BreakingtheWheel

It was Lookshy's darkest day. The Mask of Winters had struck with all of his might, summoning hordes of hungry ghosts riding undead monsters of a lost age. Though the Dragon-Blooded fought bravely, the odds were too great. It seemed as though Lookshy's prophesied end had at last come.

And then dawn broke over the horizon. A Solar Circle (that would be us, naturally) had dispelled the miasma of the lost city of Denandsor, and now the might of the First Age was unleashed upon the Deathlord's forces. Automata marched in formation, wreaking havoc on the undead forces, and golden heroes cast the Deathknights back down to the depths of the Underworld.

Though the battle was won, it was not without great cost. Much of Lookshy was badly damaged, if not outright destroyed, and many of its leaders fell that day. So, a solution was proposed: Lookshy would ally in perpetuity with the Solars of Denandsor, swearing loyalty and assistance in any way possible. The Chosen of Sol Invictus accepted.

Basically, Denandsor is isolated, but has a great deal of wealth. Lookshy has location and legitimacy, but is recovering from a helluva blow. We could use a "minor change" to have a working set of Auspicious Passage gates between the cities that we rediscovered, letting us transport ourselves and goods instantly. We're governing Lookshy "for now", but it's obvious to the average man on the street that the Solars are likely here to stay. Trusted thaumaturges and savants are allowed into Denandsor, and are reactivating factory-cathedrals and the like.

So the automata and the booby traps are still up and running in Denandsor, which gives us a measure of security. We're running Lookshy, but mostly in a "protector" sort of way; it lets us mess with politics (if we so desire), but pretty much makes us the military leaders. Denandsor and Lookshy are becoming sister cities, for the most part, and it not only allows us to have our First Age orichalcum shinies, but royally pisses off MoW and the Realm, to boot!

• One epic change to Creation achieved by the Circle: Denandsor's curse has been lifted, and the artifacts and magics therein were used to intervene in a massive war between Lookshy and Thorns. The Mask of Winters was badly hurt, but Lookshy was also half-ruined. The Seventh Legion and the Solar Circle of Denandsor are now allies, at the head of a revitalized Confederation of Rivers.

• One faction in the setting that CANNOT IGNORE this epic accomplishment: The Realm. Until this time, no single nation has approached the sheer size and power of the Realm; now the Confederation of Rivers, united behind the Solar Exalted and Lookshy like never before, threaten to eclipse them.

• One faction which profits from the epic change: Lookshy/Confederation of Rivers.

• One faction which is badly hurt by the change: The Mask of Winters has lost two experienced deathknights during the Siege of Lookshy, and a large portion of his armies. Juggernaut was crippled in the battle by First Age weapons and crawled back to Thorns, minus its left arm. Now the Deathlord broods in his citadel in Thorns and plots his revenge. (Hmm, I suppose the Range-Towns of the Marukani were also badly hurt in the war, as they are directly in the marching path between Lookshy and Thorns.)

• Up to three factions or setting elements who are irrelevant to the campaign: The Wyld/Raksha, The Guild, The Autocthonians.

---

Yushoto Sahi, aka SMOKE WOLF and The Deadeye General The Dragons did not choose Yushoto Sahi. Nevertheless, he strove for excellence in everything he did. He distinguished himself through military service and won a post in the First Field Force Rangers, a rare thing for a mortal. Beyond that, he attained the rank of Gochei, which was nearly unheard of for a mortal, and put in command of a fang (of fellow mortals, of course; a mortal could never outrank Dragon Blooded in the Rangers). Sahi was one of the best mortals in the entire Seventh Legion with the sling and the throwing knife, and he was an accomplished hand to hand combatant as well.

Rumors about Thorns were making the General Staff very nervous, and Sahi's fang was dispatched to gather intelligence. They spread out to cover more ground, and Sahi learned the awful truth about the fate of Thorns. When he returned to the rendezvous point, he found the corpses of his comrades, along with their killer.

The killer laughed, and called itself The Empty Heart. They duelled, briefly. Death was a forgone conclusion for Sahi. He was not afraid to die in combat, but then there would be no one to deliver the report on Thorns, and that was more important than even his honor. Once he decided that he must get the information back to Lookshy, that the Seventh Legion's very survival might depend upon it, he exploded in golden light, and somehow escaped The Empty Heart.

On the long trek back to Lookshy, Sahi gradually grew to understand that he had become Anathema. He delivered his report and slipped away from Lookshy into the wilderness at his first opportunity, afraid for his friends and family, afraid of himself and what he had become.

Smoke Wolf's Followers call him The Deadeye General. It has a double meaning. It refers generally to Smoke's deadly accuracy with the sling, but he gained the nickname in battle when he killed an enemy general from 500 yards out with a sling bullet to the eye.

One incident during which Smoke Wolf's limit break caused problems for the other PCs- During an interrogation of POWs, Smoke tortured and then executed them (Flaw: Deliberate Cruelty). In the presence of two high-ranking Seventh Legion officers (one of whom is Shozei Maheka Yagi, see below; the other is Kazei Kiragasa Nico, slightly lower ranked than the Shozei but knows Smoke personally from his days as a Ranger). This hurt negotiations with Lookshy and made them last much longer than they would have, because Lookshy suddenly became very leery of dealing with powerful Anathema. It took the circle lots of work to convince them that not all of the old stories are true.

An ally of the Circle's- Inara Smalltooth Full Moon Lunar Spirit Form- Mongoose

Inara's body is as small as her heart is huge. She is loud, boisterous, pretty, uncouth, friendly, and loveable, a firecracker with a big bang in a tiny package. She is also fast, ferocious, charismatic, deadly with a daiklave, and if she thinks she is right will never, ever back down from a fight. Born, raised, and Exalted in one of the worst slums of Nexus, she fights to keep her family and neighbors safe from the worst predations of her fellow Nexus citizens.

Inara is Smoke Wolf's bonded mate and leader of an elite squad of mercenaries, the Iron Wolves, based out of Nexus. Recently, Smoke convinced her and the Iron Wolves to march from Nexus to Great Forks to bolster Great Forks' flagging defenses (see below). Smoke would owe the Iron Wolves a lot of back pay if the Great Forks Two had not kept the troops up to their eyeballs in alcohol and whores (Inara would not approve of drugs, but she's fine with sex and booze. Smoke also hates drugs but is less "fun" when it comes to sex and booze, but he knows the importance of keeping troops fresh, motivated, and happy.

Defeated enemy- The Empty Heart, Day Caste Abyssal under the command of Mask of Winters. The Empty Heart was in a capacity much like Smoke Wolf, leader of a group of commandos. Smoke and Heart fought a two-week-long running battle of sniping, stalking, and sneak attacks in the wilderness between Denandesor and Thorns. Smoke finally got the drop on The Empty Heart outside Denandesor and killed him.

Living enemy- The Sage of Slaughtered Dragons, Daybreak, caste Abyssal, part of The Empty Heart's circle. The Empty Heart was supposed to explore Denandesor and prepare the way for his circle, and when he died, Denandesor was lost. Sage really really wanted all that First Age goodness in there, and not only does he still want it, he's really pissed at Smoke Wolf for denying him it.

