Character:To Brave The Flames

A Character in A Date with Destiny

To Brave The Flames
Formerly Valar Artaris, King of Argent

• Caste: Twilight Caste
  
• Concept: Megalomanic Sorcerer-For-Hire
  

An older man with short black hair just showing touches of grey, his eyes are a dark brown and he wears a short neatly trimmed mustache. He wears a cord of gold round his neck and favours loose flowing blue black robes, belted robes with a dozen small pouches but otherwise carries little on his person. He carries no visible weapon, bar a small knife on his belt. Most find his gaze unsettling, feeling that he is judging them piece by piece and finds them lacking.

Motivation

• Take Control of a Mighty Empire

Intimacies

Natural

Negative

- The Wyld Hunt (Contempt) - Iyusha, the Vitriolic Dragon (Hatred, though he doesn't entirely know why.)

Positive

+ His Future Empire (Covetous Desire)

Supernatural

Positive

+ His Ally (Trust and Friendship)

Anima

A Sea of Golden-Red and Orange Flames and Burning Gas which Engulf Anything that touches them. While the Characters Anima Banner is at 11+ motes, the character reduces any damage he takes while undergoing a Shape Sorcery or Miscellaneous Action by Essence Health Levels (to a minimum of zero). The Character also reduces all sorcery costs by (Essence*2) motes or half whichever is less.

Attributes

Physical

• Strength 1 (6 due to UBoS)
• Dexterity 4
• Stamina 4 (9 due to UBoS)

Social

• Charisma 2
• Manipulation 4
• Appearance 2

Mental

• Perception 5
• Intelligence 5
• Wits 2

Abilities

Caste

Craft 0, Investigation 5 (Research +2), Lore 5 (Research +1), Medicine 0, Occult 6* (Sorcery +3)

Favored

Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 5, Dodge 5 (Unarmoured +3), Integrity 5 (Creatures of Darkness +3), Resistance 5, Presence 5, Survival 1

Unfavored

Linguistics 2 [Native: Riverspeak; Other: Old Realm, Forest-tongue], Socialise 5 (Deceit +1), Stealth 3, Thrown 3, War 2 (Spellcasting +3)
Note: Abilities with a * by them denote abilities at one lower when GttMH is not active

Backgrounds

Allies 2: The Being Unknown

For many years Flames has travelled with a companion, unseen and unknown to many others. Even Flame knows little of this ally, only that many times has it kept him from harm when otherwise his destiny would have faltered and failed.

Artefact 5: Crucible of Tarim

An immensly powerful artefact, that Flames found in the Jungles of the Far East in a site he suspected was near Sperimin. He did not have much time to investigate this though as a contract for his services arrived and he set off with the item. Since then he has been unable to relocate the site much to his irritation and disgust.

Artefact 5: Sorcery Capturing Cord

A cord found in the House of Thunder. At the moment carries a single knot in it bearing a Total Annihilation.

Artefact 5: First Principles, Super-Heavy Plate

A beautifully crafted custom suit of armour that resembles nothing so much as ornate robes of cunningly woven orichalcum and moonsilver plates that flow like water but protect better than steel. Cleverly engraved onto every part of the armour is old realm script which record three incredibly powerful spells. The robes lack a helmet but do include a simple orichalcum circlet with a setting for a single hearthstone.
This armour was the pride and joy of a egotistical first age Twilight, as obsessed with battlefield sorcery as any before or since. Crafted during the late Ochre Fountain Period, with the assistance of his concerned No Moon bride who had conceived of the armour as a way of keeping her beloved safe, the armour has had few owners throughout the ages laying forgotten in a buried tomb between Nexus and Thorns.

17B/17L, 11/11 Hardness, 0 Mob, 2 Fat, Attune 10

Geomantic Sight: Adds one die to the character’s Perception pool. The character instead gains a bonus of three dice when she is attempting to perform geomancy, to use astrology, to detect spirits or to otherwise perform tasks that require occult sensitivity. This does not include rolls for sorcery.
Feint Flames: For 6 motes the armour's moonsilver robes ripple and detatch, creating duplicates that emulating the lunar charm, Phantom Crossfire Feint. This armour may only ever create four duplicates and if one is destroyed the Moonsilver cloth drops to the floor lifelessly until restored to the rest of the suit.
Sorcery: Three Solar Circle Spells are engraved on the armour: Winds of Confusion, Light of Solar Cleansing, and Infitine Catalepsis Macrame, each taking up a different section decorating its Orichalcum surfaces and Moonsilver Robes. These spells may be learned directly from the armour. In addition when these spells are cast the wearer may reduce the number of shape sorcery actions to cast these spells by one as per the solar charm Adamant Essence Mastery (pg. XX, HFFoE)

Artefact 2: Skin Mount Amulet

Installed by a Outcaste Dragonblooded Scavenger Lord whom Flames once assisted. They had a falling out over the rest of Flames money later and have not spoken since. Contains the Twice-Lightning Striking Prism from the House of Thunder.

