Mortal Peril/Melancholy Sky

Bio

Quote: "People don't get what they deserve, they just get what they get. There's nothing any of us can do about it."

Melancholy Sky was born and raised in Skullstone, in the capital city of Onyx. Her parents were poor but hard-working; her father was a lowly accountant for a shipping company and her mother a domestic servant. Due to the state-run education system of Skullstone, however, Sky was given the opportunity to learn far more than many others of her income level, and quite quickly distinguished herself with diligent study and a keen intellect. When she graduated top of her class from the basic education system, her teachers recommended her for a state scholarship to the College of Necrosurgery, which she was eventually awarded.

Sky was thrilled to have the opportunity to study at the College and soon discovered a true passion for medicine that drove her to excel. She also caught the eye of an older necrosurgeon named Blood Runs Cold, who took Sky under his wing and mentored her while she studied. Though he was impressed by her ability, Dr. Cold was a harsh man and always thought that Sky's compassion was holding her back. Several times Sky proved reluctant to work on the corpses of young children or those with grieving families, even when it put her behind on her work. Dr. Cold rebuked her harshly for such softness, but Sky was always stubborn and didn't take his advice to heart.

In Sky's second year at the College of Necrosurgery, her parents called a family meeting and told her that they were planning to commit ritual suicide together, hoping to be allowed to continue on as Righteous Dead. Though Sky had a few concerns, she supported her parents fully, believing wholeheartedly that the righteousness of the New Order would see them rise again. Unfortunately, though Sky made certain to submit all the correct paperwork, her parents were passed over for Righteous Dead status in favor of a courtesan often visited by one of the Dark Judges. Sky was devastated by this display of blatant corruption, and in a single moment her faith in the justice of the New Order was shattered.

To make things worse, her parents' bodies became the property of the state and were scheduled to be repurposed as undead labor. Dr. Cold, hoping to force the issue of Sky's soft-heartedness once and for all, arranged matters so that it was Sky's responsibility to prepare her parents' bodies for the necromancers. This was too much for Sky to cope with, and in a display that shocked and horrified Dr. Cold, she tore off her lab coat and quit the College of Necrosurgery then and there.

After Sky witnessed first-hand the corruption of Skullstone's bureaucracy, she realized that no matter how personally respected necrosurgeons are, the only true path to power within Skullstone lay within federal service. By speaking to a few highly-placed friends she had made while attending the College, Sky was able to secure a position as a minor functionary for the Ministry of Day within the College's vast network of bureaucracy. Over the course of several years, Sky fought her way to the top of the heap with dirty dealing and shameless blackmail until she was given oversight of the entirety of the College's living residents and not insignificant control over the College's functions. Thoroughly disillusioned, cynical, and spiteful towards the New Order, Sky abused her position to get favors and connections within Onyx's criminal underworld and to make a vast amount of money skimming the top off of the College's profits.

Unfortunately, Sky made a lot of enemies during her rapid ascension. One of them, a woman called Corpseflower whom Sky had framed for substance abuse to cover missing alchemical substances, went looking for revenge. Eventually she found enough evidence of Sky's corruption to report her to the Dark Judges. Luckily for Sky, one of her shady government contacts warned her of her impending arrest only just in time for Sky to jump on board a vessel leaving the harbor before the Dark Judges kicked her door down. With very little money and only the clothes on her back, Sky suddenly found herself leaving behind everything she'd ever known.

As it turned out, the ship that Sky bartered passage aboard was heading for Coral, so that was where she ended up. Though she had almost no money, Sky still had marketable skills and quite quickly ended up at an assayer's office, calculating the taxes and tariffs on the pirate booty brought in by Coral's privateers. Before too long, Sky discovered that she absolutely hated Coral and its lack of education and backwards views towards women, and was constantly on the lookout for a ship to take her away from the shitty position she found herself in. Eventually Sky met Amon during one of his visits selling his ill-gotten goods to the locals, and was able to convince him to take her with him when he left.

Though she was originally hired on as a bookkeeper, secretary, and bureaucratic aide, she discovered after their first hostile engagement that she was more skilled at medicine than the previous ship's doctor, despite the fact that she was far more used to working on corpses than on living flesh. She fairly unceremoniously took over his job, and was good enough at it that the old doctor was put off at the next port and her pay increased proportionally. Though the crew often grumbled that her bedside manner was lacking, they didn't complain when she was competently reattaching their severed fingers.

Sky always had a deep passion for medicine and necromancy, and over the years has begun to regret dropping out of the College. Her experience with the corruption of Skullstone society has left her very bitter and cynical; she believes that honest men come in last, and that you simply have to cheat and lie to get ahead in the world. Though she thinks that she's had all of the softness beaten out of her by circumstance, Sky is still more kind-hearted than she'd ever give herself credit for and has come to appreciate the camaraderie of Amon's crew, which reminds her of her best early years with her fellow students at the College. She especially enjoys the company of other educated people, or people with a few surprises up their sleeves- she's not foolish enough to underestimate those without formal education.

She also recently has begun to wish she had more medical training, perhaps even training in surgical techniques meant to be practiced upon living flesh. She's heard of a few places with good medical facilities, a town called Fella in the North and the city of Great Forks in the Scavenger Lands. Of course, they're both quite a distance away...