An NPC to whom Smoke owes a debt- Shozei Maheka Yagi, Seventh Legion. The Maheka family is known for being both honest and upright, and proponents of Lookshy's Immaculate faith. Shozei Maheka was disgusted by Smoke's depradations with the POWs (see above). Smoke has vowed to make it right with the Shozei, but so far Maheka has proven unresponsive.

An NPC Who Owes Smoke a Debt- The Great Forks Two, Talespinner and Dreamweaver- The Glorious 100 staggered back to Great Forks after the battle of Mishanka, feeling anything but glorious. The Great Forks contingent of troops was nearly annhilated to the last man against the forces of the Mask of Winters; of the 3,000 troops sent, all but the Glorious 100, including one of the city's patron dieties, Shield of a Different Day, died. That made Great Forks, the City of Temples, easy prey for the Walker in Darkness, or so it seemed. Smoke Wolf and Inara Smalltooth, with Inara's mercenary company the Iron Wolves, marched on Great Forks. They bolstered the city's defenses and trained the replacement forces. When the Walker In Darkness's army attacked, they were met by a fresh, highly trained, highly mobile and disciplined force, and were soundly defeated. Not only did Great Forks survive, it thrived, thanks in large part to Smoke Wolf's troops, training, and individual battle prowess. Which brings us to...

A Major Setting Change: One of the Three patron gods of Great Forks, Daysheild, was killed in the battle with the Mask of Winters. Smoke Wolf and Inara Smalltooth stepped in soon after, bolstering Great Forks' defenses and helping train their army. Although Great Forks' most martial god, Daysheild, was killed, the city was able to repel the Walker In Darkness, and now has a highly mobile and disciplined strike force to rival the First Field Force Rangers of the Seventh Legion. Which brings us to...

Smoke Wolf's Motivation: Destroy the Deathlords threatening the Scavenger Empire's way of life.

Minor Setting Change: There is a small Wyld Zone just outside of Great Forks. It is so small that nothing but an ancient townhouse fits over it. This townhouse is actually a tomb of a First Age Solar and Lunar, and, unsurprisingly, they are Smoke's and Inara's previous incarnations. Because Inara is tatooed, she can stay in the townhouse as often as she wants, but she was afraid for Smoke, so she gave him the Hearthstone (Orb of the Unnoticed Predator), and pleaded with him to stay away. Smoke must find other accommodations in Great Forks in order to: 1) Keep his little woman (who wields a very large daiklave) happy, and 2) avoid being warped by the Wyld. (and since the Wyld is one of the factions About Which We Don't Give A Crap, I figure it's so small as to be harmless, but large enough to produce a Lunar aspected Hearthstone. Hope that's OK!)

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VERALI, Keeper of the Solar Flame

Verali's motivation is--at present, to reclaim the Book of Three Circles from the clutches of the evil overlord presently cackling over it. While she has a subgoal/intimacy of establishing some sense of order and balance in the world, the Heroic Thing is really secondary to advancing her knowledge of how Creation operates, and how to bend the forces of Creation to her whim.

In that sense--at risk of evoking an argument, if you had to give her a traditional alignment, she'd probably be somewhere in the Neutral ranges. She's not a crazy baby eater, maniacal overlord, or fond of blood sacrifices, but at the same time, she's not going to go particularly out of her way to save a random village off in the corner--her 'Choices' when going up the Circles was to give up various degrees of focus on particular areas--in short, giving up the luxury of following your own ideals in the overwhelming presence of the Big Picture, and to come to realize that in the name of the greater good, sometimes you've got to let people shoot themselves in the foot. It fits in with how one of her first Solar Circle Spells were specifically designed to clean 'UP' the messes that had been thrown around by the mad Celestials of the past. (Adamant Circle Countermagic, and Cleansing Solar Flame to close Shadowlands)

She works with the Circle because they work well together, and their goals--if not neccessarily one-hundred percent united as one--are at least supportive enough that it's more practical to work together then apart. To say there aren't certain bonds of comraderie at this point would be a lie, but she's not going to endanger Creation's overall survival, and if their end would further that goal, she'd probably stand back and let their fate come to them.

I may not have worded it as clearly as what I have in mind--it makes her sound grim and dour--she really isn't, she's quirky, excitable, and generally a fun person to be around. It just doesn't mean she's particularly Stupid like some like that tend to come across as.

Thoughts?

EDIT: As for a nickname... How's about the 'Keeper of the Solar Flame', for her propensity towards heavy artillery weapons, effects, and high-end equipment to make up for comparably-lesser combat skills? It has the little double-meaning as well for being one of the first Solar Circle sorcerers in an Age?

• One incident in which their Limit Break caused problems for another PC.

Verali is very much a bit of a quirky sort of character even under the best of circumstances. Given how her Limit Break causes her normally balancing degree of common sense and intelligence to take a nap for a day or so... Well, the group had just gotten back from Dendansor, and she was already feeling rather proud of herself with her new shiny armor, and a nice First Age Siege weapon she had managed to restore--and when Juggernaut first began looming on the horizon--the plan being to at least show up a semblance of negotiation to give what remained of Lookshy's defenders time to dig in, she had--instead, decided to take several rather painful pot-shots at the giant Behemoth, effectively buggering that little attempt at a plan

• One ally of the Circle. This ally will be closest to the character of the player choosing them, but should have tension or conflict with another PC. Please note that they can be a canon character from an existing book, but I will be just as happy (perhaps more happy!) if you make up an NPC. This type of ally should be decently powerful or influential: another Exalt, a God, a large nation or city.

Verali has been working very hard at advertising her attempts to assemble a team of expert craftsmen ever since the Circle had dug in. Particularly was a rather bright--if a little quiet at skittish young man of no particularly distinctive features--save for some rather pleasant looking glittery red eyes... In any case, regardless of such little details, they've had some remarkably excellent insights on some of the twistier little details of high-end artifice, and she's quite thankful for their presence.

• One enemy defeated by the PC. This defeat will become relevant to future conflicts, as it’s an established element of your setting. Choose an NPC who you’re happy to have come back to haunt you (either literally, or in the form of allies, lackeys, curses or other consequences). Conversely, you get fame and boasting rights for the defeat, so don't hold back! Again, feel free to make up an new NPC for this. Prime suspects based on what we have from the Legend: deathknights of the Mask of Winters, or the Walker In Darkness, "bad" Lunars, "bad" Solars, a Sidereal assassin, a Wyld Hunt from the Realm.

Shortly after the haze on Dendansor had lifted, naturally, several of the decidedly more unpleasant forces lying not too far off--particularly the Walker In Darkness--who had a few operatives in the area--wanted a piece of the giant first age pie... That said, while the others of the Circle were busy trying to pass the request for alliance down to the Confederation of Rivers' Powers That Are, Verali was left alone against a rapid-response force tossed up...

However, she had just recently managed to restore several rather useful little things--a number of automatons that were ready for action, and a rather powerful bit of armor that was just about finished when Dendnasor went bad. Finding the documentation and completing it, Verali then proceeded on laying down a barrage of artillery down on the positions of the Walker's forces, and successfully managed to reduce at least one Midnight Caste who was making a point of looking overly important into a fine smear on the plains.

They eventually broke off and made a run for it, deciding that a direct approach wasn't precisely in the cards....

• One living enemy of the Circle. This enemy will have the greatest ire of the character of the player choosing them, but should have some sort of bond or positive connection with another PC.

