age]
Craft: Cousine
Craft: Compendia of Origami
Linguistics: Agathea's Collection of Children Stories
Linguistics: Agathea's Love Poetry
Lore: Cartography of Creation
Lore: Flora of the East
Lore: Flora of the West
Lore: Review of Main Military Campaigns
MA: Philosophy of First Age Martial Arts Styles
MA: Scrolls of Crane Style and Crystal Chameleon Style
Medicine: Genesis: invertebrates and relevant Wyld protobiomes
Occult: Historical Reconstruction of the development of Sorcerous Theory
Occult: Chromatic Essence Theory
Performance: Prayers to Mela
Performance: Musical Theory
War: Fairfolk Warfare
The Relic Within
Cost: -
Mins: Archery 5, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Avatar (1), Mirror (Sudden Ray of Light)
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Doom Drawn and Imminent, Exquisite Relic Bow
The Charm permanently upgrades Exquisite Relic Bow, making it Reflexive.
It also allows Doom Drawn and Imminent and Exquisite Relic Bow to be invoked together as part of the same action without the need of a Combo.
"So... This is Death?"
The black spirit looks around confused, surrounded by nothingness.
The elegant man stares at him, then laughs.
"Why... Yes! We can definitely say so.
It looks like you failed."
"I... Who are you?"
With a smile, the elegant man comes closer, hands together and winking to the Spirit in some sort of conniving, friendly way.
"I like to have many names... But you can call me Silver Prince.
I am a Deathlord!"
The last sentence, uttered in a happy and almost childish voice, falls like a mountain on the black spirit.
It takes several seconds for him to answer.
"Well, what can I say? I'm glad I made it difficult for you bastards!"
The Prince smiles amused, but raises his palms, mocking an apology.
"Ahah! No! Things are not always that simple... But wow! I do love your attitude!
You see, sometimes my plans and those of my peers have... ehm.. interesting overlaps.
Most of the times such despicable misunderstandings can be addressed as proper for civilized adults, but some other times less... urban means are the way. But I digress... Please, do come here!"
Suddenly far apart from the black spirit, the Prince stands in front of a black pool.
As the Spirit closes in, the pool whirls slowly, eerie voices call him.
He stares in the void.
"Is this my life? Is this real?"
"Here, I decide what is real, but this is irrelevant.... Hey, look, this is you ambushing a fang... Bwahahah! Straight on the officer!
Hay, you are an outclass!
Where did you even find the crossbow?"
"Meh... On the battlefield, from a dead Lookshian soldier.
We were peasants, I have never been trained with weapons... Crossbow's easy."
"I recognize talent when I see it, Hay, and you do have talent."
"..."
"My dearest friend, you killed two-hundreds-forty-six soldiers.
And a Terrestrial Exalt!"
"So what? I'm dead and my city has been burnt to ashes!"
"And if you were alive, what would change?"
The Spirit stands in silence for a while, before speaking.
"I grew up there. I never left once in my life, never went farther than a couple of miles.
That city, those fields, were my life.
I have nothing else to do but destroy those who broke my life forever."
"I understand.
Well, I was wondering... I can offer you a deal, you seem exactly the type of guy I need.
I must tell you, it will cost you a lot... And for a starter, it will cost your name..."
The Deathknight and the Necromancers finally reach the sniper as he drowns in his own blood.
"We should raise him as a warghost or something... I must acknowledge that this fellow gave us quite a trouble."
Then, suddenly, pure black swallows the fading light of the day.
Twitching in dark essence, the dying man rises, shards of the Void assemble around his arm in a metallic contraption that seems to push away the light nearby as he aims it against the Deathknight.
"Oh my, this is mostly inconvenient!"
"You have no idea..."
Dexterity ooooo
Stamina oo
Charisma o
Manipulation ooo
Appearance ooo
Perception ooooo
Intelligence oo
Wits ooooo
Code:
F Archery ooooo (2BP)
Martial Arts
Melee
Thrown
War ooo
F Integrity ooo
Performance
Presence
F Resistance ooo
F Survival o
Craft
Investigation
F Lore o
Medicine
Occult
F Athletics ooooo (2BP)
F Awareness ooooo (2BP)
F Dodge ooooo (2BP)
F Larceny o
F Stealth ooooo (2BP)
Burocracy
Linguistics o
Ride
Sail
Socialize
Code:
Compassion o
Convinction oooo
Temperance ooo
Valor o
Willpower ooooo oooo
Essence ooo
Code:
Manse oooo Twice-striking Lightning Prism (Oadenol p88)
Artifact oo Jade Bracers
Whispers o
Liege o
Cult o Refugees of the Walker's invasion.
