Character:Cael

Cael

Character in Once More, With Feeling!, played by Segev.
Caste: Casteless
Concept: Street Urchin from Nexus

A child of no more than a decade, Cael is scrawny and agile, with skinny arms and legs and clever fingers that make those with scrip guard their wallets. Outside of the East, his blue hair might be unusual; here in Nexus, it's the sharp point of his ears that is more noteworthy. He must have spent too much time in one of the Wyld Zones that blight the poorest sectors of the teeming metropolis. His clothing is ragged, little more than a loin- or breech-cloth hidden under an all-concealing but tattered cape. It's hard to tell and changes depending on what scraps he can find as others get too soiled to wear. The color of the fabric is long washed out to dingy gray, though it might once have been red, long before it fell into this orphan's hands. He seems even smaller than his diminutive stature would require due to a habit of walking somewhat hunched, defensively; close examination of his back's outline under the draping cloth of a cape hints at either a pack or strange deformity concealed beneath. The most noteworthy thing, however, is the wooden flute he clutches tightly in one hand. It isn't exactly fine, but it is definitely the most valuable thing he seems to own. One might wonder from whom he stole it, especially when a glimpse is caught of the beautiful golden cord that dangles from one end. Cael is often accompanied by one or two handfuls of fellow urchins, though, so actually confronting him before he can scatter into a crowd is unlikely. Despite his obvious poverty, however, someone who manages to observe him for any length of time will note that he seems relatively happy...if often tragically too knowing for a child of his age.

Motivation

To protect the weak from bullies, even if he has to build a safe haven for them, himself.

Intimacies

• His gang of fellow street urchins
• His flute (an ultimately useful tube with an attached orichalcum spell capturing cord)
• His identity (and therefore childhood)
• His summoned demon and elemental friends
• The Neverborn (Pity)

Unnatural Intimacies

• Starcc Antonee, his Solar Mate.
• Rowan Marmalade, his other Solar Mate.
• Radiance is awesome and he wants to be just like him!

Anima

As a Casteless Lunar, Cael's anima power is variable based on the phase of the moon.

His totemic anima banner is a pure white unfolding orchid out of which is emerging a pale hummingbird with plumage nearly colorful under its white purity.

Attributes

PHYSICAL:
Strength 3
Dexterity 5 (in and around buildings +3)
Stamina 6 (controlling own body +3) (3 bp on +1 stamina, 1 bp on +2 dots of specialty, 15 exp to get to stamina 6)
SOCIAL:
Charisma 4 (12 exp)
Manipulation 3
Appearance 4 (Precious +1)
MENTAL:
Perception 4 (trouble sense +1)
Intelligence 5 (old things +1, magic creatures +1 (3 exp))
Wits 5 (streetwise +1)

Abilities

Caste Abilities

(Inapplicable)

Favored Abilities

• Larceny 4 (2 bonus points, 5 experience points)
• Survival 3 (2 bonus points)
• Occult 5 (4 bonus points)

Unfavored Abilities

War

• Archery 3
• Athletics 2
• Awareness 2
• Dodge 2
• Integrity 5
• Martial Arts 5
• Resistance 2

Life

• Performance 3
• Presence 2 (2 exp)
• Socialize 1
• Stealth 5

Wisdom

• Investigation 3
• Lore 2

Backgrounds

Cult 1

Since his Exaltation, Cael has done no small amount of "robin hood" style vigilantism, protecting the weak and innocent from the strong and thuggish in the streets of Nexus. While he's only one little boy in a vast, vast city, some sectors of the poorest parts of Nexus whisper with rumors of the Bronze Beast which tolerates no bullies, and some have begun to privately pray for his protection when they must venture through the most dangerous parts of the city.

Followers 2 (1 bonus point)

Cael was a part of a small (roughly seven or so) gang of kids before he took his second breath. Shortly before his exaltation, the gang lost its leader. Cael has taken on that role since becoming a Steward, and, under his protection, it has grown to nearly twenty members.

Contacts 3: Nexus Underworld (3 bonus points)

This could use more elaboration, but in short, he's a street urchin with a number of his fellows who count on him. Of course he knows a lot of people who know people.

Manse 1: Memorial Iron (1 bonus point)

One of six Manses built (actually, grown) into the sewers of Nexus, this is probably the least. It is the one he has found on his own, however, and he's quite pleased with it. Mechanically, it lets him recover one extra point of Willpower every time he sleeps.

