Character:Sister Mercy

• Sister Mercy, also known as Mercy of Golden Prayer and Oh Blurg It’s Her RUN!
• “My Lord sent me to give you a hot kiss. Take it with you heart.”
• Caste: Zenith
• Concept: Killer Nun
• Sister Mercy seems to be an attractive young woman in her late teen to early twenties, with golden hair to her shoulder and reddish-brown eyes. She is usually seen wearing a seriously tattered nun’s outfit, with her right leg and chest largely exposed. Sister Mercy carries no material goods or weapons.

Motivation

• End all wars.

Intimacies

Natural

Positive

Tepet Cirno.

Her motivation.

Anima

Sister Mercy’s Anima banner takes the form of a shining, gigantic cross, to burn the bodies of the fallen for one mote of essence per body, sending the smoke (and soul) to Heaven and preventing the body from rising after death as a zombie or hungry ghost. This ability is usable regardless of the status of the Zenith's Anima Banner. (There is no cost to invoke this power when the Zenith's Anima is at the 11+ mote level.)

Attributes

Physical (Secondary)

• Strength 2 (4XP)
• Dexterity 5
• Stamina 3

Social (Primary)

• Charisma 3
• Manipulation 3
• Appearance 5

Mental (Tertiary)

• Perception 3 (8BP)
• Intelligence 2 (4XP)
• Wits 5

Abilities

Caste

Integrity 5 (Against Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)

Performance 5

Presence 5 (Intimidation +3) (1.5 BP)

Resistance 5

Survival 1

Favored

Archery 5 (Prayer Piece +3) (1.5 BP)

Dodge 5

Awareness 5 (Vision +3) (1.5 BP)

Athletics 3

Medicine 1

Martial Art 1

Unfavored

Lore 1

Backgrounds

Salvation Army Sisterhood

“Infinite love for innocents. Even more ammos for sinners.”

Exactly what it says on the tin, the Salvation Army Sisterhood (SAS for short) is a small elite force composed of armed nuns. The soled objective of SAS is to bestow salvation, whether people want it or not. And people seldom say no to anything when them have a crossbows pointing at their forehead.

Cult 3 All the members of the SAS are nuns. Yes, all of them. Whether they are nuns who trained themselves in combat or warriors who decided to become nuns is a point of controversy, but now they all seek spiritual guidance (read: the most elegant way to kill your enemy) from their resident Saint, Sister Mercy.

Followers 4 The nuns of the SAS are also soldiers. The Sisters, as them refer to themselves, are always heavily armed. As in, always. They always wear light (and sometimes heavy) armors under their vestments and they must carry crossbows to their bed. It’s all written in their testament.

Backing 5 Mercy is now the leader of the SAS and she does a fair job at running it. Most times she just have to tell her Sisters who are the sinners that need their “salvation”, and since this is Creation there’s no shortage of that.

Ally 1: Tepet Cirno (3XP)

"Stop dodging around! I can't hit you if you keep dodging!"

A particularly bird-brained Air Aspect, Cirno combines tremendous martial skill with an innocent idealism... and stupidity on a scale best reserved for nations. She loves boasting that "eye'm the strongest!" and while that's obviously an exaggeration, it is true that she's mastered several martial arts styles and would be second in ranking only to the Immaculate grandmasters themselves. Unfortunately, she is easily-tricked, and a canny Solar can actually get away by claiming that the Caste Mark on his head is nothing more than a prank played on him by his friends.

Despite her general slowness, Cirno is a genuinely nice person who has a deep concern for the people under her command and the mortals she's supposed to be protecting. She also has accuracy trouble sometimes, leading to her signature line, "Stop dodging around! I can't hit you if you keep dodging!"

Reputation 5

“Bad reputation is good…so long as you don’t believe in it yourself.”