Description

Melancholy Sky is a tall, pale woman in her late twenties/early thirties. She has unconventionally beautiful but sharp features and straight, dead black hair that is cut severely just past her chin. To her occasional chagrin, her pale blue eyes often appear kinder than her icy demeanor would indicate. She usually wears a long, plain black robe of a fine quality you wouldn't think she could afford. Sky has, on occasion, been spotted wearing fine dresses in local fashion when trying to make contacts among the locals, and she shines up surprisingly well. When on duty, Sky carries a large leather satchel that contains the tools of her trade, and she always carries a certain amount of money concealed on her person for impulse purchases or impromptu bribes.

Stats

Concept: Cynical bureaucrat and physician

Motivation: Gain power and wealth

Intimacies: Medicine (Intellectual fascination), Crewmates (Camaraderie)

Profession: Savant/Physician

Attributes

Physical (3): Str 2 Dex 2 Stam 2

Social (4): Cha 2 Man 3 App 3

Mental (6): Per 2 Int 4 Wits 3

Abilities (25) (+3 from Physician: Occult, Medicine, Socialize)

Archery 1 (+1 Bow)

Integrity 2 (+1 Enlightened self-interest)

Performance 1

Presence 2 (+1 Formal situations)

Resistance 2

Athletics 1

Awareness 1

Dodge 2

Larceny 2

Bureaucracy 5 (+2 Dishonest, +1 Numbers) [FAVORED]

Linguistics 1 (Native: Seatongue, Other: Old Realm)

Socialize 3 (+2 Negotiation)

Craft (water) 2

Lore 2

Medicine 4 (+1 Corpses, +2 Surgery) [FAVORED]

Occult 3

Backgrounds (5)

Resources 4 [Double pay from Amon plus embezzled funds from Coral's assaying office]

Contacts 1 [Skullstone: Criminal]

Backing 1 [Amon Jerixs: would be higher, except he feels he pays her enough that he doesn't owe her much]

Destiny 2 [Destined to save the life of someone important]

Virtues (5): Compassion 2, Conviction 4, Temperance 2, Valour 3

Willpower: 8

Merits

Extra Favored Ability: Bureaucracy [Mental] (2)

Flaws

Wanted [On the run from the Dark Judges of Skullstone] (-1)

Vice [Uncommon: ghost flower tea] (-1)

Thaumaturgy

Art of the Dead (Apprentice): Pierce Shadowland, Summon Ghost

Art of the Dead (Initiate): Body Preservation Technique, Deathsight, Speak with Corpse

Art of Alchemy (Apprentice): Alchemical Touchstone, Life's Little Luxury Blends

Art of Alchemy (Initiate): Blood-Staunching Compress, Hero's Recovery, Wound-Cleansing Unguent

BP Allocation

Virtues: 2

Unfavored Specialties: 5

Favored Specialties: 3

Thaumaturgy: 2

Willpower: 3

Merit (Extra Favored Ability: Bureaucracy): 2

Bureaucracy: 3

Dodge: 2

Flaws (Vice: Ghost Flower Tea, and Wanted): -2

Backgrounds (Resources, Destiny): 4

Appearance: 4

Medicine: 1

Socialize: 2

Equipment

Superior equipment (4)

Doctor's bag, Perfect (Cost: Resources 3)

A set of excellent medical tools taken from the hospital at Grace. They never need sharpening, and Sky has cut her finger on her own scalpel more than once. Gives a +2 bonus to Medicine rolls. Bag also contains three sets of Blood-Staunching Compresses, Hero's Recovery, and Wound-Cleansing Unguent, made and added by Sky.

Portable writing desk, Perfect (Cost: Resources 3)

Imported from the Realm, made from mahogany and bears the mon of the Thousand Scales. Contains fine brushes, ink, paper, and sets of weights and measures. Gives +2 bonus to Bureaucracy rolls.

Longbow, Exceptional (Cost: Resources 3)

Made of black ash inlayed with silver, with matching quiver of two dozen broadhead arrows. (Speed 6, Acc +2, Dmg +1, Rate 3, Range 250)

Chain shirt, Exceptional (Cost: Resources 3)

An extraordinarly light tunic of feathersteel rings, only worn when going into dangerous situations. (+4L/2B, Mob -0, Fat 0, May be concealed under clothing)

Normal equipment

Thaumaturgical supplies (Cost: Resources 2)

A chemistry lab, stocked with enough occult ingredients and tools to make Initiate-level Procedures or less. Sky often carries the rare herbs, sinew, and iron pins needed for Deathsight and Speak with Corpse in her bag.

Courtly clothing (Cost: Resources 3)

Mostly plain black robes trimmed in silver, but very well-tailored and made of fine Ragara silk. Sky also owns a stunning red silk dress in the height of Coral fashion that she only wears on special occasions, but looks ravishing in.

Disease talisman (Cost: Resources 2)

The Eye of Uvanavu: a glass eye dedicated to Uvanavu, the god of health and well-being, that scares away small disease spirits. Gives +2 to STAM+Resistance rolls to resist disease or overcome its effects.

Good luck charm (Cost: Resources 1)

A small silver bracelet given to Sky by her parents when she entered the College of Necrosurgery. Though she always wears it, she isn't actually aware that it has (or has gained) power as a talisman. Negates ill effects of 1 botch per story.

Bribe money (Cost: Resources 2)

Resources 2 in silver, always carried in a small, concealable pouch under Sky's clothing.

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