Character:Veil-Winged Shrike

A character from A_Date_with_Destiny

• Veil-Winged Shrike
• Caste: Zenith
• Concept: Queen of Death and Beauty
• Veil-Winged Shrike is one of the premier beauties of the Scavenger Lands, as brilliant and harsh as sunlight reflecting off the edge of a drawn blade. Her build is actually substantially more trim and athletic than her usually-languorous demeanor might suggest: slim-hipped, long-legged. She moves with an inhuman grace, the slightest movement suggestive of a sublime dance. She used to dress to make the most of her beauty, clad in the barest minimum necessary to preserve her modesty, accentuated by the addition of dozens of fluttering veils that shift with the breeze and her own movements. Lately, she has favoured a more conservative, magisterial mode of dress to match her high office. Her long, red-highlighted golden hair, in contrast with her bronzed skin, is usually left in a series of long, thin braids, each one tied with a ribbon and a tiny bell; Shrike jingles softly as she walks, the music of her hair answered by the matching bells on her bangles and anklets.
• Anima: Wings of golden light unfold from her back, and ethereal streamers flap and flow from her wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. Each pennant is a prayer-strip, inked in an exquisite gold calligraphy, each one a prayer extolling Shrike's beauty, majesty, and inevitable victory, although the wording changes depending on the situation.

Motivation

• Defend Creation from its enemies

Intimacies

Natural

Negative

• destroying the Deathlords and Abyssal Exalted (fierce hatred)
• creating art (vanity)

Positive

• Mari (love)
• the people of Thorns (loyalty)
• her Circle (affection)
• freedom from oppression (idealism)
• Killing Frost (love)
• the duty of the Exalted to protect mortals (stoic)

Anima

As a Resplendent Sun, Shrike's anima power enables her to cremate the dead and battle creatures of darkness. For the cost of 10m, she may illuminate the surrounding area for up to 50 yards with bright sunlight. In this mode she gains +5L/+5B soak vs creatures of darkness; she also adds +1 to her ping against them.

Attributes

Physical

• Strength 2 +3
• Dexterity 3 +3
• Stamina 2 +3

Social

• Charisma 3
• Manipulation 3
• Appearance 5

Mental

• Perception 3
• Intelligence 3
• Wits 3

Abilities and Charms

Integrity 5

• Second Excellency
• Integrity-Protecting Prana (5m 1wp, Reflexive, 1 day, Combo-OK: perfect defence against Shaping)
• Epic Zeal of Compassion (Infernals) (Permanent: Compassion dice are automatic successes)
• Phoenix Renewal Tactic (Permanent: when recovering a WP, can regain Virtue channel instead)
• Sidereal Compassionate Essence Replenishment (Permanent: 5/day respire +10m when channeling Compassion or +5m when rolling Performance)

Performance 5

• (+1 dance, +1 oratory, +1 songs)
• First Excellency
• Phantom-Conjuring Performance (Permanent: enhances Performance or Presence with supernatural audiovisual effects; control anima banner)
• Heart-Compelling Method (6m, Supplemental, Combo-OK, Emotion, Social: inspires desired emotion; 2WP to resist)
• Husband-Seducing Demon Dance (10m 1wp, Simple, Combo-OK, Emotion, Social, Obvious: +5d10 to Performance roll; victims fall in love with Shrike; 2WP to resist)

Presence 5

• First Excellency
• Majestic Radiant Presence (7m, Reflexive, Scene, Obvious, Social: Valour (1) needed to attack Shrike; 3WP to resist)
• Hypnotic Tongue Technique ((target's Essence)m, Simple, Month, Combo-OK, Social, Stackable, Touch: Man+Pre; instead of 1WP to resist, target pays 5WP immediately attempting defiance)
• Enemy-Castigating Solar Judgement (2m, Supplemental, Instant, Combo-OK, Holy, Obvious, Social: make physical attack deal agg dam to CoDs; halve MDV of CoDs against enhanced social attack)
• Minds Yield to Glory (MoEP: Abyssals) (Permanent: affects Hypnotic Tongue Technique)
• Shining on Dark Realms (IM) (Permanent: any ghosts loyal to Shrike are immune to being bound or summoned; +1 to MDVs vs attempts to undermine loyalty)
• Abyssal Killing Words Technique (Permanent: +1wp when activating any social Charm; target pays LHL instead of WP to shake off effects)