Verali doesn't like Raksi--she thinks she's an entirely terrible being that needs to have bolts of death and explosion rained down on her and her army--preferably sooner rather then later. She's heard much of the baby-eating Lunar Elder by now--and especially since she's essentially sitting on the greatest font of sorcerous knowledge in Creation--and being the only one in Creation (As far as she knows anyway) who can utilize a third of the sorcery that would be listed in it, she deems it her divine right to 'Liberate' the Book from Raksi's clutches. She figures it'll count as her Epic Good Deed for the next century or so as well.

• An NPC who owes the PC a debt.

Verali lifted the curse on Amilar Kraik--she had attended the Academy during her younger years--being born from an insanely rich family that wanted to put their daughter's fearsome intelligence to work. When combined with the addition of some restored magitech healing devices, the Valkhawsen Administrator has pledged his fortune and influence to aid in her cause when need be as thanks for giving his life back.

It also helps that she occasionally teaches classes there when there's a bit of spare time--having an Adamant Circle Sorceress of the Silurian School--rather rapidly approaching the Absorption for that matter--has been a boon that's rejuvinated attendance significantly to this day.

• An NPC whom the PC owes a debt. These two debts should be roughly equivalent. Ayesha Ura had--intentionally or not--managed to pull a certain amount of strings, and get Verali enrolled in Department 137 for a while--thinking that the effort involved would certainly be enough to initiate the Solar into the Celestial Circle, and in that sense, indebt Verali to the efforts of the Gold Faction--in that sense, Verali greatly agrees that the education there was excellent, and she'd have never progressed without it... Unfortunately though for Ayesha, Verali had already achieved the Sapphire Circle through her journeys prior to this--and merely hadn't yet found any sorcery of that level to cast. The education, instead, pushed her over the top right into the Adamant Circle.

So, while Verali agrees that she owes a tremendous debt to "That nice lady", the Sidereal is presently kicking herself for getting into the habit of assessing for Terrestrial Circle ability, without bothering to check for Celestial Circle.

• A major change to the setting. This is a change on the level of a destruction of a city, a major shift in alliances, or the death of a powerful Exalted. While this should usually be the result of the Circle’s actions (particularly those of the PC in question), it’s not strictly necessary.

The normally frequent Wyld Patches in the River Provinces have been mostly cut down over the last few adventures--when considering transportation is no longer by any means 'Slow' for a small group, it didn't take long for the Solars to patch up the most egregious holes in Creation. While in the process, they also sealed a few minor Shadowlands. As such, while the largest of the bruises on Creation still remain intact, and are now well fortified from intrusion, many of the smaller entryways are no longer a threat.

• A minor change to the setting. Mostly for colour and fun, this should be a tweak to the setting, such as an unexpected marriage, a change to the name of a city, or an important God being fired from their job.

The Tepet Legions weren't quite as decimated as they were in canon--it was still a nasty hit, but they still remain viable as a house, and they're mad as heck at the Solars for bringing them so close to a nasty position.

• Personality.

As said, energetic, prone to the philosophy of taking grand, highly demoralizing, and sweeping actions when dealing with the more troublesome sorts in Creation (After all, more lives are saved if half the opposing force is incinerated with the fires of Ligier, then it is if you've got to use your own men to deal with them, right?). And utterly, utterly brilliant, there is very little information that she doesn't already know, and while she's prone to getting excited and going entirely too far when given the opportunity to try getting a little... 'Creative' when she thinks something's a little too regular.

Nonetheless, she has a powerful sense of ethics. Recognizing that the Solars of the first age got killed because they wound up tampering with terrible, terrible things, Verali is well aware that there is no possible way that she would be able to bring herself to matching some of those terrible things. She may be good with weapons of considerable destruction, and putting together and repairing powerful and flashy equipment, but she draws the line at negotiating with demons, and tampering with living beings.

• Appearance:

Varies just a tiny bit, depending on the situation. Normally, Verali will be busy puttering around with her usual attire of a rather nicely designed gray coat, over a top of a slightly darker shade, lined with various blue, somewhat occultishly significant designs. Below is a split skirt of a dull, not quite so ostentacious shade of gold, and a set of white trousers visible beneath that. She'll usually be sporting a pair of flamepieces, one tucked into a holster on each side of her, usually concealed by the skirt.

When trouble lies on the horizon though, she breaks out the heavier artillery--specifically, a set of golden powered armor lovingly completed, and customized for Verali's own self and style--much of it is set up to cover her weakenesses, the orichalcum plates have been reinforced significantly, and as much of the extraneous little details have been removed, leaving it with the sigils and designs it requires to function, and little else. She'll also usually be sporting a fuel bolt launcher at this point as well, and is quite keen on using it whenever she gets a chance, relying on her superior mobility and equipment to compensate for her comparably weak combat skills.

• Circlemates.

Jorim: 'He's a nice guy, really, while he's a little bit too focused on helping every little thing he can, he's mostly good enough that the corresponding lack of efficiency doesn't stop him from succeeding anyway. While we have our occasional disagreements, he's fairly ethical in his own right, and it wouldn't be too hard to overly get along with him.

Smoke Wolf: 'Anyone with the patience to stalk and counterstalk the powerful generals of an army for two days without rest is a man to be reckoned with. While he's just a tiny bit cold about such things... Well, to be honest, you'd have to be cold to last long in his profession, and it is a little neccessary, given how twisty our foes can wind up getting. It would be nice if he could loosen up a bit though'

Xiao Pung: 'Err, he's completely lost his memory of a significant portion of his life? It's possible, I guess, I've heard of spells that could do that, but they're customarily not quite that precise--and I've been tossing countermagic at it whenever I think he isn't looking. Given how my countermagic was able to cancel the haze around Dendansor--something that had been impossible for centuries--I'm a little concerned about what took them--it's either Necromancy at a corresponding level of enlightenment, heaven forbid, as we'd likely all be killed if that's the case--or someone else has been screwing around... I don't like it much, he bears watching.'

---

XIAO PUNG, THE RELENTLESS INQUISITOR

Originally a magistrate of Lookshy, a decent, upstanding fellow from a Helot family who had been magistrates and police for years, Xiao Pung lead a boring life. However, one day, he literally disappeared. Even he doesn't remember how he Exalted, except that his mind exploded as the Unconquered Sun gave him the command, "find that which has been stolen from you." All he knows is that he struggled mightily against something which had stolen his will, and had won.

Across his body are tatoos of constellations and stars. Most of his shoulders and arms have been filled in with tattoos done in fine Moonsilver, Orichalcum, fine Jade of various colors and subtle shades of Starmetal.

Personality: While he is relentless, he is not a zealot - he is a policeman and a sage. Back before the unpleasantness of his life, he walked the streets of the manse and the promentory. Due to the decent way in which the Lookshy Terrestrials treat their Helots, like many of the 7th he is more apt to regard the members of the various Gens as "humans with powers" as opposed to "enlightened demigod." Indeed, he finds Blessed Isle immaculate dogma laughable, and regards himself as someone whom has been given a grave responsibility, not an entitlement.

In public, he is pleasant, well spoken, punctual and unfailingly polite. Having been a law officer and public official, he knows how to change his demeanor to interface with various levels of society, from coming upon a soldier's dice game to bending one knee before a high ranking Taiso.