Manse 3: Freedom Stone (3 bonus points)

Under the streets of Nexus, grown into its sewer system via arcane roots and carefully-laid weaving that mysteriously survive the harsh fluids that flow through them, is a network of six manses. Cael was led to this one's hearthstone room by Luna herself as he received his Exaltation. He found another within the last few months, and he knows roughly where the other four are, though he is nervous about hunting them down, for fear of other things he might discover (though he won't admit this). He is disconcerted enough by the knowledge that he just has with no memory of learning it; he isn't sure he wants to bring more of it to the surface on purpose.

Ally 3: Berengiere (3 bonus points)

The Weaver of Voices was a dear, dear friend to his predecessor, and this friendship has carried over, even though Cael is only now discovering it.

Ally 3: Unknown (3 bonus points)

Every now and again, he has a hint of nostalgia or a recollection that "an old friend" could help him with precisely some situation in which he finds himself. Moments later, as he instinctively tries to think of who it might be, other emotions associated with them that make him nervous cause him to shy away, and think of other things to drown out this knowledge.

Ally 2: Unspeakable Rite of the Lady of Words (6 exp)

He and she swore an oath of friendship. What this will mean for him and his new friend in the future remains to be seen.

Artifact 4: "Shattering Whispering Sighs"

(12 exp spent; originally stolen from Dusk Caste Ever-Dying Lord's Sacrifice of Silence)

• Gloves of Martial Readiness, of Soulsteel Construction
• Speed 5, Accuracy +3, Damage +8L, Defense +4, Rate 4
• Clinch Enhancer, Martial Arts Weapon, Piercing
• Invisible Essence Shield (4 motes) (Scene Length) (Reflexive Action) (+3 DV)
• Attunement: 10 motes

Artifact 2: "Discrete Essence Armor"

(6 exp spent; originally stolen from Dusk Caste Ever-Dying Lord's Sacrifice of Silence)

• of Soulsteel Construction
• Attunement: 5 motes

Artifact 3: Ultimately Useful Tube

The second item he found belonging to him as heir to his Exaltation, this lay beside his sick and dying friend, Emari, when he returned to her immediately after taking his Second Breath. He is unsure where it came from, and somewhat fearful to examine his strange knowledge to see if he knows, but he knows it's his; it was a gift. It is actually two artifacts; the orichalcum spell capturing cord (below) is affixed to it and an inextricable part of it. Three of its seven flute-holes double as hearthstone sockets, and a further three contain yellow crystals. (One hole remains open even with all three hearthstone sockets filled; what goes there, if anything, is a mystery.)

Artifact 5: Orichalcum Spell Capturing Cord

Affixed to his ultimately useful tube, this greater portion of the combined artifact usually bears a single knot. He has never yet been targeted by hostile sorcery, but he typically keeps a casting of Invulnerable Skin of Bronze knotted into it, so he can call it up at a moment's notice (and without flaring his anima).

Artifact 2: Yasal Crystal (2 bonus points)

Fitted into one of the non-Hearthstone socket holes in his flute, this crystal contains a Need Fire (RoGD I p. 121-2) that he conjured for the purpose. He is on his fourth or fifth one, as he periodically releases them if they express desire to be released.

Artifact 1: Yasal Crystal (1 bonus point)

This lower quality crystal is only capable of holding a spirit of up to Essence 2, but is also fitted into one of the flute-holes for convenience. A trio of Naneke (CoCD: Malfeas p. 347-9) rotate in and out of it, spending their free time skulking about the libraries of Nexus.

Artifact 1: Yasal Crystal (1 bonus point)

Another low-quality crystal, filling the penultimate of the four non-Hearthstone Socket flute-holes, this crystal can also hold Essence 2 spirits. Cael rotates what gets stored in it; a favorite trick is to coax a Least God of some trinket he owns to let him use its Hurry Home ability.