Resistance 5

• Second Excellency
• Durability of Oak Meditation (2m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK: +10L/+10B soak)
• Spirit Strengthens the Skin (1m per die removed, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK, Obvious: reduce post-soak damage by 1 die per mote; cannot reduce damage below 1 die)
• Iron Skin Concentration (2m, Reflexive, Tick, Combo-OK, Obvious: all attacks have minimum damage reduced by 1)
• Iron Kettle Body (Permanent: +4m to Durability of Oak; +15L/+15B for the rest of the scene)
• Adamant Skin Technique (8m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK, Obvious: perfect soak, Compassion flaw)

Linguistics 4

• First Excellency
• Whirling Brush Method (4m, Supplemental, Instant, Combo-OK: write 50x faster)
• Letter-Within-a-Letter Technique (6m, Simple, Instant, Combo-OK: conceal message within written work; concealed message can be NMI or UMI)
• Twisted Words Technique (6m 1wp, Supplemental, Instant, Combo-OK, Compulsion, Illusion: 3WP to avoid being committed to belief)
• Sagacious Reading of Intent (3m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK, Social: perfectly identifies intention behind any statement, negates any social attack hostile to Shrike or her Motivation)

Martial Arts 5

• (+1 natural weapons)
• First Excellency
• Fists of Iron Technique (1m, Reflexive, Action, Combo-OK, Enhanced: Acc +1 Damage +2L; parry lethal attacks empty-handed without a stunt; Acc +3 Damage +2L Defence +1 Rate +1 while SHF active)
• Sledgehammer Fist Punch (1m, Supplemental, Instant, Combo-OK, Enhanced, Obvious: doubles raw damage vs inanimate objects while ignoring soak)
• Dragon Coil Technique (3m, Reflexive, Action, Combo-OK, Enhanced: +5 dice to inflict/maintain/control clinch, Damage +5L)
• Solar Hero Form (6m, Simple, Scene, Form-Type, Combo-Basic, Enhanced, Obvious: 1m to double successes on attack for raw damage, +5L/+5B natural soak)
• Crashing Wave Throw (2m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK: after clinching, throw enemy 35 yds up or 80 yds horizontally; take 1B or 1L damage per yd not travelled if striking hard object)
• One with the Wave (Ink Monkeys) (5m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK, Counterattack: when struck, launch clinch counterattack; if successful, 1. throw opponent within 25 yds to deal pre-soak damage of first attack, or 2. throw opponent at second opponent within range with equal base damage; can counterattack physical or energy ranged attacks)

Medicine 3

• Second Excellency
• Wound-Mending Care Technique (10m, Supplemental, 1 day, Combo-OK, Touch: Int+Med, sux = L or B healed. +5 healed if rests for the whole day)
• Flawless Diagnosis Technique (1m, Reflexive, Instant, Combo-OK: perfectly diagnose every condition)
• Wholeness-Restoring Meditation (Permanent, Touch: +5 successes to treat otherwise incurable Crippling conditions)

Occult 5

• Second Excellency
• Terrestrial Circle Sorcery (Permanent: allows Shape Sorcery actions)
• Spirit-Detecting Glance (3m, Scene, Reflexive, Combo-OK: detect dematerialised creatures)
• Spirit-Cutting Attack (1m, Instant, Supplemental, Combo-OK, Obvious: strike dematerialised, aggravated damage to spirits)
• Magic-Shattering Strike (DotFA) (15m, Instant, Supplemental, Combo-OK, Obvious: strike spell or Sorcerous Charm effect (Circle x3 or Min Ess +2 PDV), gain (Circle x4 or Min Ess +2)m if successful)
• All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (6m, Scene, Reflexive, Combo-OK: Essence Sight)