The Inquisitor has a curious attitude towards bribes - he has never, ever taken a bribe himself. However, sometimes not taking a gratuity can be percieved as an insult and can leads to more trouble. Therefore, he'll sometimes direct someone who wants to make a customary 'gift payment' to donate the same amount to the temple poor fund, in exchange for him overlooking something harmless, like a dice game. However, no customary payment can get him to ignore substantial crimes, and such attempts will gain a scoundrel twice the force on their head from Merciful Correction, his Orichalcum Wrackstaff. He is especially hard on pimps and drug dealers, but is something of a softie for working girls and boys (whom he protects), card sharks (as they take money only from fools) and civilians who get into trouble due to ignorance. There will always be a certain level of crime, and the Inquisitor is skilled at using the Street, normally the stronghold of those he fights, to his advantage. Vagrants, hookers, kids, and other decent street people know the Inquisitor as a friend, and being close to such people were part of his victory of Ben Heru The Green Dragon.

Xing is a man in his mid 20s, he usually dresses in a mandarin jacket with trousers, with black hair tied into a partial queue and kind blue eyes. However, when aroused, his face becomes stern and stony as he brings maldoers to justice.

In his dealing with Lookshy Dragon Bloods and humans, he still hasnt gotten the notion that he is a Solar prince. He still customarily bows to Terrestrials as if he was a Helot, and uses the inferior politeness level of Riverspeak when he deals with high ranking officers of the 7th Legion. In his mind, he is a civilian who has been granted special power by the Sun in order to save the world - the Terrestrials are still it's natural, day to day rulers. He is more comfortable with the idea of Solars as Bhodisattvas who meditate in the wilderness or as hero-saints who appear when the world is in peril than as rulers - he is starting to formulate an opinion that it was their power that doomed the old Solars, and that they overstepped their bounds.

Quote: One ally of the Circle. This ally will be closest to the character of the player choosing them, but should have tension or conflict with another PC. Please note that they can be a canon character from an existing book, but I will be just as happy (perhaps more happy!) if you make up an NPC. This type of ally should be decently powerful or influential: another Exalt, a God, a large nation or city. Gracious Shaia. In addition to her relationship with Jorim, she had something to do with the 5 year period of his life where Xiao Pung was some kind of tool. SHe has sworn that she does not know what he was used for, but has an idea who may have done it, "but I am sworn not to reveal these secrets." Knowing that Shaia is indeed telling the truth, the Inquisitor has not pressed the point, determined that he will get to the bottom of these things on his own. Further, he respect the fact that she has left whatever life she had before she met them in order to be with them.

The tension and conflict is that Shaia is attracted to Xiao as she is faithful and loyal to Jorim. It doesn't help that Xiao comes from a decent, immaculate worshipping family in Lookshy - things like Polyarmory are disgraceful. For his part, Xiao is stoic and treats Shaia with professional courtesy, but his powers of insight see past her many masks and be enchanted by the kind, sweet woman who hides beneath the skeins of destiny. He's not certain of Jorim's feelings on this and certainly wouldn't want to interfere in any relationship of his circle mates. But, a moment's indiscretion may lead to a passionate, explosive encounter.

Quote: • One enemy defeated by the PC. This defeat will become relevant to future conflicts, as it’s an established element of your setting. Choose an NPC who you’re happy to have come back to haunt you (either literally, or in the form of allies, lackeys, curses or other consequences). Conversely, you get fame and boasting rights for the defeat, so don't hold back! Again, feel free to make up an new NPC for this. Prime suspects based on what we have from the Legend: deathknights of the Mask of Winters, or the Walker In Darkness, "bad" Lunars, "bad" Solars, a Sidereal assassin, a Wyld Hunt from the Realm. The Infernal Ban Lan Heru, the Green Dragon, Crime Lord of Lookshy, once offered to tell the Relentless Inquisitor the entire story of whom and how he served during his 5 years, in exchange for merely saying yes to the awesome power of being an Akauma. This corrupted Lunar Half Moon can take any shape and enter any dwelling, but his protean nature was no match for the sagacious investigative skills of the Relentless Inquisitor. After tracking him, finding him, defeating him in an awesome combat in the depths of the Lookshy Factory-Cathedral and forcing from him a confession, he dropped the Infernal off at the nearest Yu Shan Gate under the custody of Gracious Shaia.

As the Inquisitor not only destroyed his control over Lookshy (including using the Lookshy Manse as a gateway for Malfeas himself), the Lunar Infernal has sword vengeance!

Quote: • One incident in which their Limit Break caused problems for another PC. The Inquisitor will not stop an investigation until he gets to the absolute bottom of the objective truth. While this makes him a terrific law officer, it makes him a walking land mine for politics, especially when he is in Limit Break. When the Great Forks deity of the drug trade, Comfortable Repose, visited Lookshy with his entourage and distributed his wares freely, including wares quite illegal in Lookshy, the Inquisitor viciously beat the minor deity and had him locked in the Lookshy Donjon. This caused a diplomatic row with Great Forks which still has not been entirely resolved. The Inquisitor responded - "This godling knew what medicines were legal here and not. My home is not a new market for dream dust or heroine." The only people who approved were members of Lookshy's Dragon Blooded old guard and immaculate Temple, who praised Xiao as a "true son of the 7th". During prior visits, the Lookshy Wardens would gather up the "samples" and humor the deity during negotiations for necessary medicines such as morphine.

Needless to say, Comfortable Repose hates the Relentless Inquisitor in such a way that he is uncomfortable, as being humbled by a Solar caused him to lose much face. Further, the idea of a returned god king who would ruthlessly reduce the power of gods such as him makes the god, and his superiors in Yu Shan, even more uncomfortable. He will do much to eliminate the Solar if he can, using his considerable social networks to his advantage. Quote: • An NPC whom the PC owes a debt. The Bull of the North, Yurgen Cheranko. The Bull and the Inquisitor are nearly opposites, but when the Inquisitor Exalted during the pivotal battle between the Tepet Legions and the Icewalker horde, Xiao tipped the balance. It didn't help that Xiao, appearing from nowhere and babbling incoherently, was immediately attacked by Realm forces, but Xiao's retaliation caused an entirely Tepet flank to collapse, an opportunity which the Bull immediately seized. The Bull and his circle took the newborn Solar in, and once he had his feet, pointed him towards Denandsor, as they had heard that a circle of Solars were already investigating the cursed city.

As such, the Inquisitor swore a willing oath to come to the assistance of the Icewalker chieftain 3 times, but not to render such an reasonable service that would be suicide, turn against the Unconquered Sun or that would damage his honor. As this is an Eclipse backed Oath, Xiao treats it with grave seriousness. He has informed the Circle of this promise, as the Bull asking him to stand aside if the Icewalker Horde and Lookshy/Denandsor were to ever come in conflict would be a reasonable request. More likely, the Bull will demand use of his combat or investigative expertise in an unrelated matter. Quote: • An NPC who owes the PC a debt. Tien Yu, the goddess of Lookshy, was left without defenders when she descended from Yu Shan to personally fight on behalf of her city. When the Spectres known as the 12 Divine Consumers, a special unit that the Mask had designed to destroy city gods, descended on her shrine at the top of Lookshy manse, only the Relentless Inquisitor was close enough to assist.