Code:
Archery II 2x
-RaveningMouthOfArchery 3 p123
PulseOfThePrey 3/5 p123m187
-PiercingGhostBarb 6W p123 ignore cover, armor, armed parry
SplinterOfTheVoid (BTA) 2 p125 +Essence to damage, -1 DV OR +2 post soak dam
-RelicArrowMethod (1) p126m189
--ExquisiteRelicBow 5W p126m189
SuperiorSightFocus 3 p167m225 +2 suxx to Sight Awareness
FlittingShadowForm 1 p169m227 Restores Dodge DV (Upgraded per GotMH)
-FlickeringWispTechnique 3 p169m227 Perfect Dodge, move Essence m, Conv Flaw
RaitonSNimblePerch 3 p222 Graceful crane stance
CrouchingGargoyleStance 4 p225 Spider-foot style, !!inverted sourfaces!!
Stealth II 2x
Code:
2 XP on charm upgrades
8 XP on attributes
24 XP on charms
16 XP on Essence
The stubby candle barely lits the old leathers that cover the inside of the hut.
A sad, young girl, dirty and dressed in rugs, plunges a stick in the remains of a burnt chicken, scrambling the ashes.
Her mother, hidden away from the glow of the candles, instructs her patiently.
The girl looks again at the chicken.
"I'm hungry."
"It is difficult, my dear. We are all hungry.
But let your hunger be for revenge.
Let your thirst be for the blood of our enemies.
Without our land, we are nothing."
The girl looks upon the mother, her face in a grimace of hopelessness.
"I miss them, mother."
The mother leads gently the neck of her daughter to her breast.
"Your father and your brothers... As he fights our enemies, their spirit still lives in Him.
He fights for His people, for us, for our beloved land."
A sudden gush of wind enters the hut and chokes the candles.
As the God accepts the offer, darkness and silence embrace the small hut.
Manse oooo: The Agathean Library
(somewhere along the River of Tears)
The reclusive First Age Zenith Caste Agathea built the Manse in the middle of a the caldera of an extinguished volcano, where no Gods nor Exalts could bother her.
With Agathea's death during the Usurpation, the Manse stood lost for millennia, and contains intact and inestimable information about the First Age.
The No Moon Lunar Moon-Howling Wisdom located it after years of research, but was ambushed and murdered by the current Heartstone bearer, the Abyssal known as Withering Spider of One-Hundred Silent Nights, that claimed it on instruction of his patron Deathlord the Bodhisattva Anointed by Dark Water.
The Abyssal has no clue of the Manse's real value and leaves the library to the attention of his Deathlord.
Manse oooo: Twice-striking Lightning Prism
8 points:
-4 Outside Fate (Oadenol, p76)
-4 Archive x2 (Oadenol, p68)
[Note: Every item refers to the First Age]
Craft: Cousine
Craft: Compendia of Origami
Linguistics: Agathea's Collection of Children Stories
Linguistics: Agathea's Love Poetry
Lore: Cartography of Creation
Lore: Flora of the East
Lore: Flora of the West
Lore: Review of Main Military Campaigns
MA: Philosophy of First Age Martial Arts Styles
MA: Scrolls of Crane Style and Crystal Chameleon Style
Medicine: Genesis: invertebrates and relevant Wyld protobiomes
Occult: Historical Reconstruction of the development of Sorcerous Theory
Occult: Chromatic Essence Theory
Performance: Prayers to Mela
Performance: Musical Theory
War: Fairfolk Warfare
The Relic Within
Cost: -
Mins: Archery 5, Essence 3
Type: Permanent
Keywords: Avatar (1), Mirror (Sudden Ray of Light)
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Doom Drawn and Imminent, Exquisite Relic Bow
The Charm permanently upgrades Exquisite Relic Bow, making it Reflexive.
It also allows Doom Drawn and Imminent and Exquisite Relic Bow to be invoked together as part of the same action without the need of a Combo.
"So... This is Death?"
The black spirit looks around confused, surrounded by nothingness.
The elegant man stares at him, then laughs.
"Why... Yes! We can definitely say so.
It looks like you failed."
"I... Who are you?"
With a smile, the elegant man comes closer, hands together and winking to the Spirit in some sort of conniving, friendly way.
"I like to have many names... But you can call me Silver Prince.
I am a Deathlord!"
The last sentence, uttered in a happy and almost childish voice, falls like a mountain on the black spirit.
It takes several seconds for him to answer.
"Well, what can I say? I'm glad I made it difficult for you bastards!"
The Prince smiles amused, but raises his palms, mocking an apology.
"Ahah! No! Things are not always that simple... But wow! I do love your attitude!
You see, sometimes my plans and those of my peers have... ehm.. interesting overlaps.
Most of the times such despicable misunderstandings can be addressed as proper for civilized adults, but some other times less... urban means are the way. But I digress... Please, do come here!"
Suddenly far apart from the black spirit, the Prince stands in front of a black pool.
