Tepet Nerya

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• Tepet Nerya, the White Rose

"Follow my ass as though you can have it!"

• Aspect: Air

• Concept: The Conquering Prodigal

• Outside her armor, Nerya is a tall, slim woman with flexible wrists and pale skin. Her hair is long, light blue and frequently tossed by the gusts of wind which swirl around her and intensify with her mood. She can create small arcs of electricity between her appendages, which is a useful party trick and tingles nicely.

Motivation

• Prove her worth and that of her allies and followers by accomplishing great deeds.

Intimacies

Natural

Negative

• Clothing

Positive

• Her men
• Her personal freedom and pride

Supernatural

Positive

• Her brotherhood (Oath of the Ten Thousand Dragons)

Anima

Like all Air Aspects, Nerya's anima power triples her jumping distances when active, and she takes no damage from falls of any height. Her totemic anima is a white rose blossoming with her in the center, with arcs of blueish-white electricity crackling between the petals and arcing out to the members of her Brotherhood.

Attributes (12 XP)

Physical

• Strength 3 (9 with Unbreakable Bones of Stone)
• Dexterity 5
• Stamina 2 (4 XP) (8 with Unbreakable Bones of Stone)

Social

• Charisma 5
• Manipulation 1
• Appearance 4

Mental

• Perception 2 (4 XP)
• Intelligence 2 (4 XP)
• Wits 5

Abilities (15 BP)

Caste

Linguistics 5
Lore 3
Occult 3
Stealth 0
Thrown 0

Favored

Integrity 5 (vs Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)
War 5 (vs Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)

Athletics 5
(Combat Mobility +3) (1.5 BP)
Presence 5
(vs Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)

Martial Arts 5 (vs Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)

Unfavored

Awareness 5
Resistance 5 (5 BP)

Melee 5
(4 BP) Dodge 5 (vs Essence Channellers +3) (1.5 BP)
Socialize 2

Archery 1
Performance 1
Ride 1

Backgrounds (8 BP)

Breeding 5

Nerya's Breeding is not the result of pure blood, but rather, the result of a grueling regimen of training under the ancient Fire Aspect known only as the Forgemaster. Desperate to serve her House better, she submitted her body to his use and her soul to the cleansing fires ignited by his Purity Crucible Strikes, which would burn the weak mortal blood out of her body. She came close to death many times, but in the end, the torturous ordeal resulted in her reaching a level of blood purity unimaginable even in the First Age. Thus exalted, she returned to her House, where her newfound Breeding and the loss of the Tepet officer corps made her an ideal choice for the leadership of the Raucous Rebel-Subduing Expeditionary Legions.

Allies 5 - The Rose Garden Brotherhood

Nerya's brotherhood was won through years of adventuring in the Threshold, rejecting the meager aid her family gave her in favor of finding her own allies and resources. All of them joined in the leadership of her personal troops, and all of them are now supremely skilled warriors in their own way. With Nerya as their center, they have all aspects of Dragon-Blooded competency covered, and they are fiercely loyal to their Dragonlady. Theirs is a bond formed of mutual devotion and respect, reinforced by countless risks taken for each other and the Sworn Brothers' Oath, which is now at a frighteningly high Oathbond level (14! http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2681607/).

For more information on the members of the brotherhood, look here.

Manse 5

The Raging Firmament Gem (M5)

Similar to but superior to the Twice-Striking Lightning Prism, this star opal has a constantly coruscating lightning bolt crackling in its heart. In addition to granting all the abilities of a Twice-Striking Lightning Prism (spend 1 WP to count the bearer's Essence as 2 higher for a single Charm or spell), the Raging Firmament Gem also counts the bearer's Essence as 1 higher for all purposes save improving traits, purchasing Charms, and calculating Essence pools. These two benefits stack. Air-Aspected Dragon-Blooded enjoy a further benefit; a child of Mela with a natural Essence rating of 6+ may spend 5 motes instead of 1 Willpower to count his Essence as 2 higher, and he may use his modified Essence rating to calculate his Essence pools.

Precision of Form Gem (M3))

After activating a Form-type Charm for a supernatural martial arts style, the Precision of Form Gem reduces the costs of all Charms in the style by 2 motes, to a minimum of 1 mote. However, the user cannot activate Martial Arts Charms which do not belong to the style that corresponds to the Form.

Kata-Sculpting Gem (M2))

The Kata-Sculpting Gem removes the need for a Dex+Martial Arts roll for a Terrestrial to successfully assume the Form of a Celestial Martial Art. In addition, it reduces the cost of that Form-type Charm by 2 motes.

