Character:Second Thoughts

[A Date With Destiny]

• Second Thoughts
• Caste: Secrets
• Concept: Bitter Old Maid, Determined to Leave Things Better Than She Found - (by her definition of 'better')
• A cross between the pictures of Eileen Atkins, Wynne of Dragon Age: Origins, and Molly Grue, of the Last Unicorn. Dressed in close fitting long-sleeved green shirt, slight upturn of shoulder cuffs, and flowing skirt, with sandles. Subtle starmetal bracers, holding a hearthstone. Ruddy hair, culy, not that long, with green eyes. Thin to the point of being gaunt. Always has her staff (her war fans, stowed) with her.

Once upon a time, there was a Maiden who lived on the shores of the Yellow River. She loved the frogs, who would croak secrets of the pools, and the worms under rocks, who squirmed of what lay below the earth. She jumped in puddles to watch the splash, she climbed up trees to see what she could see.

None of these were very lady-like things.

And as she grew, she learned that books were quite interesting things, hiding secrets of frogs, and worms, and beetles, and birds, all in one place.

When the slavers came, she was away, reading in a tree, shirking her duties.

Her book dropped to the dirt-now-mud with the life-blood of her family and friends. She rank, barefoot, to find her brothers dying, bleeding out their last heartbeats.

Her mentor waited, sad faced, at the edge of the village, come to take her to Heaven - for all her learning, she lacked knowledge to Survive.

In Heaven, she learned again; that for all the knowledge held in books, there were far more interesting things to be gleaned from a Look, a Smirk, or a Forelorn Gaze.

Knowledge is Power. And with this, she crippled the slave trade along the Hundred Kingdoms, striking non-physical blows that stang and smarted far long after she was gone.

Her metaphorical childhood was over after this, and she was inducted to the Bronze. She guessed it all made sense; certainly it did when Kejak spoke. In service to the East, and to the Bronze, she was asked to sacrifice. It is not your Fate, she was told, to have issue or heirs. Give your womb to one who has need, that they may have children in your stead.

And so she did. The lost eggs of Thorns needed heirs, and their blood was damaged. Prayer scripts hanging from her wrists, waist, and over her eyes, wrapped 'round her fingers, she reached into herself, and took out her womb, placing it in the young dragonblood maiden, who wept in horror and honor.

Only after was the Vizier told that all sexual pleasure was gone with her womb, a sacrifice for both her and the young maiden. Bitterness for the second time crept in her mouth, curled towards her heart.

Now that her metaphorical parenthood was over, she was not meant, she was told, to care the least about the Fates of those she touched. And she did not - except for the young Maiden. She could not help but stop by, in one guise or another, and act the God-mother to the expectant dragonness.

When her divinations failed, and her sight was unable to pierce why, she frowned. And left for the Underworld, to spy. What she saw was indefinite, but disturbing. Things were beginning to Change, and the Underworld was Ascendant.

When returning to Heaven, she voiced uncertainty, suggested that for all the problems of the Solars, things were becoming worse, and perhaps they were needed now? Kejak had her immediately sent on reconaisance to the Wylds of the East - "in case the Fae were mobilizing, too." She fumed, knowing this was punishment not concern, and yet, did not disobey.

She thought she was there for but a day. Or maybe five. She knew she was not Meant to plumb the Wyld, she had not the charms for it.

She did not expect to return more than five years later in Creation.

She uttered one word upon her return, and reading the night skies of Creation.

"SHIT."

Thorns was gone, and there was no trace she could find of her God-Daughter. Beyond fury at the petty waste of her time, she has read the past in the sky, knows the gist of the East, and has wept for her loss, and stupidity of the Wise, and for Thorns.

She is barred from Heaven; perhaps Kejak fears the damage of her testimony. She doesn't care; she is sick of inaction and petty infighting. She will go where she is needed, and tip the scales as she has always done. Incense and prayer strips send her word to allies in Heaven; they write in the stars to her.

The stars of the Underworld help the Mask of Winters - he'll need it.