As the Spirit closes in, the pool whirls slowly, eerie voices call him.
He stares in the void.
"Is this my life? Is this real?"
"Here, I decide what is real, but this is irrelevant.... Hey, look, this is you ambushing a fang... Bwahahah! Straight on the officer!
Hay, you are an outclass!
Where did you even find the crossbow?"
"Meh... On the battlefield, from a dead Lookshian soldier.
We were peasants, I have never been trained with weapons... Crossbow's easy."
"I recognize talent when I see it, Hay, and you do have talent."
"..."
"My dearest friend, you killed two-hundreds-forty-six soldiers.
And a Terrestrial Exalt!"
"So what? I'm dead and my city has been burnt to ashes!"
"And if you were alive, what would change?"
The Spirit stands in silence for a while, before speaking.
"I grew up there. I never left once in my life, never went farther than a couple of miles.
That city, those fields, were my life.
I have nothing else to do but destroy those who broke my life forever."
"I understand.
Well, I was wondering... I can offer you a deal, you seem exactly the type of guy I need.
I must tell you, it will cost you a lot... And for a starter, it will cost your name..."
The Deathknight and the Necromancers finally reach the sniper as he drowns in his own blood.
"We should raise him as a warghost or something... I must acknowledge that this fellow gave us quite a trouble."
Then, suddenly, pure black swallows the fading light of the day.
Twitching in dark essence, the dying man rises, shards of the Void assemble around his arm in a metallic contraption that seems to push away the light nearby as he aims it against the Deathknight.
"Oh my, this is mostly inconvenient!"
"You have no idea..."
d1ng0d0g
Member
For some reason I decided to write out the character that's floating in my head. Just going step by step to give an impression. What I have in mind is actually an experience points sink, but still ... and he'll have several kinda redundant charms. But I think that's part of being dusk.
cyl
Creepy smile
Quick question: is it ok to take both sorcery and necromancy ?
Necromancy is the best weapon against ghosts and fair folk, while sorcery works marvels against sorcerers and demons, and obviously for a witcher based character... I would need to go in both directions to be efficient as a spirit / monster hunter.
Yes I know, for a dusk it is a pretty strange choice, but not if you consider taking away the competitors (stealing ancestors worship), straightening ghosts and underworld creatures, killing demons and cultists, and by doing so rallying new believers that being a member of the undead club is awesomely cool 8)
Also I intend to make the Dusk a bit more interesting, along the lines of something like that:
"The Neverborn saw raw hatred in me, and thought it would make me a servant of the Void... but there were mistaking... I do have hatred in me, I hate evil ! I let myself be stained by evil so I could take on more of it; now, demons, foul spirits, ghosts, and tyrants are no longer a match for me.
Mortals fear the dark, but I've become something else, something darker, hiding and moving between the shadows, hunting those who lurk there and prey on the fearful, and I wage war on both sides of the mirror.
Once I'm done with everything else and am powerful enough, I'll take the Neverborn and their servants and push them into the Blackness myself !"
Of course this guy is not likely to have a lot in Liege and will be more independent and less loyal to his Deathlord which is probably why he was sent to the Circle, he's expendable !
The other concept will be much more villainous and a bit more classic but still interesting to play.
Can I assume we will be transposing this awesome larceny charms working around the criminal world back in 1e ? This charm was just THE most useful & coolest charm the whole Larceny tree had for a criminal, but they got rid of it in 2e preferring to keep only the disguise and thief charms. And since my concept revolves around being an evil crime boss... I kinda need it :mrgreen:
Necromancy is the best weapon against ghosts and fair folk, while sorcery works marvels against sorcerers and demons, and obviously for a witcher based character... I would need to go in both directions to be efficient as a spirit / monster hunter.
Yes I know, for a dusk it is a pretty strange choice, but not if you consider taking away the competitors (stealing ancestors worship), straightening ghosts and underworld creatures, killing demons and cultists, and by doing so rallying new believers that being a member of the undead club is awesomely cool 8)
Also I intend to make the Dusk a bit more interesting, along the lines of something like that:
"The Neverborn saw raw hatred in me, and thought it would make me a servant of the Void... but there were mistaking... I do have hatred in me, I hate evil ! I let myself be stained by evil so I could take on more of it; now, demons, foul spirits, ghosts, and tyrants are no longer a match for me.
Mortals fear the dark, but I've become something else, something darker, hiding and moving between the shadows, hunting those who lurk there and prey on the fearful, and I wage war on both sides of the mirror.
Once I'm done with everything else and am powerful enough, I'll take the Neverborn and their servants and push them into the Blackness myself !"
Of course this guy is not likely to have a lot in Liege and will be more independent and less loyal to his Deathlord which is probably why he was sent to the Circle, he's expendable !
The other concept will be much more villainous and a bit more classic but still interesting to play.