Whispers 2 (6 exp)

(A residue of his tapping of the Profane Abjuration's and Evocation of the Twelve Angry Beasts's memories)

Knacks

• Humble Mouse Shape (p. 131)
• Emerald Grasshopper Form (p. 131)
• Prey's Skin Disguise (p. 131)
• Green Sun Child (p. 133, 11 exp)
• Life of the Hummingbird (p. 134)
• Hybrid Body Rearrangement x2 (p. 135, 11 exp)
  • Eyes of Night (lets him see in the dark, gives red irises and slitted pupils)
  • Heightened Hearing (+2 dice to Awareness based on hearing)
  • Extra Arms (gives another set of arms, reduces multi-action penalties by 1)
  • Lidless Demon Eye (+1 on Awareness rolls, lets him see dematerialized and invisible things, All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight)
  • (4 mutation points worth still to choose)
• Deadly Beastman Transformation (p. 136)
  • Small (Eliminates the bonus to Strength and Stamina, adds +1 to DVs, makes his DBT form as small as he normally is)
  • Feathers (+1L/+1B soak, keeps warm)
  • Chameleon (feathers change colors to match surroundings, +2 to Stealth rolls)
  • Glider (feathers buzz like insect wings, holding him aloft)

Charms

Dexterity

• Graceful Crane Stance (p. 149)
• Light-Footed Mountain Goat Stance (p. 149)
• Finding the Needle's Eye (p.150)
• Instinct-Driven Beast Movement (p. 152, 10 exp spent)
• Diligent Hive Imitation (p. 154)
• Wasp Sting Blur (p. 154) (bought with 10 exp)
• Golden Tiger Stance (p. 151, 10 exp spent)
• Wind-Dancing Method (p. 151, 10 exp spent)
• Furious Warder Approach (Hundredfold Facets of Enlightenment p. 37, 10 exp spent)

Stamina

• Ox-Body Technique: 4 extra -2 health levels (p. 156)
• Bruise-Relief Method (p. 159)
• Halting the Scarlet Flow (p. 160)
• Armor-Forming Technique (p. 160)
• Stone Rhino's Skin (p. 160)
• Invulnerable Moonsilver Carapace (p. 160-1)
• Central Mastery Technique (p. 157-8, 10 exp)
• Western Mastery Technique (p. 157-8, 10 exp)
• External Hide Perfection (p. 158, 10 exp)
• Five Corners Adaptability (p. 39 of hundredfold facets, 10 exp)
• Custom Charm That Still Needs a Name: protects others against environmental effects (10 exp)

Charisma

• Glance-Oration Technique (p. 177)
• Hard-Nosed Denial Stance (12 exp spent; check book for proper placement)

Appearance

• Perfect Symmetry (p. 176, 12 exp)
• New Friend Aroma (p. 177, 12 exp)
• Irresistible Silver Spirit (p. 177, 12 exp)

Intelligence

• Lessons in the Blood (p. 189, 10 exp)
• Knowing the Enemy as Oneself (Custom, 10 exp)
  • Learned foe: Evocation of the Twelve Angry Beasts (1 exp)
  • Learned ally: Invisible Crow Hunter (1 exp)
  • Learned ally: Lilijana (1 exp)
  • Learned ally: Solitary Talon (1 exp)
  • Learned mentor: Splendor (1 exp)
  • Learned friend: Dancing Wraith (1 exp)
• Terrestrial Circle Sorcery (p. 190)
  • Demon of the First Circle (p. 252-3 Core)
  • Summon Elemental (p. 254 Core)
  • Invulnerable Skin of Bronze (p. 254 Core)
  • Wood Dragon's Claw (p. 254 Core)
  • Droning Suggestion (p. 44 White Treatise)
  • Infallible Messenger (p. 254 Core, 10 exp for this and the next two.)
  • Private Plaza of Downcast Eyes (p. 55-6 White Treatise)
  • Mists of Eventide (p. 53-4 White Treatise)

Wits

• Many-Armed Monkey Style (p. 193, 12 exp)

Charms from Yasal Crystals

This isn't all of them, but these are the ones he's used:

• Host of Spirits (p. 155 Rolls of Glorious Divinity I)
• Domain Manipulation Scenario (p. 154 Rolls of Glorious Divinity I)
• Blessed Fire Body (p. 163-4 Rolls of Glorious Divinity I)

Thaumaturgy

Cael knows 3 specific procedures. (1 bonus point)

Summon Need Fire (Adept Rank, Charisma, difficulty 3, 3 hours)

(1 exp) Summons a Need Fire (p. 121-2 Rolls of Glorious Divinity I) to burn for the purpose it was created.

Beckon Berengiere

He seems to regard this Second Circle Demon in the manner of a beloved aunt. More unusually, she seems to return the regard, doting on him as one might a nephew.

Beckon

Cael knows how to call his Allies...he just hasn't worked up the courage.