Through intimidations, social Charms and public display of unnecessary cruelty, Sister Mercy intentionally cultivated an infamous reputation for herself. Most people have heard her name, and her legends precede her to everywhere unless she deliberately covers her track. For the Terrestrials, Sister Mercy is every bit the Anathema she is supposed to be – ruthless, merciless and trigger-happy. Among mortals, the stories are contradictory. Some people think she is saint. Some people say she is a sinner. Some worship her as goddess. They can all agree on one thing, though: Sister Mercy classified as Natural Disaster or Act of Gods. Most Celestial Exalts heard that she is a murderous psychopath. Some believe she made a special deal with the Death Lords, because death and destruction follows her everywhere. Some Exalts believe she is actually an Infernal in disguise. Of course, not all of the stories about her are true, and neither is her reputation, but that’s pretty much the point. After all, why goes to all the trouble to shoot down the Green Sun, when the Dragon-Blooded across the table already believes you can do it?

Charms

Integrity

Integrity -Protecting Prana (Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Integrity 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: One day; Prerequisite Charms: None) This Charm protects the character from any Shaping effect that directly alters her mind, body, spirit or traits. This includes instantaneous Shaping effects and any new alterations caused by long-term Shaping effects. This Charm also protects the character from any undodgeable, unblockable Shaping attacks. Wyld energy cannot create a serpent inside the character’s stomach or turn her armor to lava, whether it’s manipulated by an enemy or its own random whims, because these effects inflict immediate damage and the character’s DV is not applicable. This Charm does not protect against the miscellaneous dangers of the Wyld.

Righteous Lion Defense: Her Motivation (Cost: —; Mins: Integrity 3, Essence 1; Type: Permanent; Keywords: None; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: None) The player picks one of the character’s Intimacies when purchasing this Charm. For the purposes of this Solar Charm, this loyalty must be to an ideal—not to a person or a love, but sometimes to a relationship; not to a tribe or city, but sometimes to the nation she might build of them; not to a battle or a war, but to the extinction of one foe or the conquest of a great region. This Charm allows the character to treat mental influence to betray or forsake that Intimacy as an unacceptable order. If the character voluntarily abandons that Intimacy or it becomes obsolete, this Charm ceases to function until, first, a new story begins and, second, the character chooses a new Intimacy to which the Charm applies. Players can also shift this Charm to a new Intimacy at any time by spending one experience point.

Temptation-Resisting Stance: Conviction (Cost: 6m; Mins: Integrity 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable, Social; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Any Integrity Excellency) This Charm increases the character’s Dodge MDV by his Conviction for the remainder of the scene.

Elusive Dream Defense (Cost: 5m; Mins: Integrity 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK, Social; Duration: Instant (Story); Prerequisite Charms: Temptation-Resisting Stance) This Charm defends the character against mental influence by forging an instant, sorcerously charged Intimacy to an idea or ideal that protects him. For the purposes of this Charm, this Intimacy might be enmity with the person attempting influence, contempt for that person or loyalty to something that the influence would make him betray. This effect is optional if the character already has such an Intimacy. If he has a preexisting one that is applicable, the magic can bolster it to inviolability instead. Characters observing the Solar when this Charm is used can make a reflexive (Perception + Investigation) roll against a difficulty of the character’s Temperance to notice the newborn or newly renewed enmity, loyalty or disdain. The Solar genuinely accepts the Intimacy to which he commits himself with this Charm, although the player decides how much weight he gives it compared to his other ideas, plans, loyalties and goals. At the end of the story, the Essence charge dissipates from the Intimacy, and it is no longer a perfect defense, though the character may maintain it for later use, the sake of the memory or out of genuine feeling.

Phoenix Renewal Tactic: Conviction (Cost: —; Mins: Integrity 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent; Keywords: None; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Any Integrity Excellency) Whenever the Solar would otherwise recover one or more Willpower points from stunts or natural recovery, this Charm gives the character the option to recover one point (one channel) of the chosen Virtue instead.

Epic Zeal of Conviction (Cost: —; Mins: Integrity 4, Essence 2; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: Phoenix Renewal Tactic) The Solar regains one channel for the Virtue augmented by this Charm once per day at sunset. Additionally, whenever the Solar would roll dice for a Virtue enhanced by a purchase of this Charm (whether as a pool by itself or bonus dice from a channel), the Charm converts these dice into automatic successes. This isn’t optional, so characters must always spend Willpower to resist the urges of extreme Virtue.