Such was his display of martial arts mastery (and the assistance of a unit of Brass Legionnaires) that Tien Yu, after the battle was won, offered the inquisitor one of two great rewards - either using her divine authority to authorize her personal instruction of him in the Sidereal level martial arts, transcending the authority of the 5 fold fellowship as one of the major goddesses of war, and granting the authority to teach, or allowing him in perpetuity to sleep with her at any time, for the rest of time.

Needless to say, when confronted with the Goddess' fierce, martial beauty, he was tempted mightily, but instead chose the the way of martial wisdom. As a twilight, the workings of the universe fascinate him, and he feels that martial arts is a better reflection of understanding the cosmos than fickle Sorcery.

Needless to say, the 5 Fold fellowship is aghast, but the destiny seal on Lookshy prevents them from interfering in Tien Yu's teaching project in anyway way. Further, as Sol Invictus' personal eye is on Lookshy and Denandsor, the Relentless Inquisitor will learn the Sidereal (or, as he prefers the 1st Age Term, Solar level of Martial Arts), the needs of the Sidereals be damned. Quote: • A major change to the setting. This is a change on the level of a destruction of a city, a major shift in alliances, or the death of a powerful Exalted. While this should usually be the result of the Circle’s actions (particularly those of the PC in question), it’s not strictly necessary. On the Calibration of the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress, the doors to the Jade Pleasure Dome were flung wide open. Sol Invictus and Luna strode out, arm in arm and smiling serenely, as the Sister and Brother Queen and King of Heaven assumed their old roles. The Maidens are still in the games, however, and direct yet light handed orders are issued from the Divine Throne in regards to fate and destiny - one of them was the sealing order on Lookshy, signed by Mars when she could be distracted from the games and countersigned by the Sun. The Sun and Moon also seem especially grim, as if carefully preparing for some great future event. They however do not especially interfere with events in Creation that heavily. As a side effect, overt corruption has been swept from the streets of heaven, and the Sun and Moon have put many gods and goddesses to work, reclaiming the old, ruined areas of Yu Shan. The Armies of Heaven drill under Sol's and Luna's direction.

When asked about the absense of the Maidens, Sol grimly states, "we won the game, they did not." Quote: • A minor change to the setting. Mostly for colour and fun, this should be a tweak to the setting, such as an unexpected marriage, a change to the name of a city, or an important God being fired from their job. Sidereal martial arts are actually Solar martial arts, and were discovered by the Solar Exalted in the ancient depths of the Primordial age in much the same way that Solar Sorcery was. None could match the puissance of the ancient Solar Masters of martial arts back in the 1st Age, and both Lunar and Sidereal students bent knee to the true masters. These ancient ways of combat and essence eventually became called the Sidereal level since they were the only ones in Heaven who could commonly use them. Also, ancient Lunars such as Lilith make use of Solar level martial arts, but neither Sidereals nor Lunars can create such awesome charms - much like Solar Circle Sorcery, this is the sole province of the god-kings of Creation. When the Solar Exalted regain their combat arts, the world will shake!

---

JORIM, the HEART OF THE SWORD

He began life as a craftsman, a smith in the nameless village within the Scavenger Lands. He did not know why the mercenaries attacked his town, only that they would kill everyone. So he picked up a hammer and fought. He knew that he had no chance of victory, but if he could only delay them long enough for some to escape, that might be enough.

He was honestly as surprised as anyone else when, in the midst of battle, he began to glow with a golden aura, picked up a fallen merc's sword, and decimated his foes. But when he came to his senses, he was stunned and horrified by the sheer carnage he had wrought. So he left and wandered for a time, before sitting in a clearing and meditating on what he had become.

He does not speak, now, of what he learned that day. He says only that the Sun told him of another path. He bears a sword, but rarely draws it, and never in agression, if he can help it. Now, he wields his sword to protect those who cannot defend themselves.

Quote: • One incident in which their Limit Break caused problems for another PC. --Red Rage of Compassion seems to be an appropriate Limit Break for Jorim, so I'm sure there's plenty of times that this could've come into play. Nothing specific at the moment.

Quote: • One ally of the Circle. This ally will be closest to the character of the player choosing them, but should have tension or conflict with another PC. Please note that they can be a canon character from an existing book, but I will be just as happy (perhaps more happy!) if you make up an NPC. This type of ally should be decently powerful or influential: another Exalt, a God, a large nation or city. --Gracious Shaia, Chosen of Serenity. Once, Shaia was considered to be the most potent recruiter that the Cult of the Illuminated had. She was a grandmaster (grandmistress?) of assuming whatever role would be most effective at recruiting newly-Exalted Solars. Then one day, she met up with Jorim. He wasn't like any Solar she'd ever seen before -- for the first time in her more than two centuries as an Exalt, she'd found that she didn't need a mask to deal with someone. The two Celestials remained in close contact from that point forward; in fact, it was Shaia who alerted the Circle to the Auspicious Passage Gates, allowing them to get to Lookshy in time to drive off the Mask of Winter's forces. Since then, she's left her role in the Cult behind, preferring to serve Jorim and his Circle as an advisor, much as she might have in the First Age. In addition, her presence serves to keep the Gold Faction from trying to interfere too heavily with matters in the Scavenger Lands. Of course, her previous allegiances might not endear her to some of the Circle.

Quote: • One enemy defeated by the PC. This defeat will become relevant to future conflicts, as it’s an established element of your setting. Choose an NPC who you’re happy to have come back to haunt you (either literally, or in the form of allies, lackeys, curses or other consequences). Conversely, you get fame and boasting rights for the defeat, so don't hold back! Again, feel free to make up an new NPC for this. Prime suspects based on what we have from the Legend: deathknights of the Mask of Winters, or the Walker In Darkness, "bad" Lunars, "bad" Solars, a Sidereal assassin, a Wyld Hunt from the Realm. --In the battle against the Mask of Winters, Jorim defeated several powerful foes. The most difficult fight he faced, though, was a Dusk caste Deathknight named (ST can pick the name, since we've shown I'm rubbish at it), a somber warrior who fought with paired soulsteel short daiklaives. Poets might have later written epics about their duel, if any of them could have seen the strikes as anything other than gold and black blurs. But the fight focused less on their weapons, and more on their will. The Deathknight, though he served a treacherous master, still possessed a great nobility within his soul, that Jorim recognized as a kindred spirit. In the First Age, perhaps they had fought side by side against the Primordials, pushing each other to greater heights. But Fate had decreed that only one of them would triumph that day, and it was Jorim. When his foe fell (as the stories now go), a single ray of sunlight pierced the battle and illuminated the Dusk caste. Jorim claims that the Unconquered Sun recognized the Deathknight's prowress that day, redeeming his blackened soul in death. No one is certain as to the truth of this; most people (including Jorim) remain unaware of the true nature of the Abyssals, and neither Sol Invictus, Lytek, or any other entity who could confirm his redemption remain mute on the subject. But the Mask of Winters is said to have cursed long and loud at this loss, and only ceased sending out forces in revenge when none of them ever returned.