Essence

Essence: 5 (36 exp)
Personal: 6/25 (16 committed to various soak-enhancers)
Peripheral: 4/60 (5 committed to Ultimately Useful Tube) (5 committed to Discrete Essence Armor) (10 committed to Shattered Whispered Sighs) (30 committed to Furious Warden Approach)

Willpower

3/10

Virtues

Compassion: 5 (3 bonus points)
Conviction: 3 (6 exp spent)
Temperance: 1
Valor: 5 (3 bonus points)

Limit Break

Curse of the Mother Hen (p. 122)

• 0 limit

Equipment

Right Wood Dragon's Claw

Speed 5; Accuracy 14; Damage (8 or 10)L; Parry DV 12, Rate 0
The damage is 8L normally, or 10L if Invulnerable Skin of Bronze is up.

Left Wood Dragon's Claw

Speed 5; Accuracy 23; Damage (5 or 7)L; Parry DV 6; Rate 3

Ultimately Useful Tube with attached golden cord

Stick

Speed 4; Accuracy 14; Damage 6B; Parry DV 7; Rate 3; Martial Arts weapon

Blowgun

Speed 5, Accuracy 13; Damage 1L; Rate 2; Range 30; Piercing; Poison
Each shot costs 1m.
The blue end shoots a sleeping venom: Toxicity 3M; Tolerance -/-; Penalty -0; victims fall asleep for 1 hour if they fail to resist.
The red end shoots Arrow Frog Venom: p. 131 Core

History

He's eleven. At least, that's his best guess. He doesn't really remember ever having parents, nor does he remember adults looking out for him, but he knows his birthday is the seventh day of Ascending Fire, and he's been keeping track of his age for as long as he can remember. He hasn't really thought about it in too much detail.

He goes by "Cael," though he couldn't tell you who gave him that name. He's also been called "little bird" for his dexterity, his somewhat irritating habit of never knowing when to stop asking questions, and his constant childish energy. Cael has spent his life - what he can remember of it, anyway - on the streets, with friends his own age or alone, with bigger kids and sometimes even working for or running away from bigger beggars, adult thieves, and the like. The streets of Nexus are the only home he's ever known, but he knows them quite well.

Within the last few years, he's fallen in with a small gang of seven or so (it fluctuates) other kids, ranging from half his age up to a youth who claims to be nearly twice that, though his voice hasn't changed. Cael believes him, anyway, since Twining Vines is a Wood-Aspected Dragonblood, and says it's normal for Dragonbloods to grow up slowly. Nobody's quite sure what that means, other than he probably should be a noble, even though he's not. Twining Vines, for obvious reasons, took the leadership role in their little gang of urchins.

It was a particularly daring plan of Twining Vines's that led their group to start infiltrating and robbing local temples and merchant's houses. The youngest posed as beggars, or as servants' children, and scouted out places, while the older ones - Cael's age or so - learned more...advanced means of larceny. The oldest kid besides Twining Vines, Emari, was also the fastest, so she was responsible for distracting any guards.

At least, that was the plan. They only pulled off two heists successfully - not even enough to blip on the radar of the major powers of Nexus, truth be told - before a third blew up in their collective face. A raid on an Immaculate temple went very, very poorly when they had the misfortune of trying it when a bookkeeping error scheduled visiting Realm Immaculates on a pilgrimage and Lookshy soldiers on seasonal patrol both passed through at the same time. Thanks to the Abbot's miraculous efforts, peace was kept between the two contingents, but so many young Dragonblooded out to prove themselves proved disastrous for the raiding whelps. Not only were they easily detected, but the rival groups made a contest out of rounding them up, keeping score by the number they caught. Emari was the only one fast enough to escape, though Cael almost made it by himself, since he was on roof-watch. It was only thanks to his almost getting away that Emari was close enough to turn back and, with some quick wit, turn the two rival Dragonblooded hotheads who had caught the boy against each other long enough for 14-year-old Emari and then-10-year-old Cael to escape into the sewers of Nexus.

They got lost down there for a couple of days. Ironically, it was Cael who helped keep Emari from starving, as he was better at hunting down the sewer rats and finding discarded flammables to burn them. Unfortunately, sewers make for less-than-sanitary conditions, and they both fell very ill. While a nearly-delirious Cael stumbled through the seemingly-deliberately-twisting passages of the sewers, looking for something slow enough to catch to bring back for himself and the feverish and unconcious Emari, he met a very nice lady who offered him help. She was still bloody from her kill - he couldn't tell what it was - but offered it to him if he could catch it again. So he chased it when it got up, even though he couldn't tell what it was, and several times he had to squeeze through places it shouldn't have fit. As he ran, he didn't notice at first, but he started to feel better. And the tunnels, normally so dark, were illuminated in a silver glow. It wasn't until he fever broke mid-stride that he realized it wasn't hallucination, but was coming from him.