Spells

• Invulnerable Skin of Bronze

Socialise 3

• Taboo-Inflicting Diatribe (3m 1wp, Simple, Instant, Combo-OK, Compulsion: Cha/Man+Socialise to make a society shun a particular behaviour)
• Mastery of Small Manners (1m, Reflexive, Action, Combo-OK, Social: treat social groups as -1 Magnitude; increase effective Appearance by 1; understand basic motivations of everyone present at threshold 3; personal qualities become perfectly inscrutable, can perfectly lie without being detected)
• Golden Courtier Infallibility (HFE) (Permanent: enhances MSM)
• Edict-Affirming Overseer Method (custom) (Permanent: infallibly knows when someone flouts one of her taboos, knows when and where but not who; +1 automatic successes to all attempts to discover identity of lawbreaker; if she punishes the lawbreaker, she either loses 1 Limit or counts it as one scene spent reinforcing any existing Intimacies of loyalty that anyone may have towards her)

Backgrounds

Artifact 5: The Crown of Thunders

10m attunement. +3 to all Physical Attributes. She may also hear the prayers directed at her (must meditate to hear everything; otherwise only the most urgent, fervent, or often-repeated ones come through), which increases her effective Cult rating by 1. She may also reply to prayers personally: the worshipper sees a vision of Shrike, her anima flaring at the iconic level, speaking to them in a voice charged with divine authority.
When Shrike unearthed the Crown of Thunders from an ancient ruin and placed the artifact on her brow, she inadvertently, but no less majestically, inaugurated the return of the Solars to true political power, by laying claim once again to the Creation-Ruling Mandate. The Crown would later assist her and her Circlemates in conquering Lookshy and the surrounding regions, founding the first Solar principality since the ending of the Age of Dreams. Since then, it has become part of her royal regalia: a symbol of her power and majesty. While she wears it constantly, she rarely activates its supplementary powers unless making proclamations in public.
Notes: Except for the physical enhancement, I've scrapped the usual effects of the Crown of Thunders and replaced them with the effects of the Vestments of Holy Vigilance. Balanced by much higher commitment costs than the Vestments.

Artifact 5: The Golden Asp

"Mistress, killing the Guildsman does have a certain barbaric elegance to it, but wouldn't it be dreadfully ironic to sell him instead?"
"Won't his brethren recognise him?"
"Not when I'm done with him."
Shrike's secret major-domo and most lethal fashion-accessory, the Golden Asp is slyly reticent about how it came to learn of Shrike. It was originally thought to be a piece of a larger sculpture, of a man, his face a mask of terror and agony, grappling with the jewel-eyed serpent around his neck. The statue arrived as an anonymous gift to Shrike, being transported by a caravan that had no record of seeing any employer: only a crate, with a a pouch of silver dirhams and an elegantly-written letter directing the sculpture to be delivered to the Veil-Winged Shrike of Thorns. It animated itself and then sought Shrike out. The details of their conversation are unknown, but since then her management of the temple and the city has noticeably improved, to the awe and approbation of all. All except those who are ruined by ruthless economic policies that drive the city's growth. Shrike, of all her Circle, understands the role that temptation and vice have to play in the human heart; she's also well aware of the dangers thereof. To balance vice operations in Thorns on the knife's-edge of Shrike's tacit acceptance and her furious outrage is a delicate task and requires a veritable genius; those who slip up quickly find themselves ruined and beggared by their competitors, and swiftly on their way to the hard labour camps of debtors' gaol.

Artifact 4: Wings of the Raptor

Hearthstone setting, 1m commitment. +10m commitment, wings activate for flight at 80mph or 5x running speed. Manoeuvring rolls are Dex+Ath+6. +3 DVs in flight. +3 Appearance.
A princely gift by the people of Thorns to their radiant ruler. It was unearthed in the heart of the Noon Shadow Temple, and surrendered to Shrike as her due, and has since become part of her daily wear. She uses the added mobility to take long trips into the countryside surrounding Thorns, sometimes swooping down to chat with or bestow blessings upon random smallfolk. This habit has greatly endeared her to the people. The central orichalcum clasp mounts her Gemstone of Spoken Languages: when it translates for her, her voice appears to be emanated from the stone instead of her throat.