Quote: • One living enemy of the Circle. This enemy will have the greatest ire of the character of the player choosing them, but should have some sort of bond or positive connection with another PC. --Lyta, Dawn caste. Lyta was in the process of gathering a formidable force to destroy the Realm, when Jorim appeared. At first, the two got along rather well -- until he became aware of just how freaking crazy & sadistic she was the sheer volume of killing she intended, and she realized that he wasn't too crazy about Dragon-Blooded genocide. The fight between the two was a sight to behold. In the end, though, Lyta lay soundly defeated. Jorim bade her army disband, and they did. Still, she could've taken all of that, if not for what he did before leaving. He spoke kindly to her, telling her of the Way that he espoused, and asking her to at least consider it. Since then, she's become determined to prove the rightness of her cause by utterly destroying his.

Quote: • An NPC who owes the PC a debt. --Miyoji, a young (perhaps 15 summers at most) mortal* of Lookshy. He began begging Jorim to train him after seeing the Solar's feats in battle; eventually, the Dawn Caste agreed, taking him into his small elite forces. Over only a few months of training, Miyoji has excelled, impressing everyone with his rapid improvement. Still, he knows that he owes Jorim everything for his start, and is determined to repay that debt through service.

• Miyoji may be a heroic mortal now, but I figure that he would be more powerful later, in order to match up debts. I had two thoughts in mind for him: first, he could be a God-Blood, one of Tien Yu's children (she does have several, according to the 2e Scavenger Lands book). They're not generally acknowledged, but given that Lookshy's prophesied end is coming, it's possible that he could end up becoming a God and taking on a larger role later on. If that doesn't work, then his sheer skill and determination as a mortal makes him a likely candidate for Exaltation sometime down the road.

Quote: • An NPC whom the PC owes a debt. --Seijiro, God of Swordplay. Seijiro has found Jorim to be an interesting study, and has taught the Dawn caste (who was not trained as a warrior) much of the art of swordfighting. It is rumored that Seijiro is even the one who told Jorim where to find his daiklaive, dating back to the First Age. While Jorim's exploits have increased the god's standing in Yu-Shan, the Solar knows that the scales are still unbalanced in his favor. As a result, he will aid the god if at all possible, without violating his own convictions.

Quote: • A major change to the setting. This is a change on the level of a destruction of a city, a major shift in alliances, or the death of a powerful Exalted. While this should usually be the result of the Circle’s actions (particularly those of the PC in question), it’s not strictly necessary. --The Realm has officially declared the Scarlet Empress to be dead. With the ascension to power of the Scavenger Land Solars, the Realm can no longer afford the time to search for their missing ruler. An Emperor or Empress is needed in order for the Realm to be preserved, and so the selection process is underway. It seems likely that Mnemon will be chosen as the new ruler of the Realm (and any rumors that she may have pushed for her mother's death notice have been firmly quashed). Of course, should the Empress reappear at some point and discover what has transpired in her absence, she is likely to not take it well....

Quote: • A minor change to the setting. Mostly for colour and fun, this should be a tweak to the setting, such as an unexpected marriage, a change to the name of a city, or an important God being fired from their job.

Motivation: Protect those who cannot protect themselves. Jorim is focused on defending those who cannot defend themselves. While he prefers to minimize casualties when fighting, if at all possible, he has no problem using lethal force in order to achieve this goal. (Compassion is his highest virtue, but all the others do apply).

A few thoughts on this, that, and the other thing.

• It's likely that Jorim knows to some extent as to the connection between the Inquisitor and Shaia. He and the Sidereal have what appears to be a very quiet and subtle relationship to most -- but they are extremely honest and open with each other, no matter what. The potential for trouble is there, true, but Shaia is his lover, his closest confidante and friend....and Xiao is a Circlemate, something that is beyond friendship in many ways.

It is a complex situation, to be sure, but all involved are generally mature, reasonable adults. He trusts the two of them greatly. As such, Jorim prefers to treat it as a "Let's not cross that bridge until we must" situation. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the best he has at the moment.

• Minor Change: With the Unconquered Sun's return to Yu Shan at large, His chosen hear from Him more regularly. Perhaps it is a determination to afford Creation and the Exalted every chance to not repeat their prior mistakes, or it may simply be a move that none can properly interpret at this time. Nonetheless, if a Solar Exalted prays to their patron, Sol Invictus is likely to at least reply (though He remains unlikely to offer anything other than moral support).

• Limit Break details: Shortly after the Battle for Lookshy, the Heart of the Sword encountered a Lookshyian officer beating several helots, berating them for not doing enough to preserve his city. Already pushed close to the edge by the atrocities of war, Jorim unsheathed his sword and challenged the man to a duel. He did not toy with his opponent, but the end took longer and was more brutal than one might have expected. Unfortunately, seeing a Solar Anathema kill a citizen to defend helots did not endear him (or his circle) to many in Lookshy.

In his defense, after calming himself, Jorim formally apologized to the 7th Legion Commanders and the city at large. He explained his actions as "defending those who were not even given a chance to prove themselves in battle; had they shown true cowardice, I would not have done what I did. Nevertheless, I may only ask for your forgiveness for my deeds." It helped smooth things over a bit, but it's still remembered by those who dislike the Solar rule.

• Personality. Jorim lives by the saying "Moderation in all things, including moderation." He firmly believes that a Solar's duty is to lead people -- and one can't do that effectively from a alabaster tower a half-mile above the ground. If you're going to effectively govern and defend people, you need to be a part of them whenever possible. Still, he knows that what he is sets him apart from the rest of Creation.

As a result, he seems pleasant, but somewhat reserved to most people. He will gladly spend his free time talking with normal people, training those who wish to learn, and offering advice, if he thinks it will be taken. He's never happier than when walking around, whether it's in the streets of Lookshy or the jungles that cover most of the region. However, when around those he trusts most (and that's the Circle, Shaia, and his followers, in no particular order), he does tend to open up a bit more and shed the "Caine in Kung Fu" vibes, so to speak.

• Circlemates. He and Smoke Wolf likely met first. Jorim isn't fond of mercenaries (as per his backstory), but at the same time, he would've respected a force that was that obviously well-trained and well-disciplined. If approached with an alliance offer (and the cause was right), Jorim would likely have signed on, and then stuck around out of sheer relief from meeting another (non-genocidal) Solar. As others showed up, it would've been a pleasant surprise until their circle was formed.

He and Smoke Wolf have abilities that complement each other well, and tend to get along just fine (I'm not too sure as to Smoke Wolf's personality, so I won't get into details right now). Verali's antics and insistence on focusing on the big picture can drive Jorim to exasperation at times....but at the same time, he knows that she's often right, and that the details don't matter if the bigger picture is ignored. The two of them usually end up looking like "overeager younger sister/too-calm bigger brother" to outsiders; but Jorim would go to nearly any lengths to help her with her goals (not to mention, taking down Raksi sounds good to him -- she sounds too much like Lyta for his tastes!) And Jorim greatly respects Xiao Pung's devotion to justice, and his utter determination to do what is right. At the same time, he is the one who would usually be urging him to temper his justice with mercy whenever possible.