Champion of Conviction Meditation (Cost: —; Mins: Integrity 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent; Keywords: None; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: Epic Zeal of (Virtue)) It permanently enhances the Exalt’s specified Virtue, allowing her to channel it without spending Willpower to do so. Upon reaching Essence 6+ when the Solar channels the Virtue for successes, she receives (Essence) successes instead if that would be higher than the Virtue’s rating.

Archery

There Is No Wind (Cost: 3m or 5m; Mins: Archery 4, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Any Archery Excellency) This Charm nullifies all penalties, except wound and multiple action penalties, applying to a single Archery-based attack. If the Solar has Essence 3 or higher, she can spend two additional motes and this Charm will increase the Range of her weapon to her maximum visibility range.

Accuracy Without Distance (Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Archery 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: There is No Wind) This Charm supplements the player’s Archery roll and guarantees that the arrow hits. This Charm can be used in archery contests and for trick shots—such as severing a rope from afar—but it is most often used in attacks. Resolve such attacks normally. If he attack would have missed without this Charm, then it hits, calculating its raw damage based on an assumption of 0 attack successes. This Charm does not change the normal rules for valid targets—shooting “the gap in his armor” does not allow the Exalt to bypass armor soak, nor does this Charm allow the Exalt to fire through a stone wall or beyond the maximum Range of his bow without additional magic.

Forceful Arrow (Cost: 3m; Mins: Archery 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Knockback, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: There is No Wind) This Charm supplements an Archery-based attack. If the attack hits and rolls even one die of damage, the enemy’s player rolls (Stamina + Resistance) against a difficulty of (the attack’s post-soak damage dice). On failure, the attack knocks the enemy away from the Exalt a number of yards equal to the Exalt’s Essence. Objects do not get a roll, but are instead knocked back automatically if (the raw damage x 50) exceeds the object’s weight in pounds.

Trance of Unhesitating Speed (Cost: 2m or 4m per attack; Mins: Archery 3, Essence 2; Type: Extra Action; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Any Archery Excellency) This Charm is a magical flurry of two or more Archery-based attacks. Each attack costs two motes, including the first, and the Exalt can buy up to (her permanent Essence + 1) attacks. This Charm lets the Solar make these attacks regardless of the weapon’s Rate, without multiple action penalties, and with a DV penalty equal to the highest penalty for any one attack. Some Archery weapons, such as firewands and siege crossbows, are difficult to fire rapidly. Characters using Trance of Unhesitating Speed with a weapon that has a Rate less than 1 must spend four motes rather than two motes on each attack. This Charm need not be Obvious if the character does not exceed the normal Rate of the bow, but it can be Obvious at any time if the activating character desires.

Arrow Storm Technique (Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Archery 5, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Trance of Unhesitating Speed) This Charm enhances an Archery-based attack. The Solar can apply this attack (for which he rolls only once) against (his permanent Essence x 3) valid targets. He cannot apply this attack to a single person or human-sized object more than once, but he can apply it repeatedly against the same military unit or larger object. This Charm requires that the character have separate ammunition for each target. The character can use this Charm even with weapons such as firewands that would normally require a reloading action between shots.

Flashing Vengence Draw (Cost: 3m; Mins: Archery 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-Basic; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Trance of Unhesitating Speed) The Exalt must have an Archery weapon available for use to invoke this Charm, but it need not be in her hands. This Charm enhances the Join Battle action, giving the Solar a number of bonus successes on the Join Battle roll equal to her Essence. This Charm immediately and reflexively draws and readies an available Archery weapon.