Cult 4+1: the Bearers of the Golden Word

+6m/hr, 1WP/6 hrs respiration.
The ascent of the Veil-Winged Shrike to the position of both queen and tutelary goddess, symbolic bride of Thorns' newborn city father, was anticipated by sacred scripture. The Rule of the Golden Word foretold a coming age of Solar magnificence, the liberation of Thorns from the occupation of the Mask of Winters, and the ascension of 'the Last Daughter of Thorns'. Shrike is venerated not only by the citizens of Thorns -- and its Underworld equivalent -- but also by the oppressed and the aesthetically-inclined all across the Scavenger Lands. This level of metaphysical clout has not only brought her great power and influence, but also the enmity of many members of the Celestial Bureaucracy.
Her priests and priestesses call themselves Wordbearers, in token of the amulets they wear: each one bears an inscription from Shrike's own hand. The carven glyph is usually the bearer's own name, or something else significant to them like 'Duty', but each one also carries a social attack (hidden by Letter-Within-a-Letter Technique) that enforces loyalty and powerful attraction to Shrike.

Influence 4: Mother of Thorns

Shrike is the centre of supernatural power in Thorns, but for the sake of not pointlessly antagonising the Realm and other Immaculate prefectures, she has not actually laid official claim to any sort of title, relying on her celebrity, powerful Cult, and personal charms (and Charms) to affect policy. The living and the dead, the Thorns of sunlight and the Spines of shadow, all bend the knee to her as queen and goddess. She has cemented her reign by ceremonially marrying Thorns' newborn City Father, through him gaining access to the region's spirit courts, many of which acknowledge her as a patron: her Cult allocates feast-days to particularly helpful gods. She serves as the mediatrix between Thorns and Spines, and the latter more than the former owes its continued existence to her. Her state-sponsored ancestor cult has been the main motive force behind the reconstruction efforts in the Underworld. Ghosts arrive daily, to witness the rarest of all things: innovation in the Underworld. For while Stygia remains the centre of political power in the Underworld, and Sijan its busiest 'port', Spines is beginning to be known as its centre of commerce, industry, and culture.
And all this is without reckoning the direct power she wields over the hearts and minds of her people using her potent magic.

Lunar Bond 5: True Love

Pool of 10 dice when assisting Frost. +8 to MDV against attempts to turn her against him. -5 to MDV when acting against Frost, -3 when Frost is used against her.
While Shrike's initial encounter with her Lunar mate Killing_Frost was less than smooth, their relationship has since undergone a gradual blossoming, as she found in him a reliable partner and fierce protector.

Manse 5: Stone of Loyalty

Anyone who accepts her authority or has sworn an oath of loyalty to Shrike needs to roll difficulty 5 Conviction to betray her; close friends and allies must roll 3; casual acquaintances and the general public roll 1. -1 if they can justify their actions as assisting her.
Extracted from the heart of Thorns' central Manse - Noon Shadow Temple. Surmounts the Crown of Thunders.
Noon Shadow Temple is a Wood-Aspected manse and the headquarters of Shrike's Cult, the Bearers of the Golden Word. It has the following characteristics: an Otherworld Gate to the Underworld; Ability Enlightenment in the areas of Bureaucracy, Investigation, Medicine, and Presence; the Subtle Breath of Sextes Jylis that is usually used to keep its environs comfortable regardless of the season or weather, and an autonomous Provider that ensures its occupants never want for necessities. It requires simple maintenance which takes a full day and must be performed every month: this duty is assigned according to a roster to its resident clergy.

Manse 3: Gemstone of Spoken Languages

Translates to and from all spoken languages perfectly.
Shrike's personal manse, located in a lofty eyrie overlooking the bay: a stout stone country-house. It is an Air-Aspected manse and where Shrike goes to distance herself from her duties and the bustle of her city. It has the following characteristics: a Bound Servant Force of helpful air elementals, a Comfort Zone effect, and some Limited Mobility -- it can extend itself on risers to bring her closer to the stars, or sink down into the rock of the mountain on which it perches, becoming indistinguishable from the rock and impossible to enter unless it is raised again by Shrike's command.