Artifact 5

Most of Nerya's panoply was won by her over decades of struggle and conquest; despite her status as one of the two rising stars of the Tepet remnants, she simply does not command the respect and awe that her rival does. Accordingly, she received little support beyond the legion given her to command... which suits her just fine. Her House abandoned her for over half a century; she doesn't expect them to have a change of heart now. The following two items were a gift of sorts from Five Days Darkness - he told her where she might find them, and she went through Malfeas and back in order to retrieve them.

Kanshou and Bakuya (A5)

Whisper's been unable to dig up any information on these paired short daiklaves beyond their names, but Nerya's found that they're incredibly useful for her. Apart from being perfectly serviceable melee weapons (the better to conceal her heretical Air Dragon Mastery), when she swings them at a distant target, phantom copies of both blades spin out to strike it, vanishing after they are deflected or draw blood. This effect is, surprisingly enough, fully compatible with the Air Dragon Style.

When the Air Dragon Form is active, Kanshou and Bakuya add Nerya's Essence to their Accuracy, Damage and Defense, and the spinning blades take on unpredictable motions, to the point where they can easily ignore all forms of cover or shield bonuses.

These paired weapons have no Hearthstone settings and cost 10 motes to attune for the pair. They have no magical material bonus, but their basic statistics are enhanced. Kanshou and Bakuya have the statistics of short daiklaves with a Defense of +4 and the P tag.

Atlas of the Unconquered General (A5)

This relic of the Primordial War serves as a supremely effective strategic aid, showing terrain and unit dispositions and even indicating Essence-users in enemy formations. More than that, it can also simulate enemy troop movements and permit the user to predict his opponent's actions. Nerya usually has this attuned to a majordomo with awakened Essence or one of her Exalted companions, who then serves as the mapbearer for her command cell.

Artifact 5 (2 BP)

This set of items was recovered from a First Age armory on the outskirts of Denandsor. Nerya and her band braved the terror-fields of the Empty City long enough to uncover a bunker, which was thankfully insulated from the ambient fear-miasma. Within its armory, they found numerous potent magitechnological artifacts; this is Nerya's share.

First Age Wood Dragon Armor (The White Rose Armor) (A5)
Despite this armor's relative lack of overt offensive power, the Most Puissant Armor of the Wood Dragon is quite possibly the single most potent item from the Denandsor bunker. Its Essence-Dampening Field impedes the use of all Essence within its range and it provides protection comparable to superheavy jade plate without being nearly as cumbersome, in addition to a host of other benefits. Whisper and Ogren worked together to work a white jade rose onto the breastplate of the armor, in honor of Nerya's nickname.

Jade/Orichalcum/Moonsilver/Starmetal Amulet of Resplendence (A5)
This trinket was found stuck in the inside plate of the White Rose Armor; understandable, given that it's exceedingly small. This miracle of micromotic engineering is the final word in party wear and concealable personal armor, and it even has the ability to enhance command ability and conceal items too! Truly a wonder of the lost age.

Resources 5 (5 BP)

Nerya has great personal wealth from years of adventuring and investments made and managed by her brotherhood in her name. In fact, if she hadn't been recalled to the Blessed Isle, she might well have founded her own mercenary company...

Allies 1 (1 BP)

Five Days Darkness is Nerya's tutor for the Immaculate Air Dragon Style. Normally, one would expect him to be much more poorly disposed toward Terrestrial Exalts, but Nerya was attractive and non-offensive, and at the time, she had had no love for the Realm and its cronies. Though her travels took her far away from him, the shadows always seem more comforting than frightening now, and she has no fear of the dark.

Purchased Artifacts

Aegis-Inset Amulets (A1)
These useful little devices reduce the Essence burden of attuned armor. Nerya uses them in conjunction with her panoply to ensure she has sufficient motes for sustained battles.

Fivefold Resonance Adaptor (A1)
The cost of forcing her Perfected Kata Bracers to harmonize with her Terrestrial anima would be crippling, if not for this item. It takes the shape of a five-pointed star, applied to the inside of one of the bracers' wrists.

Fire Pearl(s) (A1)
They're useful party tricks.

Silken Armor (A2)
Able to serve as both body armor and a nightdress, this article of protective equipment goes beyond the chain shirt in its combination of protection and mobility. As an added bonus, Nerya looks really good in it.

Infinite Fetish Ensemble (A2)
Nerya does not normally attune this, and it does not normally require attunement either. However, when she chooses to commit her Essence to this set of artifact lingerie, she gains +2 Appearance for seduction purposes and +2 Stamina for the subsequent sexual encounter, and it can take the shape of any form of saucy undergarments she desires.