Essence Arrow Attack (Cost: 2m; Mins: Archery 2, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: None) Fiery Arrow Attack: The Solar’s arrow (or appropriate ammunition) catches fire mid-flight. If the Solar’s Archery-based attack strikes a flammable material, this Charm ensures that it ignites. This Charm always destroys wooden ammunition when it’s used. Dazzling Flare: The Solar’s arrow (or other ammunition) glows with holy fire or brilliant sunlight. This Charm makes the Solar’s Archery-based attack Holy, and it inflicts aggravated damage against creatures of darkness (see p. 192). The arrow shines brightly enough to be seen for (the Solar’s Essence x 10) miles, if fired straight upward or otherwise unobstructed. Righteous Judgment Arrow: The Solar can spend a third mote on this Charm to add four extra dice of damage to the attack. This variation has a distinctive visual effect usually related to the character’s anima. For example, if a Twilight’s anima display shows a mandala of blue and gold light, her Righteous Judgment Arrow might have streamers of blue and gold that congeal into a mandala symbol in front of the target as the arrow hits.

Phantom Arrow Technique (Cost:—(1m per attack); Mins: Archery 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Obvious; Prerequisite Charms: Essence Arrow Attack) This Charm permits a Lawgiver to make ranged attacks without using ammunition. Each such attack costs one mote of Essence. The Exalt can attack as if using any form of ammunition without Resources cost, such as a broadhead, fowling, frog crotch or target arrow. This Charm permanently enhances the Exalt’s capabilities. Therefore, shaping motes into ammunition is an unrolled reflexive action and not a Charm activation.

Inexhaustible Bolts Of Solar Fire (Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Archery 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Phantom Arrow Technique) This Charm allows the Solar to shape arrows from ambient Essence at will for the remainder of the scene. Doing so functions as Phantom Arrow Technique but does not cost one mote of Essence per arrow. This Charm can create firedust charges in addition to the normal ammunition options. Ammunition created by this Charm adds one die to its normal damage and never strikes an unintended target. It will stop in midair for an instant before vanishing rather than hurt someone the Solar wishes spared.

Heaven-Piercing Golden Prayer (Custom Charm; Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Archery 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 5); Keywords: Obvious; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Phantom Arrow Technique) The Solar shapes his Essence into a Prayer Piece. Each such weapon has an appearance unique to the Exalt who conjures it. It’s Speed 5, has a Range of 50 yards, Damage ([Archery x 2] + Essence + attack successes + arrows), Rate (Essence ÷ 2, rounded down) and an Accuracy equal the Solar’s permanent Essence. The damage done by the Prayer Piece is automatically Holy and Piercing, and unlike normal Prayer Piece it needs no additional motes to fire. Answer to Vengence: Costs 2 XP or 1 BP. If you use Flashing Vengeance Draw, you can pay an additional 2 motes to reflexively invoke your Heaven-Piercing Golden Prayer (paying and committing all costs normally) as part of it.

Dodge

Shadow Over Water (Cost: 1m; Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: None) This Charm is used in response to an attack. It allows the Exalt to ignore all penalties that apply to her Dodge DV when resolving that attack. Her Dodge DV is still 0 against an undodgeable attack, but she takes no further penalties.

Seven Shadow Evasion (Cost: 3m; Mins: Dodge 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Shadow Over Water) The Exalt invokes this Charm in response to an attack. The attack must not be unexpected. This Charm is a dodge that perfectly defends against the attack—even if the attack is undodgeable. This Charm has one of the Four Flaws of Invulnerability

Leaping Dodge Method (Cost: 3m; Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 9); Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Shadow Over Water) The Exalt invokes this Charm after using her Dodge DV to defend against an attack. This Charm allows her to leap away from her opponent, jumping up to ([Strength + Dodge] x 3) yards vertically or twice this distance horizontally. The Exalt chooses the exact direction and distance of this leap, so long as it is away from her attacker. This Charm is treated as a counterattack, even though the jump is not hostile. It reduces the character’s DV by one, it cannot be used with a counterattack, and it is resolved in Step 9 of attack resolution.

Reflex Sidestep Technique (Cost: 1m; Mins: Dodge 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: None) The Exalt invokes this Charm in response to an unexpected attack. The attack is no longer unexpected (but if an appropriate Charm, it remains unblockable). This allows the character to use his Dodge DV and Charms such as Seven Shadow Evasion against the attack.