Manse 4: The House of Thunder

On the high and jagged cliffs north of Port Calin and West of Sijan lies the House of Thunder. Forgotten about decades ago and hidden from claimaints by the Manse's own properties it has lain dormant until searching for a rumoured spirit Flames came upon it. Once past the geomancy that hides the building it still does not look like much, a barely inhabitable wreck in the middle of nowhere. Named for the sound the waves make when hitting the cliffs that is always audible the House is surprisingly comfortable on the inside.

• Hearthstone: Twice-Striking Lightning Prism
• Fragility: 1
• Features:
  • Rainbow Tabernacle
  • Greater Veil of Shadow
  • Magical Conviniences
    • It is either gloomy or raining outside the house.
    • Always warm and dry inside, to counter the horrible weather outside.
    • The appears to be slightly bigger on the inside than it appears to be on the outside
    • The house has working plumbing, bathing and food preparation areas.

Resources 5

Having accumulated a vast amount of wealth over the years through clever business, mercenary work and stripping his kingdom bare Flames rarely spends it.

Merits

Luck 1pt

1/story reroll

Flaws

Enemy 3pts

• The Immaculate Order in general and specifically Grandmaster Jonal, whose Grandson Flames obliterated.

Obligation 2pts

• To the surviving citizens of Argent. Flames feels he should one day try and do right by his people. His current plan is to give them some of the wealth and prosperity of his new Empire, when he acquires it.

Code of Honour 1pt

• Does not lie or deceive anybody he truly cares for. Fortunately there aren't many of those.

Greater Curse 1pt

• What can be said, Flames is a Megalomaniac and his curse supports this part of his personality.

Charms

• All Relevant Excellencies and General Charms

Dodge

• Shadow Over Water (Tied to Seven Shadow Evasion; pg.227, Core)
• Seven Shadow Evasion (Conviction Flawed and tied to Shadow Over Water; pg.227, Core)
• Reflex Sidestep Technique (pg.227, Core)
• Leaping Dodge Method (pg.227, Core)
• Flow Like Blood (pg.227, Core)
• Refinement of Flowing Shadows (pg. XX, DotFA:LoC)
  • This Charm enhances its prerequisite. The Lawgiver may opt to pay a +3m surcharge when activating Seven Shadow Evasion, extending its duration to one tick rather than separately activating the Charm against each individual attack. Solars with Essence 5+ may extend the duration of perfect dodging to one action by paying a +3m, 1wp surcharge. Only when the character’s DV refreshes does the maelstrom of flickering shadows resolve back into the familiar form of the Lawgiver.

Integrity

• Temptation Resisting Stance (pg.200, Core)
• Elusive Dream Defense (pg.200-201, Core)
• Integriy Protecting Prana (pg.199, Core)
• Righteous Lion Defense (pg.199, Core)
• Phoenix Renewal Tactic (pg.200, Core))
• Shedding Infinite Radiance (pg. 37, Glorys Most High: Unconquered Sun)
  • Further Upgrade Twilight Anima Banner - While Anima Banner is active Spells reduced by (Essence*2) or Half whichever is lower to a minimum of 1 mote.
• Glory to the Most High (pg.24-25, GotMH:US)

Lore

• Immanent Solar Glory x6 (pg. 218, Core)
• Harmonious Academic Methodology (pg. 215)
• Legendary Scholar Curriculum (pg. 215, Core)
• Terrestrial Edification Program (pg. XX, Errata)