Lightning Box (A2)
A combination of sabotage device and emergency mote battery, the lightning box calls down lightning from heaven to energize it. This usually destroys anything it is inside. The unwary who dare taste its power may spend 1 mote and a miscellaneous action to suffer 15B of bashing damage that ignores armor, but if they survive, they will gain 31 motes. Air Aspects, like Nerya, are immune to this damage.

Enhanced Skin-Mount Setting (A3)
Similar to the article used by Fakharu's mortal lover, the Enhanced Skin-Mount Setting does not require implantation in the body, but when a Hearthstone is set into it, the wearer still gains a pool of Peripheral motes equal to the Hearthstone's Rating x2. Nerya sockets her Raging Firmament Gem inside this.

Flaws

Code of Honor 5

Nerya simply can't lie to people. Fortunately she has other people to do it for her.

Obligation 3

Though she's discharged her service to the Forgemaster, Nerya still owes Five Days Darkness a boon for his tutelage of the martial arts. She is fully aware that she may be called upon to save the Anathema she must battle... and either way, it will destroy her.

Dark Secret 2

Her initiation into the Glorious Dragon Paths was the work of the two Immaculate heretics, Tomax and Xamot, and her tutor in the Air Dragon Style was none other than Five Days Darkness himself. There would surely be a terrible reckoning if the truth of this came out to the Immaculate contingent accompanying her legion...

Charms (272 XP)

Linguistics (24 XP)

Linguistics Excellency Package

Wind-Carried Words Technique (gratis)
Voices On The Wind (starting Charm)
Poisoned Tongue Technique (8 XP)
Voice of Mastery (8 XP)
With One Mind (8 XP)

Lore

Lore Excellency Package

Elemental Bolt Technique (gratis)
Elemental Burst Technique (starting Charm)

Occult (8 XP)

Occult Excellency Package

Terrestrial Circle Sorcery (8 XP)

Integrity (32 XP)

Integrity Excellency Package

Oath of the Ten Thousand Dragons (8 XP)
Ten Thousand Dragons Fight As One (8 XP)
Inviolate Dragon Spirit (8 XP)
Chaos-Warding Prana (8 XP)

Resistance

Resistance Excellency Package

Ox-Body Technique x5 (gratis)

War (64 XP)

War Excellency Package

Enfolded In The Dragon's Wings (starting Charm)
Phantom Fire-Warrior Horde (starting Charm)
Blazing Courageous Swordsman Inspiration (starting Charm)
Ramparts of Obedient Earth (starting Charm)
Dragon-Seared Battlefield (8 XP)
Wrath-Directing Gesture (Shield) (8 XP)
Dragon Vortex Attack (8 XP)

Leading From Below (starting Charm)
Roaring Dragon Officer (8 XP)
Glorious Five-Dragon Army (8 XP)
Army-To-Mob Assault (8 XP)
Excellence of the Dutiful Hero (8 XP)
Blessed Dragon Champion (8 XP)

Martial Arts (112 XP)

Martial Arts Excellency Package

Pasiap's Humility (8 XP)
Moment of Daana'd (8 XP)

Air Dragon's Sight (8 XP)
Wind Dragon Speed (8 XP)
Breath-Seizing Technique (8 XP)
Shrouding The Body And The Mind (8 XP)
Air Dragon Form (8 XP)
Tornado Offense Technique (8 XP)
Cloud-Treading Method (8 XP)
Avenging Wind Strike (8 XP)
Thunderclap Kata (8 XP)
Wrathful Winds Maneuver (8 XP)
Lightning Strike Style (8 XP)
Hurricane Combat Method (8 XP)

Melee

Melee Excellency Package
Portentous Comet Deflecting Mode (starting Charm)
Conflagration of Warding (starting Charm)

Presence (32 XP)

Presence Excellency Package
Glowing Coal Radiance (8 XP)
Aura of Invulnerability (8 XP)
Warlord's Convocation (8 XP)
Passion-Transmuting Nuance (8 XP)

Essence (7 BP)

• Essence: 5 (7 BP)
• Personal: 21/21 (Essence 6 + Willpower 10 + Breeding 5)
• Peripheral: 42/42 (Essence 6x4 24 + Willpower 10 + Conviction 5 + Valor 5 + Breeding 9) (11 committed)
• Skin-Mount Setting: 0/0 (10 committed)
• Committed to Charms: 0
• Committed to artifacts: 21 (KnB 10 Dragon Armor 5 Silken Armor 0 Resplendence Amulet 5 Perfected Boots 1)
• Willpower: 10/10
• Anima status:

Virtues (3 BP, 6 XP)