• NPCs

--Moraven Soshir, Eclipse Caste & freelance diplomat. While not nearly as experienced as the Denandsor circle, Moraven has earned a reputation as a keen negotiator in the Scavenger Lands. Originally from Great Forks, he achieved his greatest feat when he disarmed his First Age incarnation's tomb in Nexus, retrieving the legendary Third-Arm Glaive from his coffin. Since that time, he has been based out of Nexus (no surprise, since his Lunar mate is based in that city), but serves as an ally of the Circle. His major job is acting as go-between for the Circle and the Emissary; however, he also sometimes goes through parts of the Hundred Kingdoms, spreading the stories of the Solars' return. Moraven is an Eclipse I've played in various quickly-collapsed games; his primary skills are Bureaucracy and Presence, but he is a Terrestrial-Circle sorceror, capable of casting several handy spells (especially Infallible Messenger!)

Name: Smoke Wolf Caste: Night Calling: Lookshy Ranger (Haltan Commando) Motivation: Destroy the Deathlords that threaten the Scavenger Empire’s way of life. Attributes: Str: 4 (4bp) Cha: 3 Per: 4 (4bp) Dex: 5 Man: 3 Int: 3 Sta: 4 App: 2 Wis: 4

Abilities Archery Martial Arts: 2 Melee Thrown (Calling, Favored, +5) 5 (Sling +3) War (Calling, Favored, +3) 5 (1bp )(Recon +1)

Athletics (Calling, +3) 5 (1bp) (Climbing +1) Awareness (+3) 5 (2.5 bp) (Join battle +2) Dodge (Calling, +5) 5 (melee attacks +2, ranged attacks +1) Larceny (Favored) 5 (1 bp) Stealth (Calling, +5) 5 (Join Battle +3)

Integrity Performance Presence 2 Resistance (Favored, +3) 5 (2.5 bp) (Healing +1, Mote recovery +1) Survival (Favored, +3) 5 (2 bp) (Evasion)

Bureaucracy Linguistics Ride Sail Socialize

Crafts Investigate (Favored) 2 Lore Medecine Occult 1

Essence: 3 Willpower: 7

Personal Essence: 16 Committed Total Available 16 Peripheral Essence: 39 Committed Bracers 4 Sling 3 Breastplate 2 Total Available 30

Compassion: 2 Conviction: 4 Temperance: 3 Valor: 2

Health: 0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated

Move 5 yards, Dash 11 yards, Jump 9 yards vertical 18 yards horizontal (18 and 36 w/ Monkey Leap)

Natural Soak: 4B/2L Armored Soak 8B/6L; Total soak 12B/8L Hardness: 4B/4L

Dodge DV: 8 for melee, 7 for ranged

Sling attack Speed 5, Accuracy pool 16d, Damage 9L, Rate 2, Range 200 yards

Join Battle: 11

Backgrounds Manse 3- Lunar aspected, an apartment building in the Firewander District of Nexus. Hearthstone: Orb of the Unnoticed Predator: bearer creates no tracks, increases difficulty of Awareness rolls to notice him by 1 Artifact 1: Orichalcum Sling of Deadly Prowess Artifact 1: Orichalcum Breastplate Artifact 2: Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers Resources 3 Backing 3: Seventh Legion

Charms Shadow Over Water Seven Shadows Evasion Reflex Sidestep Technique Flow Like Blood Graceful Crane Stance Monkey Leap Technique Foe Vaulting Method Triple Distance Attack Cascade of Cutting Terror First Thrown Excellency Observer Deceiving Attack Mist On Water Attack Falling Icicle Strike Ox Body Technique Second Stealth Excellency Second Larceny Excellency Spider Foot Style (3 bp)

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Name: Verali Noelan Caste: Twilight Calling: Master Crafter/Lady of Three Circles Motivation: Acquire the Book of Three Circles, then use the superior knowledge and sorcerous might to clean up the messes left from the First Age

Attributes: Str: 3 Cha: 3 Per: 5 Dex: 5 Man: 2 Int: 5 Sta: 2 App: 3 Wis: 2

Abilities Archery (Favored +3) 5 (2 BP) (Firearms +3 (1 BP)) Martial Arts: Melee Thrown War (Favored, +3) 3 Recon +1)

Athletics Awareness 3 Dodge (Calling, Favored, +3) 4 (1 BP) (In Armor +1) Larceny Stealth

Integrity (Favored, +3) 3 (Vs Unnatural Influence +1) Performance Presence 1 Resistance 1 Survival

Bureaucracy Linguistics 2 Ride Sail Socialize

Crafts (Calling, Favored, +5) Magitech (First Age Weapons +2, First Age Armor +1) Fire 2 (1 BP) Air 2 (1 BP) Earth 2 (1 BP) Investigate (Calling, Caste +3) 3 (Research +1) Lore (Calling, Caste +5) 5 (First Age +3) Medicine (Caste) Occult (Calling, Caste, +5) 5 (Sorcery +3)

Essence: 5 (14 BP) Willpower: 7

Personal Essence: 22 Committed Total Available 22 Peripheral Essence: 55 CBA 10 Total Available 45

Compassion: 2 Conviction: 4 Temperance: 2 Valor: 3

Virtue Flaw: Heart of Stone

Health: 0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated

Move 5 yards (10 in Armor), Dash 11 yards (22 in Armor), Jump 3 yards vertical, 6 yards horizontal (5 and 10 in armor)

Natural Soak: 2B/1L Armored Soak 17B/17L; Total soak 19B/18L Hardness: 11B/11L

Dodge DV:7 normally, 8 in armor

Fuel Bolt Launcher Speed 6, Acc 14, 18L, Rate 1, 30 yards range,

Twin Perfect Flame Pieces Speed 5, Acc 16, 9L, Rate 4 (Two Barrels, two guns), 8 yards range

Join Battle: 5

Backgrounds Manse 3--Solar Aspected Workshop-Manse in Dendansor--the Hearthstone is dedicated to powering her armor--usually, but on the off-chance that it's set to do something else, it counts as a Gem of Sorcery Manse Powers: Rainbow Tabernacle Workshop Manse (Dedicated to Magitech)

Artifact 5: Orichalcum Celestial Battle Armor --Enhanced Durability --Spirit Bane --Essence Wings

Artifact 2: Fuel Bolt Launcher --'Commandeered' while working on a major overhaul of Lookshy's armory, as payment for such an affair. While she does have a fine set of firepieces for more 'Sociable' encounters, this massive weapon--in combination with her attack Combo, makes for an excellent alternative to researching and developing a more nasty attack spell

Resources 3: While most of her income is tied up with restoration projects going on back at Dendansor, she has retained a certain small amount for her own purposes.

Followers 2: Roughly a score of mortal assistants, usually working on lesser projects to keep income at a decent rate, when not being tapped for a major project.

Allies 2: Sidereal Battles Caste 'Top Apprentice', capable of assisting in Artifact creation rolls/Amilar Kraik, Administrator of the Valkhawsen Academy, old and well educated in artifice--would count as much higher in a non-apotheosis game most likely.