Can I assume we will be transposing this awesome larceny charms working around the criminal world back in 1e ? This charm was just THE most useful & coolest charm the whole Larceny tree had for a criminal, but they got rid of it in 2e preferring to keep only the disguise and thief charms. And since my concept revolves around being an evil crime boss... I kinda need it :mrgreen:
TherealBrickwall
One Thousand Club
There is no reason for me to disallow taking Sorcery and Necromancy. But you should probably tell me your sacrifices if you're going that far.
As I said, custom stuff may be requested. If there's a Charm, Artifact, or something-or-other you want, just let me know. I'll try my best to work with you.
And remember, if you have two character ideas, you're allowed to submit both. I am pretty sure I said that in the introductory post.
As I said, custom stuff may be requested. If there's a Charm, Artifact, or something-or-other you want, just let me know. I'll try my best to work with you.
And remember, if you have two character ideas, you're allowed to submit both. I am pretty sure I said that in the introductory post.
MorkaisChosen
One Thousand Club
Right, this'll do as my main post.
Name: The Threefold Ebon Magister
Caste: Daybreak
Motivation: Bring order to Great Forks (yes, that probably involves killing everyone and making them come back as happy ghostly citizens).
Anima Banner: The Magister's anima forms a flickering purple shroud around him, and a nine-pointed black crown-shape forms above his head.
Concept: Dread lord of Death and the dead
Strength: oo
Dexterity: ooooo
Stamina: oo
Charisma: ooo
Manipulation: oo
Appearance: oo
Perception: oooo
Intelligence: oooo
Wits: ooo
Caste Abilities:
Craft (Fire): o
Investigation: ooo
Lore: ooooo (First Age +1)
Medicine:
Occult: ooooo (Ghosts +1)
Favoured Abilities:
Melee: ooooo (Reaper Daiklave +1)
Presence: ooooo (Intimidation +1)
Awareness: oo
Resistance: oo
Integrity: oo
War: ooo
Socialise: oo
Dodge: ooo
Linguistics: o (Native: Rivertongue; Others: Old Realm)
Athletics: o
Backgrounds:
Liege: oo (The Walker in Darkness appreciates the Threefold Ebon Magister's skill and loyalty, but his vocal displeasure at what he perceives as the waste of his talents means he is not as trusted as the Walker's more reliable servants.)
Artefact: oo (Prophecy of Stasis, the Magister's Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave.)
Manse: oooo (Ice Gem. The Library of Ivory and Skin is situated in the mountains west of Great Forks, in a small Shadowland. The Walker prefers that the Magister stay there in isolation when engaged in research.)
Charms:
2nd Melee Excellency
Elegant Flowing Deflection
Vengeful Riposte
Blade-Summoning Gesture
1st Presence Excellency
2nd Occult Excellency
Spirit-Hardened Frame
Black Glyph Mutilation (Avatar keyword removed by ST statement)
2nd Investigation Excellency
Deception-Piercing Stare
Adept Degree of Geomancy
Shadowlands Circle Necromancy Initiation
Summon Ghost
Blood Mirror Speech
Gathering a Ghost's Strings
Essence: ooo
Willpower: ooooooo
Personal: 16/16
Peripheral: 33/38
Virtues:
Compassion: o
Conviction: oooo
Temperance: oo
Valour: ooo
Prophecy of Stasis, Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave
Speed: 4 Accuracy: +6 (17) Damage: +4L (6L) Defense: +1 (DV6) Rate: 3
Dodge DV: 6
Dodge MDV: 6
Parry MDV: 4 (Charisma+Presence)
Soak: 1L/2B
Intimacies: Shining Star (Betrayed love, tinged with bitterness)
The Walker in Darkness (Resentful Loyalty)
Disorder (Detestation)
Threefold Ebon Magister
Born in Great Forks, the Scavenger Lands’ premier seat of learning, the child Laren Janth took to his elucidated environs like a fish to water. He was an extremely gifted youngster- he learned fast whatever he set his mind to. Even from a young age, he was far more serious than the other children, and though he played as much as his peers, he was nearly always alone, his natural magnetism used to keep others away, rather than draw them to him- seeming to want a great deal more order and regularity than the natural chaos of the average child. This desire, along with his quiet lust for knowledge, would become one of the major driving forces in his life.
So he grew and developed, his parents doting on him and immensely proud of their son- he almost invariably picked up the knowledge that percolates down to children of Great Forks’ academics, and was a fount of (somewhat disjointed, but nevertheless impressive) facts and formulae his parents mentioned to him.
That was not his only skill, however. His childish play- which seemed, when his parents paid close attention to it, to be far more consistently imagined than the average child’s- had given way to adolescent practice, and he showed enough natural talent with a short blade that his parents decided to have him properly trained as a swordsman. At the back of their minds, they knew their child would go on to great things, and this opened up a new opportunity; the combination of scholastic insight with the ability to defend oneself would allow one interested in the past to find a great deal in the relics of the First Age, and perhaps their son could be a part of that. And Laren Janth’s skill grew.