Occult

• Divine Transcendants of Occult (pg.XX, DotFA:LoC)
• Terrestrial Circle Sorcery (pg.220, Core)
• Celestial Circle Sorcery (pg.220-221, Core)
• Solar Circle Sorcery (pg.221, Core)
• Spirit Detecting Glance (pg.221, Core)
• Magic Shattering Strike (pg. XX, DotFA: LoC)
• Spirit Shredding Attack (pg.221, Core)
• Ghost Eating Technique (pg.221, Core)
• All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (pg.222, Core)
• Eclipsing the Sun (pg.XX DotFA: LoC)
  • It is the duty of the son to surpass his father. The Exalt may pay three motes and one point of Willpower whenever he activates a Charm with the Holy keyword. Doing so allows the Solar to treat the target of the Charm as if it were a creature of darkness. When using Eclipsing the Sun, the Lawgiver manipulates his instinctual understanding of Holy to supersede—if only for an instant—the will of Ignis Divine. Doing so against another Solar Exalted incurs the additional cost of one point of Limit, as the Exalt’s will strains against the authority of the
• Devonian Absorption (pg.XX, BoS2:B&WT)
  • Manse and artifact attunements are repeatable experiments. With (Intelligence + Lore) roll, difficulty ([Manse or Artifact rating] x 2), the sorcerer can attune to such a thing in 20 ticks, always succeed again.
  • When a Devonian master analyzes a supernatural effect, her player’s (Intelligence + Occult) roll becomes extended. Each roll a week of research and experiment. Can probably puzzle out any supernatural effect. A single botched roll means failure and Excellencies do not apply.
• Sorcerer's Gilded Invocation (pg.20, HFFoE)
  • Even when taking advantage of Primordial Essence patterns, the actions of the Lawgivers are holy. This Charm permanently enhances the Exalt, allowing him to spend an additional mote when casting any sorcery spell to make the spell Holy. If the spell inflicts damage, that damage becomes aggravated against creatures of darkness; if it imposes influence on a creature of darkness, the target’s MDV is halved. This may have uses on spells other than for attack, such as shielding a spell against wicked magics that fail in the face of overwhelming holiness.
• Emerald Essence Assimilation (pg.20-21, HFFoE)
  • The Lawgiver must be free to carry out many duties simultaneously. This Charm permanently enhances the Exalt, reducing to 0 the DV penalties of any Shape Sorcery or Cast Sorcery actions she takes. The sorcerer-Exalt may also take voluntary reflexive actions while taking sorcery actions, such as moving; this does not allow the Solar to activate Charms or otherwise spend motes on other powers while casting sorcery, but previously established Charm effects that allow the Exalt to perform reflexive actions such as counterattacks are valid options. Purchase of this Charm again at Essence 8+ allows the Exalt to spend motes on Charms and similar powers during Cast or Shape Sorcery actions. Even when activating only one Charm this costs a point of Willpower, as if activating a Combo, and for these purposes Shape and Cast Sorcery actions are treated as Combo-Basic Simple Charms.
• Sapphire Essence Understanding (pg.21, HFFoE)
  • Building on her understanding of sorcery, this Charm permanently enhances the Chosen, reducing the Willpower cost of casting sorcery spells by one, to a minimum of one.

Resistance

• Ox-Body x5 (all one -1 and two -2 option; pg.208, Core)
• Whirlwind Armour-Donning Prana (pg.205, Core)
• Hauberk-Lightening Gesture (pg.205, Core)
• Unbreakable Warrior Mastery (pg.206, Core
• Enduring Mountain Method (pg.XX, GttMH:UCS)
• First To Stand (Custom Charm, see section)
• The Last to Fall (Custom Charm, see Section)

Socialise

• Mastery of Small Manners (pg.239-240, Core)
• Golden Courtier Infalliability (pg.XX, HFFoE)
  • Court is a dangerous place to display one’s passion without calculation. The Lawgiver’s Mastery of Small Manners adds (Socialize) to the difficulty of attempts to discern or read her intentions, Intimacies, Motivation, Virtues or other social qualities. See Exalted, p. 131 for more on reading a person. While active, it also becomes impossible to tell if the Solar is lying. If such perfect lies meet a perfect truth-discerning effect, the Solar’s player adds (Exalt’s Essence) to their contesting roll.

Stealth

• Easily Overlooked Presence (pg.230, Core)
• Invisible Statue Spirit (pg.230, Core)

Combos

"How Irritating"

• Comprises of Shadow Over Water (Seven Shadow Evasion), Reflexive Side Step, Leaping Dodge Method

Spells

Terrestrial Circle

• Emerald Circle Banishment - 10+m
• Emerald Countermagic - 10 or 20m
• Commanding Presence of Fire - 10m
• Flight of Separation - 10m
• Flight of the Brilliant Raptor - 10m
• Infallible Messanger - 10m
• Invulnerable Skin of Bronze - 20m
• Ritual of Elemental Empowerment - 30m+
• Spirit Staff (Variation of Spirit Sword) - 20m
• Thunder Wolf's Howl - 10m
• Unbreakable Bones of Stone - 20m

Celestial Circle

• Sapphire Circle Banishment - 15+m
• Sapphire Countermagic - 15 or 20m
• Cloud Trapieze - 25m
• Demon of the Second Circle - 30+m
• Dolorous Reflection - 20m
• Imbue Amalgam - 30m+
• Travel Without Distance - 25m