The creature led him into a dead end, undistinguished from others in these sewers save for the pretty little gem in the wall. He knew what it was without quite knowing how, just as he now knew what he had become, again without quite knowing how. The young Lunar claimed the hearthstone of one of the Undermanses of Nexus, and turned to kneel before his goddess. The silver-horned huntress laid a hand on his brow, and placed a bloody finger on his lips. "Hurry back to your friend; if you can save her, you can save most of the others."

The hummingbird flew with all its might back to Emari, now knowing all the secret ways of the manse to which he had become attuned. Though he brought little food, she was too sick to eat. He knew not medicine, though his mind was sharper than ever before, filled with knowledge he had never learned. He knew the name of a being who could help her, so he called to it, from sundown to midnight, until it arrived. The enormous, glass-bodied bug happily agreed to see forevermore to Emari's health, and vanished within her body.

Within hours, the girl was awake, and famished. Cael showed her his new Caste-mark, and his new form (a hummingbird), and assured her it meant that not only could they go back up top, but they could find food and even rescue their friends.

It didn't take long to plan the more careful infiltration of the Immaculate Temple a second time. This being Nexus, with no real jails, that was where they knew their friends would be held. Emari and Cael ultimately rescued 4 of the 5 kids who were caught. They had been put to work as scullery servants in the Temple, though none liked the harsh discipline, even for the semi-regular (if meager) meals. Twining Vines had disappeared when they were captured, and wasn't kept with any of them. No one knew what had become of him, though the monks had been overheard commenting about "proper education."

In the little over a year since then, Cael has become the new leader of his little gang, which has only grown. The increasing demand for mouths to feed becomes stressful at times, though so far, between hunting vermin and organized pickpocketing, they've kept their nearly one score number healthy enough. Emari, for her part, has never been healthier, though her appetite has grown significantly. Cael's gang is immensely proud of their "monster boss" and his usually-massive arm, and for his part, Cael finds himself curious about subjects he never even considered before, and knowing esoteric things that he has no idea how he knows. He knows he's a Lunar, though he knows little about what that means. He knows of demons, and gods, and has made minor pacts with some of the local small gods to help his gang out. He understands the manse system that runs beneath Nexus, twined about its sewers, and has used them to become a master cat-burglar when times grow truly thin. He even knows he has an ancient friend whose name he fears to say aloud, though he has not yet found the courage to spend a moonless night communing with him.

He hasn't yet met another Lunar, and all of his own blood hunts have been for stray animals, vermin, and insects. He is especially fond of the mosquito form he picked up a few months ago, as it makes sampling blood for temporary forms much easier. He desperately wants to protect his gang, and to take in any other urchins who might need his protection. He loathes bullies and thuggish thieves who take with violence, especially from the smaller people amongst the poor of Nexus. His fondest dream would be establishing a place of safety for all, but he knows his sewer-manses are nigh-uninhabitable, being unfit for human life. They nearly killed Emari, after all, and would have, had the silver-horned huntress not blessed him.

In order to give context to some of the strange things he just knows, he is working up his courage to summon his ancient ally. His strange knowledge tells him that, for him, it is safe, but his years of growing up hearing snippets of Immaculate philosophy and of general horror stories of over-ambitious Thaumaturges who thought just that makes him wary. He does have an urge to try out his full strength, but he hasn't yet found occasion to do so. It would be horribly obvious, and would cause more trouble for his gang than it is worth. Though it has been useful to allow rumors of the "brass-and-silver horror" that protects the urchins of his borough, so he has terrorized more than a few thugs when they sought to pick on his gang. It's how several of the newer members have joined.

Personality

Give at least one short paragraph

Merits and Flaws

Child (-3 points)

A -1 to -3 internal penalty in social situations with adults, depending on their attitudes towards kids. Generally treated like a kid (which is fine, since he is one).

Small (-3 points)

Can't reach the top shelves. -1 effective Strength for using weapons and tools; loses 1 -1 health level.

Health Levels

-0 [_]
-1 [_]
-2 [_] [_] [_] [_] [_] [_]
-4 [_]
Incapacitated: [_]
Dying: [_] [_] [_] [_] [_] [_] [_]

Experience Points

Spent: 340
Current: 4
Reserved: 82 (for Essence 6 and 7, need 17 more in this pool)
Total: 426