Presence

Majestic Radiant Presence: difficulty 2 Willpower roll (Cost: 7m; Mins: Presence 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2); Keywords: Obvious, Social; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Any Presence Excellency) This Charm intimidates others, negating any physical or social attack made against the Solar unless the attacker’s player succeeds on a reflexive resistance roll. The Solar’s player chooses when purchasing this Charm whether a difficulty 1 Valor roll or a difficulty 2 Willpower roll is the appropriate form of resistance. The attacker need succeed only once per action, no matter how many attacks she makes during a flurry. This Charm’s effects are a form of unnatural mental influence, and characters can spend three Willpower to resist the effects of Majestic Radiant Presence for a scene.

Terrifying Apparition of Glory (Cost: 3m; Mins: Presence 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Social; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Majestic Radiant Presence) This Charm can supplement any attempt at natural mental influence. It renders the target’s Dodge MDV inapplicable. This Charm is specifically permitted to supplement rolls for other Abilities. Reduce this Charm’s cost to 2 motes if Majestic Radiant Presence is already active.

Enemy-Castigating Solar Judgment (Cost: 2m; Mins: Presence 1, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Holy, Obvious, Social; Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Any Presence Excellency) This Charm can enhance a physical attack. This Charm makes the attack Holy and causes the attack to inflict aggravated damage against creatures of darkness (see p. 192). This Charm can also enhance social attacks that create guilt, shame or fear, or where the Exalt uses a stunt to draw on these emotions. It makes the attack Holy. This Charm makes creatures of darkness treat the social attack as unnatural mental influence that costs one Willpower to resist. This Charm also halves the creature’s base MDVs against the attack. This Charm is specifically permitted to enhance rolls based on other Abilities.

Awareness

Keen Sight Technique (Cost: 3m; Mins: Awareness 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Any Awareness Excellency) This Charm gives two bonus successes on Awareness actions that use the relevant senses. It also allows the character to clearly perceive sensory impressions that are normally too faint for human senses to validly observe at all. The character can make out the detail on a commander’s epaulet at 500 yards distance, at night. He can see the individual threads of a shirt, and with a legendary success, he can make out the motion of the mites that live on others’ eyebrows.

Unsurpassed Sight Discipline (Cost: 2m; Mins: Awareness 5, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive; Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Appropriate Keen (Sense) Technique) This Charm doubles the character’s successes on Awareness rolls, before subtracting any external penalties. Should the character employ this Charm in combination with the appropriate Keen (Sense) Technique, it is reasonable to imagine that she could critique the mating practices of insects.

Eye of the Unconquered Sun (Cost: 12m, 1wp; Mins: Awareness 5, Essence 5; Type: Reflexive; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Unsurpassed Sight Discipline) This Charm lets the Solar see everything that is deliberately concealed within the normal range of his vision. This Charm renders Stealth effects, deception effects and concealment effects— natural and unnatural—inapplicable against the Solar. She may notice the effects, but they have no effect on her. This includes invisibility, mundane disguises, disguises augmented by Lunar shapeshifting or Sidereal astrology and Compulsion and Illusion effects that force her to deny reality. This Charm flares the Solar’s anima to the 16+ mote level while in use. If another Charm contests this Charm’s effects, Eye of the Unconquered Sun adds twice the Solar’s Essence in automatic successes to the opposed roll to maintain the effects of this Charm. This Charm is considered a defense when used to prevent a surprise or social attack.

Athlete

Graceful Crane Stance (Cost: 3m; Mins: Athletics 1, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive; Keywords: Combo-OK; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: None) This Charm lets the Exalt automatically succeed on any valid Athletics action to keep his balance. Moreover, this Charm allows the Exalt to keep his footing on any surface at least as strong and wide as a human hair. He treats it as a three-footwide ledge capable of supporting a thousand pounds of weight when determining what movement and Athletics actions he can take and what penalties to them might apply.

Spider-Foot Style (Cost: 4m; Mins: Athletics 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Graceful Crane Stance) This Charm allows the character to run (using the Move and Dash actions) on any surface. She cannot stop while standing on a vertical surface or while upside down, however. If she does not make a Move or Dash action on every tick, she falls. If the Solar has Essence 4 or higher, she can spend one mote per action to remain standing on a vertical or inverted surface.