Indeed, that seemed to be the path he was taking. Laren learnt geomancy from his mother, and his skill with the flows of Essence secured him a place with Verle Dax, an experienced explorer of the remains of the lost Age. Verle was notable for the time he had spent in his line of work- though rarely bringing back as great a trove as some of his fellows, he had a caution and reliability that kept him and his small group alive when others would overextend themselves and pay the price. Thjis cautious reliability suited Laren well, and as well as the knowledge gleaned from their expeditions- all of which Laren tried to learn, whether it be details of life in the First Age or an ancient manual of military strategy- his life with Verle helped him in subtle ways. Not least among these was his slow acceptance that the world wasn’t quite as logical and precise as he would hope, and while still a creature of routine, Laren gained more tolerance to unexpected changes in his life.
This was not the only important lesson Laren learnt, however. Another of Verle’s followers was a woman of about Laren’s age named Shining Star. She wasn't quite the average Scavenger Lands citizen- born of nomadic stock, originally from the South, though they had travelled in the Scavenger Lands for several generations. Star was a revelation to Laren- her cheerfulness contrasted sharply with his serious demeanour, yet in her optimism was a desire for, and belief in, an order that matched Laren’s.
Over a few months, this common feeling became clear to the two of them and, both being young and charismatic in their own way- Star’s brightness, Laren’s gravitas- the inescapable currents of life formed between them a strong bond. Rather than distracting them from their dangerous occupation, however, it drew them into a perfect accord- they could rely on each other, a harmonious match that allowed them to keep alert for any sign of danger.
The agreeable order of Laren’s life disappeared along with Shining Star when, one morning, the group awoke to find her gone. There was no indication of why or how.
The loss of such an important part of the stability in Laren’s life threw him into a deep depression. It seemed clear that the order he had always looked for in his life could never last- Creation was simply too unreliable, people too flighty, to give him what he needed. His efficacy as a part of the group plummeted- more than a few injuries, and even some deaths, were a direct result of his failure to spot some threat that should have been obvious to him. With a heavy heart, knowing what this would do to a man who had been an excellent archaeologist, Verle Dax was forced to tell Laren, in no uncertain terms, that he was no longer a part of his band.
Laren’s wish for regularity in his life then proved his undoing. The morning after he was cut off from Dax’s party, he took himself- alone- to an old manse, the Seat of Iron Fangs, that had claimed the lives of a few enterprising local scavengers. He simply couldn’t conceive of suddenly ceasing what had been his work for what seemed such a long time. Laren Janth became the latest victim of the traps left by the Seat’s long-dead designer.
Yet there had been a presence watching Laren for some time. Such a gifted scholar, with a drive to discovery, an intimate knowledge of Great Forks, and a deep dissatisfaction with the world, seemed to the servants of the Walker in Darkness to be a perfect addition to his ranks of Deathknights. Given the choice to reject his name and his life and help bring the world into the perfect, serene order of the Underworld and the Void, Laren Janth accepted and became the Walker’s newest Daybreak Caste Abyssal.
The new Child of Bone’s indoctrination was commendably fast- his voracious intellect quickly assimilated the lessons he was taught, and the black creed of the Neverborn was a welcome bulwark to give him the solidity he craved. So was the white-haired young man taken to the tomb-body of his Neverborn master and left in silent communion with the dead Primordial.
The Abyssal who emerged declared to the Underworld that he was the Threefold Ebon Magister.
The Magister’s training continued at a similar pace, rapidly assimilating the basics of Essence-channeling, and continued into the advanced knowledge the Walker in darkness considers necessary for his Daybreaks- in this case, a more rounded knowledge of history, geography and magic, as well as the natures of spirits, ghosts and the Fae- and initiation into Necromancy.
Melancholy he had seen already, and this lesson he was forced to learn well; left in a darkened cell for several weeks with only the ghost of one of his fellow scavengers- one whose death he had failed to prevent- for company. Every day was the same; waking to the whispers of the hateful bound ghost, who was forced simply to repeat minor details of their shared life- and his death. Melancholy, stasis and memory twined together in the Magister’s head until the turmoil in his mind broke into a cold, lucid logic. There was a way out, and the terror in the ghost as it saw the Magister’s flash of insight and felt itself powerless to resist him served as the fourth Ordeal.
The blackness of the Abyss was deep within the Threefold Ebon Magister by now, and yet he still held a quiet flame of compassion for his fellow beings. The total destruction of the ghost of his old comrade was only the start in tearing it down; but now his fifth trial began. Every day, he would see innocents suffering before him at the hands of nephwracks or deathknights. Every day, he would be forced to watch and do nothing. And slowly, he found the part of himself that cried out to help them decaying away to nothing.