Charms First Archery Excellency Infinite Archery Mastery Essence Arrow Attack (Righteous Judgement Arrow) Trance of Unhesitating Speed Arrow Storm Technique

Second Craft Excellency Craftsman Needs No Tools

Shadow Over Water Seven Shadows Evasion (Temperance Flaw)

Terrestrial Circle Sorcery Celestial Circle Sorcery Solar Circle Sorcery

Summon Elemental Chariot of the Blazing Sun Cleansing Solar Flames Adamant Countermagic

Combos: (Reserved for later)

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Name: Jorim "Heart of the Sword" Caste: Dawn Calling: Invincible Sword Prince Motivation: Protect those who cannot protect themselves

Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3 Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3 Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 4

Abilities: (Caste, Calling, Favored) Archery 1, Martial Arts 3 (Unarmed +1), Melee 5 (Swords +1, Daiklaives +2), War 4 (Small Units +1) Integrity 5 (Torture +1, Persuasion +1, Dragon-Blooded Charms +1), Presence 4 (Staredowns +1), Resistance 4 (In Combat +1), Survival 3 (Scavenger Lands +1) Investigation 1, Lore 1, Occult 1 Athletics 5 (Jumping +1, Running +2), Awareness 2, Dodge 1 Linguistics 2

Essence/Willpower: Essence: 4 Personal Essence: 20 Peripheral Essence: 44/59 (Committed: 5 to Daiklaive, 4 to Bracers, 3 to Cape, 2 to Sheath, 1 to Boots) Willpower: 8

Virtues: Compassion: 4 Conviction: 3 Temperance: 3 Valor: 3 Virtue Flaw: Red Rage of Compassion

Health: 0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated

Movement Speeds: 8 yards/tick moving, 17 yards/tick Dash

• Note: When using its powers, Jorim's hearthstone doubles these speeds to 16 yards/tick Move, 34 yards/tick Dash

Soak: 3B/2L Natural + 12B/9L Armor = 15B/11L Hardness: 6B/6L

Dodge DV: 5 (+3 dice from bracers) Parry DV (with Daiklaive): 9

Weapons (damage includes bracers): "Blade Which Splits the Sunbeams" (Reaper Daiklaive): Speed 4, Accuracy 5, Damage +7(L) (P), Defense +4, Rate 4

"Scabbard of Mercy": Speed 4, Accuracy 5, Damage +6(B), Defense +4, Rate 4

Join Battle: 6

Backgrounds Manse 5: Gem of Perfect Mobility. Usually stored in Hearthstone Bracers. Manse Powers: -Well-Flavored Aspect (Solar) -Comfort Zone -Conveniences -Password Activated -Adamant Circle Feedback In the eastern part of Denandsor, atop a hill crafted by knowledgeable savants, sits a good-sized dojo. The building appears plain to the unobservant, but it is a training facility of superb quality, elegant in its simplicity. It was designed for a Dawn Caste of the First Age, lit each morning by the Unconquered Sun's light. In deference to the original master's wishes that only combat be allowed within, the Manse negates any sorcery within its walls. Still, within its walls, the atmosphere is one of calmness, achieved through the perfection of combat. When the Circle unlocked Denandsor, Jorim was drawn to the place, and took the Hearthstone for his own. Presently, it serves as his Denandsor residence, and is his primary training ground. Seijiro is also known to train here, as the place suits him very well. Several of Jorim's followers are assigned (on a rotation) to guard duty here, so that it is always protected. The Gem of Perfect Mobility doubles Jorim's speed, and halves (rounding up) the number of ticks any combat action takes with no penalties.

• Li, it also says that the wielder may split dice pools as usual to gain additional actions; I assume that that's a copy-paste mistake left over from 1E. Any thoughts on how that'd translate into 2E?

Artifact 3: "Blade Which Splits the Sunbeams" Artifact 1: "Sheath of Mercy" Two artifact weapons designed to work in concert. The Blade Which Splits the Sunbeams is a surpassingly sharp orichalcum reaper daiklaive, with a hilt wrapped in red leather. Its only adornment is a prayer to Sol Invictus along the back of the blade, glorifying Him and asking for His blessings in battle. The sword loses any special properties (including orichalcum bonuses) if the prayer is not offered each day. The Sheath of Mercy is a scabbard made of rare Eastern hardwoods, lined with plates of orichalcum, and is capable of locking its blade within; only its attuned wielder can unsheath its sword. However, it is balanced such that it may be used as a reaper daiklaive, dealing bashing damage to enemies.

Artifact 3: Orichalcum cape. This cape's main material is a First Age cloth; its formula has been lost over the centuries, but its gold and white colors remain vivid to this day. In addition, thin strands of orichalcum are threaded throughout the garment, adding to its strength. When attuned, it may act as a artifact reinforced buff jacket, with no movement penalty.

Artifact 1: Perfected Boots Artifact 2: Orichalcum Hearthstone Bracers

Resources 4 Most of Jorim's resources come from a treasure vault of Denandsor; however, much of them are also tied up in restoration of the Lost City, and in supplying his followers with the best equipment possible.

Followers 3: Arsenal 1: A group of perhaps 100 highly-trained mortals who have chosen to follow Jorim in his travels. They are trained as a unit, but each person is also capable of fighting independently, as Jorim would prefer them to be able to lead others. Their only common feature is that they have sworn to follow the Heart of the Sword's philosophy, and wield their blades to protect others. Each person is equipped with fine lamellar and fine swords. Though certainly not orichalcum, their armor and swords are of a golden hue, in order to honor their leader. This has led to a bit of friendly rivalry with Lookshy's Fourth Field Force (who also specialize in unorthodox, small-squad techniques, and wear polished silver armor) -- however, while they may talk up the rivalry, the two groups tend to work together rather well.

Charms

2nd Melee Excellency Infinite Melee Mastery Hungry Tiger Technique Dipping Swallow Defense Bulwark Stance Heavenly Guardian Defense (Conviction Flaw) One Weapon, Two Blows Peony Blossom Attack Iron Whirlwind Attack Shadow-Cutting Strike Call The Blade

Righteous Lion Defense

Ox-Body Technique (1x-1, 2x-2)

1st Athletics Excellency Graceful Crane Stance Thunderbolt Attack Prana --Technique: Jorim draws his sword and slices outward in one smooth motion as he charges forward, leaving a streak of golden light and Essence behind the blade's path.

Combos: "Sunbeams of Dawn Shatter the Night" --Hungry Tiger Technique + Thunderbolt Attack Prana + Shadow-Cutting Stroke; costs 3 WP, 7+ motes Jorim's ultimate technique, used only against his strongest opponents (not only because of his vow, but because it drains him so much). When he uses it, Jorim sheathes his sword and assumes a ready stance, before he seems to disappear from the field of battle, as the entire area grows dark. A beam of pure golden sunlight streaks across the field; as it fades from sight, Jorim is revealed standing at its far end, some distance behind his foe, sword at full extension, with both his weapon and his cape gleaming in the sunlight. The enemy generally falls a second later as Jorim returns to battle.

• Note: Typically, before a fight, Jorim will have committed enough Essence to Infinite Melee Mastery to get 3 successes with the Second Excellency; he also usually puts up Dipping Swallow Defense when activating this combo, and will use Heavenly Guardian Defense as needed. He will also use Call the Blade to reflexively draw his sword, if necessary.

Bonus Points: Essence 4: 7 BP Temperance 3: 2 BP Resistance 4: 1 BP War 4, Presence 4: 1 BP Conviction 3: 2 BP Perfected Boots: 1 BP Stone of Perfect Mobility: 4 BP Resources 4 (from 2): 3 BP 7+2+1+1+2+1+4+3 = 21 BP