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

Limit Break

Describe your flaw and record here your limit

Conflict

Physical

• Join Battle: 10
• Dodge DV: 10
• Parry DV: 8 (11 with PKBs active)
• Soak: Dragon Armor 16L/14B/16A, Stamina 4L/8B/0A, Silken Armor 5L/3B/5A, Resplendence Amulet 5L/5B/5A, total 30L/30B/26A
• Hardness: 8L/7B/8A

Movement

• Move: 8 (16 in Dragon Armor)
• Dash: 17 (34 in Dragon Armor)

Social

• Join Debate: 10
• Dodge MDV: 12
• Parry MDV: 7

Health Levels

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

Equipment

Kanshou and Bakuya
The White Rose Armor
Infinite Resplendence Amulet
Perfected Boots
Enhanced Skin-Mount Setting
Silken Armor
Aegis-Inset Amulets
Fivefold Harmonic Adaptor
Infinite Fetish Ensemble
Lightning Box
Fire Pearl

History

Nerya's mother died while birthing her, and her father hated her as a result. Much as he wanted to just kill her and be done with it, the taboo against killing future Exalts remained, and so he stayed his hand. However, he gave Nerya virtually no support. Her performance in school was predictably abysmal, and even when she Exalted, all he focused on was the fact that her Dragon's Blood was almost as thin as a mortal. With no other reason given, he disowned her and sent her off to the Threshold where he would never have to see her again. Lesser women might have buckled under the pressure, but for some unfathomable reason, this only sparked Nerya's fighting spirit. She was determined to survive and thrive in spite of the handicaps thrown her way, and so, over a period of fifty years, she trained herself, adventured extensively, and surrounded herself with trustworthy companions who had been drawn to her spirit. Through her hard work and guts, she bootstrapped herself from an skinny girl left to fend for herself on the jetty of Cherak into a wealthy, powerful Princess of the Earth with a rich estate and no shortage of friends and allies.

She'd been determined to return home to express her gratitude to her father for abandoning her in no uncertain terms, but as she neared Cherak, the rumors filtered through - the Tepet legions had been destroyed by the Bull of the North, House Tepet was in shambles, and her father had been caught and killed in the fighting.

That got to her - not that her father had died, but that someone else had done it - not her! Her rage turned to curiousity and then to quiet pity as she arrived home to empty halls and a harried-looking cousin falling over herself to thank Nerya for returning in the house's hour of need. At this point, Nerya would have just stormed off and left House Tepet to die by itself when she was offered the chance to lead her own legion. That gave her pause. The remnants of the Tepet legions were still a potent thing, and her companions were strong in their Essence, even if they had not refined their inner purity the way she had. They'd worked together on many occasions to turn the tides of major battles through the simple expedient of being on the side that would eventually become the winner. They'd only ever had dregs to work with; now they wold have the command of a proper military formation...

Deep inside her, she longed to be accepted by her house again, to vindicate the burning ambition in her heart that wanted to revel in the sound of the house that had cast her out practically begging her to lead them.

And so, she accepted. Nerya and her brotherhood received intensive, accelerated training from the few surviving Tepet elders, such as Tepet Elana, and their flawless teamwork as a combat fang translated easily to their command of a legion. But just as all seemed well, she received marching orders; she would return to the Threshold to put down the rebellious Seventh Legion once and for all, with the assistance of a contingent of Immaculate monks and another legion to be deployed to the Threshold with her. Nerya's stomach turned as she examined her situation; the Seventh Legion was infamous for its potent weapons of mass destruction and the Immaculates would increase the chances of her heretical combat patterns being identified. But she'd come too far to turn back, and now, as her ship docks on the other shore of the Inland Sea, she wonders where her destiny will take her now...

Personality

Nerya is confident, ambitious and bold. She's survived for over half a century through her quick wits, reflexes and the help of her friends, and she takes great pride in the latter. She is pragmatic, but open to sentimentality, and she attempts to be the good guy until she absolutely has to become the bad one. She's very comfortable with physical intimacy, but she prefers to keep the passions of her body separate from the passions of the heart; she's had people try to enslave her with magically enhanced sex in the past, and those people have usually ended up seriously hurt or dead. Nerya is a big believer in heroic will and she will not permit anyone to infringe that basic right around her.

XP

• Earned: 300
• Spent: 272 XP on Charms, 12 XP on Attributes, 6 XP on Virtues.
• Unspent: 10 XP
• BP: 30 + 10 Flaws + 15 nonmagical - 15 Abilities - 8 Backgrounds - 7 Essence - 3 Virtues, total 22 BP remaining.