As a necromancer, the Threefold Ebon Magister was able to bring several avenues of research into ancient and unknown secrets to bear for his master; he seemed a perfect tool. Yet he was dissatisfied. He had given himself heart and soul to the cause of Oblivion, yet the Walker in Darkness was too blind to see his full potential. This dissatisfaction only grew after he was elevated to his knighthood; his swift, terrible sword arm and his aura of dark majesty could do so more for the Neverborn, and we was not wary of saying so- a particular irritation when most, if not all, contact between the Daybreak and his Deathlord had to come through ghostly messengers.
So when the Walker in Darkness was asked to send a Deathknight to join a circle in direct service of the Neverborn, what better choice than to send an Abyssal who could seek out his rivals’ secrets- and simultaneously remove an unwelcome disruption from his plans?
BPs:
2 for Lore 5
2 for Occult 5
2 for Melee 5
2 for Presence 5
1 for Resistance 2
2 for Specialities
3 for Valour 3
1 for Manse 4
XP:
16 for Essence 3
8 for Shadowlands Circle Initiation (+Gathering a Ghost's Strings)
8 for Summon Ghost
8 for Blood Mirror Speech
6 for Adept Degree of Geomancy
1 for Awareness 2
1 for Integrity 2
2 for Socialise 2
A new bit:
Ghostly white is the dominant impression seen of the Threefold Ebon Magister. His skin and hair were both made unnaturally pale by his Black Exaltation, leaving only his piercingly blue eyes as a flash of colour in his face. He reinforces the impression by dressing only in white- a long robe with a mantle over his shoulders, eerily reminiscent of the grave-clothes of some cultures. The whiteness is broken only by Prophecy of Stasis, his soulsteel daiklave- a black shard with a wicked spike at the tip, curving down adjacent to the blade.
His pale face is heart-shaped and cruel, and his hair hangs down to just above his shoulders.
Yeah, that's where the idea came from, but he's evolved a little since then- picture is a recolour by Path of a panel from Keychain of Creation, posted here.
Just as a minor clarification- the Magister's got Necromancy already and the ordeals are in the background; I'll consider adding Sorcery in-game if I get in, but that depends on how much XP I have spare...
Caste: Daybreak
Motivation: Bring order to Great Forks (yes, that probably involves killing everyone and making them come back as happy ghostly citizens).
Anima Banner: The Magister's anima forms a flickering purple shroud around him, and a nine-pointed black crown-shape forms above his head.
Concept: Dread lord of Death and the dead
Strength: oo
Dexterity: ooooo
Stamina: oo
Charisma: ooo
Manipulation: oo
Appearance: oo
Perception: oooo
Intelligence: oooo
Wits: ooo
Caste Abilities:
Craft (Fire): o
Investigation: ooo
Lore: ooooo (First Age +1)
Medicine:
Occult: ooooo (Ghosts +1)
Favoured Abilities:
Melee: ooooo (Reaper Daiklave +1)
Presence: ooooo (Intimidation +1)
Awareness: oo
Resistance: oo
Integrity: oo
War: ooo
Socialise: oo
Dodge: ooo
Linguistics: o (Native: Rivertongue; Others: Old Realm)
Athletics: o
Backgrounds:
Liege: oo (The Walker in Darkness appreciates the Threefold Ebon Magister's skill and loyalty, but his vocal displeasure at what he perceives as the waste of his talents means he is not as trusted as the Walker's more reliable servants.)
Artefact: oo (Prophecy of Stasis, the Magister's Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave.)
Manse: oooo (Ice Gem. The Library of Ivory and Skin is situated in the mountains west of Great Forks, in a small Shadowland. The Walker prefers that the Magister stay there in isolation when engaged in research.)
Charms:
2nd Melee Excellency
Elegant Flowing Deflection
Vengeful Riposte
Blade-Summoning Gesture
1st Presence Excellency
2nd Occult Excellency
Spirit-Hardened Frame
Black Glyph Mutilation (Avatar keyword removed by ST statement)
2nd Investigation Excellency
Deception-Piercing Stare
Adept Degree of Geomancy
Shadowlands Circle Necromancy Initiation
Summon Ghost
Blood Mirror Speech
Gathering a Ghost's Strings
Essence: ooo
Willpower: ooooooo
Personal: 16/16
Peripheral: 33/38
Virtues:
Compassion: o
Conviction: oooo
Temperance: oo
Valour: ooo
Prophecy of Stasis, Soulsteel Reaper Daiklave
Speed: 4 Accuracy: +6 (17) Damage: +4L (6L) Defense: +1 (DV6) Rate: 3
Dodge DV: 6
Dodge MDV: 6
Parry MDV: 4 (Charisma+Presence)
Soak: 1L/2B
Intimacies: Shining Star (Betrayed love, tinged with bitterness)
The Walker in Darkness (Resentful Loyalty)
Disorder (Detestation)
Threefold Ebon Magister
Born in Great Forks, the Scavenger Lands’ premier seat of learning, the child Laren Janth took to his elucidated environs like a fish to water. He was an extremely gifted youngster- he learned fast whatever he set his mind to. Even from a young age, he was far more serious than the other children, and though he played as much as his peers, he was nearly always alone, his natural magnetism used to keep others away, rather than draw them to him- seeming to want a great deal more order and regularity than the natural chaos of the average child. This desire, along with his quiet lust for knowledge, would become one of the major driving forces in his life.