Solar Circle

• Adamant Circle Banishment - 20+m
• Adamant Countermagic - 20 or 25m
• Chariot of the Blazing Sun - 45m
• Cleansing Solar Flames - 50m plus 10m per additional 50 sq. miles
• Infitine Catalepsis Macrame -
• Light of Solar Cleansing - 30m
• Total Annihilation - 65m
• Winds of Confusion - 45m
• Wrath of the Five Elements - 45m

Essence

• Essence: 5(6)
• Personal: 0/25 (28/28)
• Peripheral: 69/114 (131/131)
• Committed to Charms: 5m, 1wp (IPP), 4m, 1wp (LtF)
• Committed to artifacts: 10
• Willpower: 4/10
• Anima status: Totemic

Virtues

• Compassion: 1
• Conviction: 4
• Temperance: 4
• Valor: 2
• (Virtue channels used: None)

Limit Break

• Virtue Flaw: I Know Best. (Variation on Contempt of the Virtuous) The character loudly urges everyone to let him be in charge. He accuses the others of foolishness and will argue for the benefits of his rulership. Any further argument is met with a barrage of insults and lists as to why they are fools. If people disagree he will make them listen using charms and other means at his disposal.
• Partial Control: The character still feels the need to be in charge, but as long as others mostly differ to him he is more accepting of their opinions.
• Condition: The character is hindered by the idiocy or foolishness of others.
• Duration: 1 day.
• Limit Track: 0/9

Conflict

Physical

• Join Battle: 7
• Dodge DV: 9
• Parry DV: 7 (Can only block Immaterial and Essence empowered attacks)
• Soak: 38B/28L/23A, Hardness 12B/11L (Invulnerable Skin of Bronze +12B/6L, First Principles +17B/17L)

Movement

• Move: 4
• Dash: 10

Social

• Join Debate: 7
• Dodge MDV: 10 (12 vs Creatures of Darkness)
• Presence - Honesty Attack 6, Honesty Defense 3, Deception Attack 9, Deception Defense 5, Rate 2
• Investigation - Honesty Attack 6, Honesty Defense 3, Deception Attack 9, Deception Defense 5, Rate 3

Health Levels

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

Equipment

• Spirit Staff - Spd 4, Accuracy 14, Damage 15L, Defense 7, Rate 3, Ignores Non-Magical Armour, Hits Immaterial.
• Perfect Breastplate - +3B/5L, Mobility Penalty 0, Fatigue 0
• Spell-Capturing Cord (Currently contains a Total Annihilation)
• A Vial of Flames of Solar Cleansing
• Skin-Mount Amulet
• Ritual Knife
• Eating Knife
• One Cart containing mundane possessions like clothes, a sleeping roll, a tent and the Crucible of Tarim.

History

Known to the Immaculate Order for a long time as an Anathema, Flames is a deep irritation to them. After burning him out of the Kingdom of Argent, killing most of the populace to do so, they have attempted no fewer than seven times to rid themselves of him. Four times he has escaped before their monks can close and twice he and his mysterious companion have slaughtered the entire hunt sent against them. The last time he encountered a hunt, against an Immaculate Grandmaster, they fought to a stalemate and were both forced to withdraw.

In the meantime, Flames and his (former?) companion have wandered the East, either selling their prestigious magical talent to the highest bidder in exchange for further magical knowledge or searching the Jungles for the lost city of Sperimin.

Stations of Sacrifice: Terrestrial (His Memories of His Heir), Celestial (His Kingdom), Solar (His Friends)

Personality

Flames is accerbic, arrogant and often quite rude to those he considers his inferiors. He also tends to be quite cold to most people, as he sees most folks as pawns and pieces of a much greater game, even if he does care for them in a twisted general sort of way. He tends to seperate people into two main categories: those that can be of use to them and those that stand in the way.
Even to those people he likes he tends to keep on edge, he has been betrayed by too many times and too many people to let his guard down, even with those he trusts. He can show a kinder side but rarely does so, the exception appears to be his long term shadow companion.

Goals

• Continue Amassing Magical Power
• Conquer an Empire
• Amass Personal Power
• Find Sperimin and Establish a Magical School equal to its former glory there or elsewhere.