Resistance

Ox-Body Techniques X 5 (Cost: —; Mins: Resistance 1, Essence 1; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Stackable; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: None) This Charm gives the Lawgiver additional health levels. A player may purchase this Charm up to once per dot of the Resistance Ability her character possesses. -1/-2/-2

Essence

• Essence: 5 (14BP)
• Personal: 25/25
• Peripheral: 58/58
• Committed to Charms: 0
• Committed to artifacts: 0
• Willpower: 10/10 (4BP)
• Anima status:

Virtues

• Compassion: 2 (3XP)
• Conviction: 5
• Temperance: 3
• Valor: 3 (3BP)
• (Virtue channels used: None)

Limit Break

Deliberate Cruelty The character wholly embraces cruelty. Her conscience vanishes, and she uses terror and cruelty to accomplish her goals, with only contempt for any perceived or exhibited weakness. She casually tortures and mutilates prisoners to sow terror and inspire obedience. This cruelty causes a minimum two-die penalty on all Social interactions not involving fear or intimidation. Partial Control: The character can moderate her cruelty when necessary. She casually intimidates and tortures wherever effective and is incapable of kindness. However, she can show restraint and indifference when cruelty would be less effective. She still suffers from a one-die penalty to other Social interactions. Duration: One full day Limit Break Condition: The character is subjected to severe stress or backed against the wall.

Conflict

Physical

• Join Battle: 10
• Dodge DV: 8
• Parry DV: 3
• Soak: L2/B3/A0

Movement

• Move: 5
• Dash: 11

Social

• Join Debate: 10
• Dodge MDV: 10
• Parry MDV: 4

Health Levels

• -0 x 1, -1 x 7, -2 x 12, -4, Incapacitated
• (wounds are designated as bashing, lethal or aggravated)

Equipment

None.

History

My story, sadly, is quite usual in this land they called Creation. I was born as Golden Sonja, in a small village at North. Sometimes I wonder if my parents gave me that name because they somehow knew what I will become, or was it just one of the lame jokes of Fate. The townspeople used to say I’m the most beautiful thing my village had ever seen, but personally I think it matters little unless I can find some rich and powerful bastard to seduce. For what it’s worth, I’m just another girl you will never know, living in another village you will never hear of, leading another live you will never interest in. My parents aren’t anyone important, either. They are not rich, but they think the world for me. My mother was a normal woman who just wants her daughter to marry the right man. And a religious woman, too. I was never a religious person, and for the time of my life I couldn’t bring myself to pray. Not in the least. My father was a soldier, who fought in a war so small I don’t think anyone ever cared to name it. My father trained me in archery, among other things, because that was one of the very few things he could give his daughter.

The day was just like any other day. Quieter, actually. Peaceful. Calm before the storm. Storm isn’t such a bad metaphor, when one comes to think of it. One moment before, everything was fine. Everyone went about their usual lives, another uneventful day in an unimportant little town. But one moment later…everything went to hell. My village was caught in the crossfire between the Tepets and the Bull of the North. And there’s so little we could do, when the war struck. I don’t know which we lack more – trained warriors or real weapons. All we could do was find somewhere to hide, pray to everything that’s holy for the war to past. And as soon as the war moved on and left our village devastated, deserters and stragglers came like predators smelled blood. I’m one of the few villagers who actually know how to operate weapons, and I did what I had to. I gathered every arrows I could find, took my father’s bow and went to the front line. I just stood there, at the entrance of our village, shooting any stranger who even looks like he wants something from us. It’s amazing how quickly you can get dumb about killing your fellow human being. I gave up counting at 34.

Because that was when I fall, from tiresome and despair. This will never end. No matter how many arrows I have. No matter how good a shot I am. No matter how many people I kill. They will just keep coming and coming and coming. Even if we could rebuild our village and ward against the scavengers, there will still be another war, and another, and another. Sooner or later, a war will left us so devastated, it would be better for us to just leave than trying to rebuild our home, the very place we were born and raised. And as long as there is even a single war still going on, someone somewhere would be suffering the same unreasonable fate as my people did. For the first time in my life, I felt so small and powerless. I wished I were more. I wish I could do more. I wish I could put a stop to this, to scold at those mindless goons to stop fighting over some childish reasons and play nice with each other. For the first time in my life, I prayed. I pray to be giving the power to stop all wars. How funny it was the greatest warrior in all Creation who answered my prayer.