Motivation

• Revenge for Thorns/Kill Mask of Winters

Anima

Whirling mandala of green light and stars

Attributes

Physical

• Strength 2
• Dexterity 5
• Stamina 2

Social

• Charisma 2
• Manipulation 5
• Appearance 2

Mental

• Perception 5
• Intelligence 5
• Wits 3

Abilities

Caste

• Investigation: 5
• Larceny: 5 (+3 Ephemeral Theft)
• Lore: 5
• Occult: 0
• Stealth: 4

Favored

• Awareness 5
• Bureaucracy 3
• Dodge 5
• Melee 5 (+3 Staff)
• Sail 4

Unfavored

• Resistance 3
• Ride 1
• Linguistics 2
• Athletics 3
• Presence 3 (+3 Persuade)
• Integrity 3
• Socialize 2

Backgrounds

Each Background

• Backing, Bureau of Secrets, 5
• Backing, Bureau of Journeys, 5
• Connections, Bronze Faction, 4
• Manse 1: Air, Jewel of the Flying Heart
• Manse 2: Water, Mind Clearing Gem
• Celestial Manse 5: Scrying
• Salary 2
• Artifact 2: Discrete Essence Armor, Starmetal
• Artifact 4: Fate's Rebuke, Goremaul, looking like a staff - twisting Starmetal core, worked blue jade.

Charms

from the Loom 2.0

Resistance

(Ox Body x3 for Resistance 3, Essence 3+), the Loom 2.0 pg 5

Sail

Salt into Ash Slight, pg. 9

• 2m+2m per target number, Simple, 1 scene. Charisma + Sail against difficulty of a target spirit's Essence; a success causes the spirit's attempts to stealth to be at +1 difficulty, UMI to attend to something elsewhere (3 wp to ignore). Others reduce the target number of their actions to drive away the spirit by 1 for every 2 extra motes spent, min TN 4. Applies to social and physical attacks, and damage rolls - and this persists even if the spirit throws off the influence. Does not assist beings outside Fate. Can only target spirits within Essence x10 yards, and only water-associated elementals, gods, demons, and ghosts whose deaths are strongly water associated; can target spirits outside of Fate.

Stone Skipping Method, pg. 9-10

• 5m, simple, one journey. Eases the journey by: difficulty of navigation & piloting rolls can not rise beyond (6-Exalt's Essence, min 1) due to environmental factors, likewise unstable footing of crew & passengers. No amount of damage can cause the vehicle to take on water nor can mundane environmental hazards inflict damage on the vessel.

Mirror Shattering Method, pg. 10

• 5m, 1wp. Duration up to 5 days. Vehicle and all on it drop into Elsewhere and travel at 2x normal speed. Can't be tracked or found. Will be dropped someplace safe, like it or not. Can go to Yu Shan, takes 5 days. Other Fateful places must be learned to travel there, except if the Sidereal activates Auspicious Prospects, in which case don't have to learn to go there.

Craft Fate

World Shaping Artistic Vision (in Underworld), pg. 14 As per Fateful (Abililty) Design; while in the chosen area, the Target Number of rolls is lowered by 1, to min TN of 4 - including damage rolls. Does not count towards dice limits from Charms. May change at the end of the story at no cost; may change at any time for 3 exp.

Dodge

Absence, pg. 15

• 4m, one action, reflex. Ignore penalities to Dodge DV except those imposed by own actions.

Duck Fate, pg. 15-16

• 10m, reflexive, one tick. Essence 4+ can spend 1wp and roll reflex Dex + Dodge, extending duration by number of ticks equal to successes, and 5m to switch the source of danger. Perfect Dodge, avoiding consequences that would harm, constrain, or alter the Exalt directly. Can use to defend against theft, or prevent the death of an ally.

Avoidance Kata, pg. 16

• 4m, 1wp, reflexive. Must be activated within first two of Exalt's actions in combat, 1st action in social combat, or 1st two minutes following the introduction of any significant new character to the current scene. Revising fate, Sidereal was never there, was somewhere else the whole time. Similar state warping; should be less dangerous. People don't remember unless they spend 3wp.

Trouble Reduction Strategy, pg. 16

• Add 3m to the cost of any Dodge charm, and can apply to someone else. Counts as Sidereal's charm use, but any rolls are made by the receiving character.