Whispers 5: the Glory of the Neverborn

Shrike does not speak of what passed between her and the Lover at the Fortress of Crimson Ice. Even Frost does not ask, and even to him she will not tell. But she's heard them now, the Whispers of the Neverborn, echoing out from their hole in the world, the crack in reality caused by their impossible dying. And she can't get them to stop. Sometimes she can close her eyes and tune them out, immersing herself instead in the golden hymns her Cult sings to her, but the Whispers are always waiting for her. Sometimes she gives in to them. Especially when she's tired and confused and frustrated and out of her depth: the Whispers come then, suggesting solutions. Elegant ones. Harmless ones, really, just a little bit unorthodox. That little bit... unusual. Bending numbers using equations she can't quite remember. Flexing muscles she's never bothered to develop. Tapping knowledge she's never acquired, telling stories she's never heard.
Harmless, surely.

Flaws

Known Anathema: 7

"He mentioned the Lady of Thorns! Summon the magistrates!"
Frustratingly enough, fame has come with its own price, and try as she might, Shrike has found setting up intelligence networks and subversive cells all but impossible due to her notoriety. Indeed, while there are many willing to utter prayers to her effigies or donate to her temples, that's not the same thing as being a paid informant of hers. She has to pay double for Allies, Backing, Contacts, Followers, and Resources.

Permanent Caste Mark: 2

"The Unconquered Sun has laid His hand upon me. Behold the mark of His favour!"
Channeling the unsubtle powers that come so easily to her has left Shrike forever branded by the scar of such potent energies. Her Caste mark is permanent and indelible upon her forehead, and cannot be mistaken for anything else.

Nightmares: 1

"She sees me, Frost! She sees me!"
In public, Shrike basks in the acclaim of having been instrumental in the defeat of two Deathlords. Five years ago, her Circle humbled the combined forces and resource of the Mask of Winters and the Lover Clad in Raiment of Tears. But her brush with the latter Deathlord has instilled a permanent dread of the other woman in her, possibly due to their uncanny similarity. The Lover too appeared to recognise Shrike -- or rather, something about her. The possibility, no matter how remote, that they are more alike than is immediately apparent haunts Shrike in her dreams. She has a 1 in 10 chance of waking screaming from nightmares, forfeiting Willpower recovery that night.

Essence

• Essence: 5
• Personal: 25/25
• Peripheral: 24/40
• Committed to Charms: 5 (5: Integrity-Protecting Prana), (Durability of Oak: 8m, SHF: 6m)
• Committed to artifacts: 11 (10: Crown of Thunders, 1: Wings of the Raptor), (10: Wings of the Raptor)
• Willpower: 10/10
• Anima status: Quiescent

Virtues

• Compassion: 5/5
• Conviction: 4
• Temperance: 1
• Valor: 3

Limit Break

• Virtue Flaw: Compassionate Martyrdom
  

Overcome with the need to alleviate the suffering she witnesses, Shrike throws herself into helping the victims in the most direct and dramatic fashion possible. If her Limit Breaks while watching an overseer beat slaves, she stands before the whip, allowing blows meant for others to fall upon her instead. She will not resort to violence unless she is attacked or is already in combat.

• Partial Control: If the character attempts to control the Limit Break, he must still immediately and directly aid those who are suffering. However, he can choose to do so more effectively— including by killing the brutal overseer and freeing the slaves in the above example.
• Condition: The character sees innocents suffering through no fault of their own.
• Duration: One scene in combat or one day.

Conflict

Physical

• Join Battle: 3
• Dodge DV: 6
• Parry DV: 8
• Soak (L/B/A): 3/5/- (23/28/20 with SHF and IKB up; 33/38/30)

Movement

• Move: 6
• Dash: 11
• Jump: 5 up, 10 across

Social

• Join Debate: 8
• Dodge MDV: 10
• Parry MDV: 5

Health Levels

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

Equipment

Shrike's bare hands have dismayed Deathlords.

Fists of Iron Technique
Punch: Speed 3, Accuracy +4, Damage +2L, Defence +4, Rate 4
Kick: Speed 3, Accuracy +2, Damage +5L, Defence +2, Rate 3
Clinch: Speed 3, Accuracy +2, Damage +2L, Defence --, Rate 2, Clinch, Piercing

BP

• Starting: 18
• From Flaws: 10
• Spent: -28
  • -13 Abilities
  • -6 Charms (2)
  • -5 Willpower
  • -2 Virtue (Conviction)
  • -2 Virtue (Valour)

XP

XP

• Earned: # 260
• Spent: # 260 (-256 Charms 32, -4 Medicine 2)