Now I want to crack a joke about expecting someone taller. But no, he is as tall and handsome and majestic as the legends say, the Unconquered Sun. In all his light and glory, I could see a vision. A vision of a better Creation. There were buildings and vehicles of designs I couldn’t even begin to comprehend, but they were all much more beautiful and elegant than anything of our age. And all the people I saw in the vision, they were all so…alive. Not the people who had their life drained by endless conflicts. Not the people who lived in fear and despair for generations. The people were contended, alive, and full of vision about an even brighter future. I had no idea if it was the past, future or something else entirely, and I didn’t care. That is what Creation should be like. That is what people should fight for, what is worth sacrificing their lives and dreams for. I looked up at Sol Invictus, but before I could say or do anything, he extended a giant palm to me. Inside his palm was…a weapon, I supposed.

The Sol Invictus did not say a word, but I understood what he meant. I just did. What was inside his palm, it isn’t just a weapon. It’s a mission, a quest, and a conquest. Someone has to watch over the Creation, to make sure all the wars are waged over all the right reasons, if there should be any war at all. I took over the weapon, and I made a vow to him. I did not say a word either, but I knew he knows, in the same way that I know why he offered the weapon to me. I vowed to become the wickest Anathema of them all, the most hated, feared and despised Chosen of Sun the Creation will ever seen. When I put my gaze on them, the bravest soldiers would tremble. When I raise my voice even just a little, the mightiest generals would beg for mercy. And when I raise my weapon, they will just run, run as far away as they can, shudder in whatever shelter they could find, just like me and my people did. I will become the monster who can stop a war with a raised eyebrow, and for that purpose I will use anything, kill anyone and go to any length I have to go. The Unconquered Sun looked at me, and smiled.

I stood guard at the village for days without need of food, drink, sleep or even ammunition. I felt easy. Alive. More so they I had ever felt in my entire live. Because now, I have a purpose. I shot everything dared to move in my sight, and my sight became broad and far indeed. I stood there until this strange organization called Salvation Army Sisterhood got to me before the Wyld Hunt did. Apparently I was starting to make a name for myself, and a really bad one indeed, just by standing there and shooting people semi-randomly. Good. Exactly the way I wanted. The SAS are all a bunch of psycho nuns who seek to deliver salvation through crossbows and executions. Just as well. In some ways, I am a nun too. I am on a mission appointed by the Unconquered Sun himself, and I will not stop until my objective is achieved. And what could I say, hanging out with a group of over-armed crazy nuns add to my reputation. I accepted the nun’s outfit they offered me and let them smuggled me out. People don’t tend to question nuns, and they question even less when the nuns are all carrying crossbows.

And the infamous Sister Mercy was born.

Personality

Sister Mercy’s “personality” depends largely on the circumstances. When she isn’t in an urgent need to get something done, she appears to be an innocent nun so absent-minded that she openly preaching about worshipping Unconquered Sun. But when it comes down to business, Mercy is cruel and heartless, seeking to achieve her objectives in the most efficient way possible, unless the unnecessary cruelty can add to her bad reputation.

Circle

Each Circlemate

Bonus Points, Non-Magical: Perception 1 to 3 (8BP) Valor 2 to 3 (3BP) WP 8 to 10 (4BP) Total: 15

Bonus Points, Any: Cult from 1 to 3 (2BP) 12 Specialties for Caste/Favored Abilities (6BP) 2 Charms from Favored or Caste Ability (8BP) Essence to 5 (14 BP) Total: 30

XP Ally 1 (3XP) 12 Charms from Favored or Caste Ability (96XP) 3 Submodules (6XP) Strength 1 to 2 (4XP) Intelligence 1 to 2 (4XP) Compassion 1 to 2 (3XP) Total: 116