Neighborhood Relocation Technique, pg. 16-17

• 15m, 1wp, 1hl. Physically "drag" an area up to Essence miles large, a discrete feature, under own power. Shadowlands don't work, can target waypoints of Bordermarches and Middlemarches. Another hl lost every hour the area is being moved. 3wp to realize area is being moved.

Socialize

Stern Essence Replenishment, pg. 20

• Get Conviction x2 motes back after successful compelling behavior or modifying the Policy of a social unit, fulfilling the duties of a savant or sorcerer on a Diplomatic action in the Mandate of Heaven, or any time Conviction is channelled on a successful action.

Melee

Impeding the Flow, pg. 25

• 3m, reflex. Enhance Melee or MA parry (not unexpected nor unblockable), and reduce attacker's successes to 0 in step 6 after other effects & penalties. May not use this charm to block an attack favorably enhanced by Sidereal astrological effects or by more than Essence + 1 extra successes from Charms.

Serenity in Blood, pg. 25-26

• Add 1wp to Impeding the Flow to make it Perfect.

Presence

Heroic Essence Replenishment, pg. 27

• Gain Valor x2 motes when successfully using Presence to erode an Intimacy, compel behavior, or break someone's Motivation, or any time successfully channeling Valor.

Vermillion District Haze, pg. 27

• 8m, 1wp, Simple, Holy, duration 5 days. Radius of (Essence x100) yards around the Sidereal; creatures of death and natives of Malfeas suffer -1 internal penalty to all actions, while others' DV increase by 1 against the attacks of such intruders.

Investigation

Auspicious Prospects for Secrets, pg. 30

• 1m per goal. Either a Misc Action to understand of whether a course of action is considered a good and favorable action by the Maiden of Secrets, or contemplate for a few minutes to understand what the Maiden of Secrets thinks she should be doing; decipher it via Int + Investigation. Successes determine granularity/resolution of the mission the Maiden believes should be done. In conjunction with Mirror Shattering Method, can travel to Fateful places.

Marvelous Inclusion of Details, pg. 31

• 5m, 1wp, Supplemental. Inhances any Attribute + Ability roll for uncovering information by +5 successes. Can also use to reshape reality; automatic against Essence 1, otherwise must beat Dodge MDV of target - if that happens, can't resist with Willpower as it isn't a form of influence. Can use to Investigate outside of Fate, can't rewrite outside of Fate, beings outside of Fate are immune to the rewrite.

Efficient Secretary Technique, pg. 31

• 2m per fact. Small spirit viridescent spider, skitters along fate strands to Yu-Shan, returns in few seconds to deliver any single fact known within Creation as long as the fact isn't actively concealed or generally lost. Can't find information happening outside of Fate. The spider can find anything difficulty 5 less on Lore, Occult, or Investigation roll; anything 6+ can be found if it is within the Sidereal's personal libraries.

Larceny

Creation Smuggling Procedures, pg. 32

• 5m, 1wp, Simple, duration 1 day.  !0 yard radius around Exalt is forced to follow basic laws of Creation; Shaping effect targets the environment and must be contested as such.

Siderial Shell Games, pg. 32

• 1m +2m per die/point stolen, 1wp. Simple, 1 scene. Within Essence yards of target, Wits + Larceny against target's Dodge MDV. Extra successes translate into point of natural soak or dice in a specific attribute + Ability pool that the Sidereal gains as Charm bonus to own pool. May steal up to Essence of any one value, but may use multiple times on same or different targets to steal any number of separate bonuses. Target's pool can't be reduced below 0. Any excess Sidereal could have stolen isn't availble to Target.

Lore

Avoiding the Truth, pg. 35.

• 3m, reflexive. Illusion. Makes listener disbelieve the Sidereal's statement. Any listener with Dodge MDV less than Exalt's (connections or backing in Bureau of Secrets) + Lore + Essence believes this is statement is false. 3 wp to ignore, or 1wp if compelling evidence, and if incontrovertable evidence, then breaks automatically.

Stealth

Soft Presence Practice, pg. 37:

• 5m, 1wp, Simple, Duration is 1 day. Reduces Target Number by 1 (TN min 4), to remain concealed or subtle; includes Stealth, Manipulation based social attacks, & attempts to make unexpected social attacks, Larceny rolls for disguise, and Survival rolls to evade pursuit.