So he grew and developed, his parents doting on him and immensely proud of their son- he almost invariably picked up the knowledge that percolates down to children of Great Forks’ academics, and was a fount of (somewhat disjointed, but nevertheless impressive) facts and formulae his parents mentioned to him.
That was not his only skill, however. His childish play- which seemed, when his parents paid close attention to it, to be far more consistently imagined than the average child’s- had given way to adolescent practice, and he showed enough natural talent with a short blade that his parents decided to have him properly trained as a swordsman. At the back of their minds, they knew their child would go on to great things, and this opened up a new opportunity; the combination of scholastic insight with the ability to defend oneself would allow one interested in the past to find a great deal in the relics of the First Age, and perhaps their son could be a part of that. And Laren Janth’s skill grew.
Indeed, that seemed to be the path he was taking. Laren learnt geomancy from his mother, and his skill with the flows of Essence secured him a place with Verle Dax, an experienced explorer of the remains of the lost Age. Verle was notable for the time he had spent in his line of work- though rarely bringing back as great a trove as some of his fellows, he had a caution and reliability that kept him and his small group alive when others would overextend themselves and pay the price. Thjis cautious reliability suited Laren well, and as well as the knowledge gleaned from their expeditions- all of which Laren tried to learn, whether it be details of life in the First Age or an ancient manual of military strategy- his life with Verle helped him in subtle ways. Not least among these was his slow acceptance that the world wasn’t quite as logical and precise as he would hope, and while still a creature of routine, Laren gained more tolerance to unexpected changes in his life.
This was not the only important lesson Laren learnt, however. Another of Verle’s followers was a woman of about Laren’s age named Shining Star. She wasn't quite the average Scavenger Lands citizen- born of nomadic stock, originally from the South, though they had travelled in the Scavenger Lands for several generations. Star was a revelation to Laren- her cheerfulness contrasted sharply with his serious demeanour, yet in her optimism was a desire for, and belief in, an order that matched Laren’s.
Over a few months, this common feeling became clear to the two of them and, both being young and charismatic in their own way- Star’s brightness, Laren’s gravitas- the inescapable currents of life formed between them a strong bond. Rather than distracting them from their dangerous occupation, however, it drew them into a perfect accord- they could rely on each other, a harmonious match that allowed them to keep alert for any sign of danger.
The agreeable order of Laren’s life disappeared along with Shining Star when, one morning, the group awoke to find her gone. There was no indication of why or how.
The loss of such an important part of the stability in Laren’s life threw him into a deep depression. It seemed clear that the order he had always looked for in his life could never last- Creation was simply too unreliable, people too flighty, to give him what he needed. His efficacy as a part of the group plummeted- more than a few injuries, and even some deaths, were a direct result of his failure to spot some threat that should have been obvious to him. With a heavy heart, knowing what this would do to a man who had been an excellent archaeologist, Verle Dax was forced to tell Laren, in no uncertain terms, that he was no longer a part of his band.
Laren’s wish for regularity in his life then proved his undoing. The morning after he was cut off from Dax’s party, he took himself- alone- to an old manse, the Seat of Iron Fangs, that had claimed the lives of a few enterprising local scavengers. He simply couldn’t conceive of suddenly ceasing what had been his work for what seemed such a long time. Laren Janth became the latest victim of the traps left by the Seat’s long-dead designer.
Yet there had been a presence watching Laren for some time. Such a gifted scholar, with a drive to discovery, an intimate knowledge of Great Forks, and a deep dissatisfaction with the world, seemed to the servants of the Walker in Darkness to be a perfect addition to his ranks of Deathknights. Given the choice to reject his name and his life and help bring the world into the perfect, serene order of the Underworld and the Void, Laren Janth accepted and became the Walker’s newest Daybreak Caste Abyssal.
The new Child of Bone’s indoctrination was commendably fast- his voracious intellect quickly assimilated the lessons he was taught, and the black creed of the Neverborn was a welcome bulwark to give him the solidity he craved. So was the white-haired young man taken to the tomb-body of his Neverborn master and left in silent communion with the dead Primordial.