XP

• Earned: 420(4xp from Sidestories)
• Spent: 407
  • Linked Shadow Over Water to Seven Shadow Evasion (2xp)
  • Bought Sorcery War Speciality to 3 (9xp)
  • Bought Occult 6 (9xp) - --86.144.177.162 21:50, 6 December 2010 (UTC)
  • Bought Initiate of the Art of Alchemy (3xp)
  • Bought Deceit Socialise Speciality to 1 (3xp)
  • Bought Charms (168 xp):
    • Bought Immanent Solar Glory x2 (16xp)
    • Bought Reflex Side Step (8xp)
    • Bought Leaping Dodge Method (8xp)
    • Bought Sorcerer's Gilded Invocation (8xp)
    • Bought Emerald Assimillation (8xp)
    • Bought Integrity Protecting Prana (8xp)
    • Bought Shedding Infinite Radiance (8xp)
    • Bought Spirit Detecting Glance (8xp)
    • Bought All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (8xp)
    • Bought Immanent Solar Glory (8xp) - 12:00 PM, 29-MAY-2010
    • Bought Flow Like Blood (8xp) - 12:00 PM, 05-JUN-2010
    • Bought Devonian Absorption (8xp) - 12:00 PM, 12-JUN-2010
    • Bought Spirit Shredding Attack (8xp) - 12:00 PM, 19-JUN-2010
    • Bought Magic-Defying Mudra (8xp) - 1:53 PM, 28-JUN-2010
    • Bought Dancing Shadow Evasion (8xp) - 3:57 PM, 8-JUN-2010
    • Bought Harmonious Academic Methodology (8xp) - 4:14 PM, 14-JULY-2010
    • Bought Divine Transcendance of Occult (8xp) - 4:15 PM, 21-AUG-2010
    • Bought Sapphire Essence Understanding (8xp) - 4:15 PM, 21-AUG-2010
    • Bought Ghost Eating Technique (8xp) - 4:15 PM, 21-AUG-2010
    • Bought Eclipsing the Sun (8xp) - 4:15 PM, 21-AUG-2010
    • Replaced Magic Defying Mudra with Magic Shattering Strike and Dancing Shadow Evasion with Refinement of Flowing Shadows -- 21-AUG-2010
    • Bought Phoenix Renewal Tactic, Glory to the Most High, Immanent Solar Glory x3 (40xp) -- 21:50, 6 December 2010 (UTC)
    • Bought Whirlwind Armor-Donning Prana and Hauberk-Lightening Gesture (16xp) -- 109.155.40.255 21:53, 15 December 2010 (UTC)
    • Bought The First To Stand, The Last to Fall, Unbreakable Warrior Mastery and Enduring Mountain Method (32 xp) --109.153.156.185 20:46, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
    • Bought Terrestrial Edification Program --109.153.156.185 17:12, 30 January 2011 (UTC)
  • Bought Essence 6 (40xp)-- 21:50, 6 December 2010 (UTC)
  • Bought Combo (9xp)
  • Bought Valour up to 2 (3xp)
  • Bought Skin Mount Amulet (6xp)
  • Bought Super-Heavy Plate (15xp) -- 109.155.40.255 21:53, 15 December 2010 (UTC)
  • Bought Spells:
    • Commanding Presence of Fire, Travel Without Distance, Cleansing Solar Flames (8xp)
    • Flight of the Brilliant Raptor, Flight of Separation, Thunder Wolf's Howl (8xp) - 12:00 PM, 17-JULY-2010
    • Infallible Messanger, Ritual of Elemental Empowerment, Imbue Amalgam 29-AUG-2010
    • Bought Winds of Confusion, Infitine Catalepsis Macrame, Chariot of the Blazing Sun. --109.153.157.208 12:23, 18 December 2010 (UTC)
• Unspent: 13

Custom Charms

First To Stand

Cost: 1 motes; Mins: Resistance 3, Essence 1
Keywords: Combo-Ok, Form
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Scene
Pre-Requisites: Resistance Excellency

No attempt to move the Solar except by their own will moves them. It renders the Lawgiver immune to knockback, knockdown or any attempt to move the lawgiver as long as the lawgiver does not move themselves. If the lawgiver chooses to move, this charms effects end.

Last to Fall

Cost: (+3 motes, 1wp); Mins: Resistance 5, Essence 5
Keywords: Combo-Ok, Form, Shaping
Type: Reflexive
Duration: Scene
Pre-Requisites: First to Stand

This charm upgrades first to stand. For 4m and a willpower this effect applies anywhere and will continue apply even if the terrain does not allow it to. So if the floor under a Lawgiver breaks they will remain stationary standing in thin-air, if Creation is sucked down into Oblivion, the Solar stands above it unflinching hanging above the Well of the Void. If creation is devoured by the wyld and the ground below them degenerates into pure-chaos still do they not move. This charm does not render them immune to any other effects of these places it just prevents the Solar from moving from their location.