Walking Outside Fate, pg. 37-38:

• 5m, 1wp. Simple, Indefinite. Becomes a being outside of Fate; Dodge MDV less than Exalt's (Backing in Bureau of Secrets) + Stealth + Essence can not sense the Sidereal. Beings outside Fate get +3 MDV. Not an influence, but increases to Dodge MDV apply. Perception + Awareness roll when actions directly affect target; even on success, -2 to external penalty on actions directed at Sidereal, and ranged attacks impossible. Bonuses provided by hightened senses do not apply. Survival rolls to tract start at 0 dice before charms. No astrology affects Exalt, no use of Resplendencies, charm lapses immediately if anima banner flares too high. Social attacks auto fail against those who can't perceive, physical actions at -2 external penalty.

Martial Arts

Crane Style

Glories Most High, The Maidens, pg 21-24
Fluttering Cry of Warning
Empowering Justice Redirection
Crane Form
Humbling Enlightenment Commentary 
Crossed Wings Denial
Feather-Stirred Arrow Deflection
Kindly Sifu's Quill
Beak Spears Frog
Wings Spread to Sky
Wisdom of the Celestial Crane

Charms for that Ability/Attribute (include short description and page #)

Essence

• Essence: 5
• Personal: 20/20
• Peripheral: 43/54
• Committed to Charms:
• Committed to artifacts: 11
• Willpower: 10/10
• Anima status:

Virtues

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

Limit Break

Pride, and gets worse the more Sidereals are around

Conflict

Physical

• Join Battle: 8
• Dodge DV: 8 or 10 with fans (+1 DV from fans)
• Parry DV: 10 (+1 DV from fans, +1 DV from form charm & prayer charm sleeves)
• Soak: 6/7/5, Hardness: 3L/3B, reduce attacking roll by 1 dice

Movement

• Move: 5
• Dash: 11

Social

• Join Debate:
• Dodge MDV: 9
• Parry MDV:

Health Levels

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

Equipment

Starmetal War Fans: Speed 4, Acc +2, Damage +6L, Defense +3, Rate 3, attune 2m Discreet Essence Armor (Artifact 2): Soak: +5L/+5B Hardness: 2L/2B Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0 Attune:5 Starmetal adds 1 to lethal and bash hardness and reduces attacker's damage rolls by -1 external penalty Artifact 2: Heathstone Bracers, starmetal, +1 to Acc & Dam Savant 4 Sifu 2 Allies 3: Queen of Cats Salery: 2 Manse: 2: Air, Surface Thoughts Celestial Manse: 3, Divine Observatory

Colleges

• Pillar: 1
• Quiver: 1
• Key: 2
• Sorcerer: 3
• Treasure Trove: 3

History

• Give us at least two or three short paragraphs

Personality

• Give at least one short paragraph

XP

• Earned: 236 (last updated 9/18/10) -> +88 from hiatus = 324 on (12/19/10) -> +48 (1/29/11)
• Spent: 140 on Wits 2->3, Essence 3->4, 10 MA charms, Stern Essence Replenishment, Trouble Reduction Strategy, Neighborhood Relocation Technique, 32 exp on Essence 4 -> 5, 5 exp on Stealth 3 -> 4, 3exp on Backing: Bureau of Secrets 1, 8 exp on Walking Outside of Fate, 8 exp on Auspicious Prospects for Secrets, 12exp on Backing: BoS 1 -> 5. 3xp on Combo: At a Glance (Marvelous Inclusion + Investigation 4th Exc), 6exp on Presence 3->4.
• Unspent: 159 exp

• Charms & things under consideration*

Journeys: Resistance: Optimistic Security Practice, Unwavering Well-Being Meditation

Raising Resistance (would get more Ox Bodies)

Serenity: Craft: Mending Warped Designs

Secrets: Lore: Systematic Understanding of Everything, Of the Shape of the World, Of Horrors Best Unknown

Occult: Mark of Exaltation, Incite Decorum, Innocuous Maneuver, Unweaving Method