The Abyssal who emerged declared to the Underworld that he was the Threefold Ebon Magister.
The Magister’s training continued at a similar pace, rapidly assimilating the basics of Essence-channeling, and continued into the advanced knowledge the Walker in darkness considers necessary for his Daybreaks- in this case, a more rounded knowledge of history, geography and magic, as well as the natures of spirits, ghosts and the Fae- and initiation into Necromancy.
Melancholy he had seen already, and this lesson he was forced to learn well; left in a darkened cell for several weeks with only the ghost of one of his fellow scavengers- one whose death he had failed to prevent- for company. Every day was the same; waking to the whispers of the hateful bound ghost, who was forced simply to repeat minor details of their shared life- and his death. Melancholy, stasis and memory twined together in the Magister’s head until the turmoil in his mind broke into a cold, lucid logic. There was a way out, and the terror in the ghost as it saw the Magister’s flash of insight and felt itself powerless to resist him served as the fourth Ordeal.
The blackness of the Abyss was deep within the Threefold Ebon Magister by now, and yet he still held a quiet flame of compassion for his fellow beings. The total destruction of the ghost of his old comrade was only the start in tearing it down; but now his fifth trial began. Every day, he would see innocents suffering before him at the hands of nephwracks or deathknights. Every day, he would be forced to watch and do nothing. And slowly, he found the part of himself that cried out to help them decaying away to nothing.
As a necromancer, the Threefold Ebon Magister was able to bring several avenues of research into ancient and unknown secrets to bear for his master; he seemed a perfect tool. Yet he was dissatisfied. He had given himself heart and soul to the cause of Oblivion, yet the Walker in Darkness was too blind to see his full potential. This dissatisfaction only grew after he was elevated to his knighthood; his swift, terrible sword arm and his aura of dark majesty could do so more for the Neverborn, and we was not wary of saying so- a particular irritation when most, if not all, contact between the Daybreak and his Deathlord had to come through ghostly messengers.
So when the Walker in Darkness was asked to send a Deathknight to join a circle in direct service of the Neverborn, what better choice than to send an Abyssal who could seek out his rivals’ secrets- and simultaneously remove an unwelcome disruption from his plans?
BPs:
2 for Lore 5
2 for Occult 5
2 for Melee 5
2 for Presence 5
1 for Resistance 2
2 for Specialities
3 for Valour 3
1 for Manse 4
XP:
16 for Essence 3
8 for Shadowlands Circle Initiation (+Gathering a Ghost's Strings)
8 for Summon Ghost
8 for Blood Mirror Speech
6 for Adept Degree of Geomancy
1 for Awareness 2
1 for Integrity 2
2 for Socialise 2
A new bit:
Ghostly white is the dominant impression seen of the Threefold Ebon Magister. His skin and hair were both made unnaturally pale by his Black Exaltation, leaving only his piercingly blue eyes as a flash of colour in his face. He reinforces the impression by dressing only in white- a long robe with a mantle over his shoulders, eerily reminiscent of the grave-clothes of some cultures. The whiteness is broken only by Prophecy of Stasis, his soulsteel daiklave- a black shard with a wicked spike at the tip, curving down adjacent to the blade.
His pale face is heart-shaped and cruel, and his hair hangs down to just above his shoulders.
Yeah, that's where the idea came from, but he's evolved a little since then- picture is a recolour by Path of a panel from Keychain of Creation, posted here.
Just as a minor clarification- the Magister's got Necromancy already and the ordeals are in the background; I'll consider adding Sorcery in-game if I get in, but that depends on how much XP I have spare...
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
There seems a couple of chars with Dread Lord's Demeanor.
The next step is often to upgrade to Heart-Stopping Mien, which sounds a bit borked to me for an Essence 3 charm.
How do you counter it?
The next step is often to upgrade to Heart-Stopping Mien, which sounds a bit borked to me for an Essence 3 charm.
How do you counter it?
MorkaisChosen
One Thousand Club
Heh. Guess what I'm planning...?
Partly depends on interpretation, but to me, it seems fair that the option to resist Dread Lord's Demeanour for a scene (costing 3wp) would also block the damage from Hart-Stopping Mien, and I'd probably let an appropriate social perfect defence block it.
This is, of course, my own interpretation and utterly subordinate to that of the Most Benificent Storyteller.
Partly depends on interpretation, but to me, it seems fair that the option to resist Dread Lord's Demeanour for a scene (costing 3wp) would also block the damage from Hart-Stopping Mien, and I'd probably let an appropriate social perfect defence block it.
This is, of course, my own interpretation and utterly subordinate to that of the Most Benificent Storyteller.
xarvh
Malevolent Entertainer
The manual is pretty clear: "anywone who can bring himself to attack the deathknight", so it only damages those who DO resist Dread Lord's Demeanor effect.
