Nellens Tsfaradea

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A Character in House of Bells.

Nellens Tsfaradea

Tsfaradea

Concept: Idealistic Sorceress
Aspect: Air
Anima Banner: Visible gusts of cold, blue wind swirling around her in an orderly, circular fashion (some clockwise and some counter-clockwise), sometimes crystallising into semi-corporeal signs and sigils that disintegrate on touch.

Biography

Tsfaradea - Fara to her hypothetical friends - is one of the products of a shockingly successful marriage contract between a mortal Nellens woman and an Exalted Sesus sorcerer. Sesus Eshnesser, a physically unintimidating Air Aspect sorcerer in a lineage famed for its muscle-bound Fire Aspect warriors, did not have the warmest relations with his family (surprising though that might sound from an overly literal point of view), and so they were only too happy to get him off their hands. A cold, brooding, lonely man, Eshnesser nevertheless found some measure of contentment in the arms of his wife, Nellens Letaha - after he got over his initial hang-ups over the relative equality between Exalts and mortals in House Nellens. Their first daughter, Nellens Carphadea, was always the favourite among their children; even more so when, soon after Tsfaradea's sixth birthday, her older sister received a Water Aspect Exaltation. For House Nellens, this immediately turned her into a much greater asset; for Eshnesser, it turned her into a perfect instrument for some vicarious vengeance. Everyone dotted on Carphadea, who became surrounded with the best tutors and books. It was at this time that Fara, always a curious and precocious child, first discovered her intense interest in sorcery and scholarly knowledge.

Tsfaradea's Exaltation, an unlikely and miraculous event, could not help but change the way she was viewed by just about everyone in House Nellens - everyone except seemingly for her parents, whose attentions remained devoted to Carphadea. It was probably inevitable that the newly-made Air Aspect would come to identify strongly with her House as a whole, mortals included, rather than her closest relatives. She had thoroughly internalised some famous Nellens attitudes - respect for sorcery, dedication to the stability of the Realm, wariness towards other Houses and a benign attitude towards the unExalted, with the key difference that while older Nellens Dynasts usually acted that way out of simple pragmaticism, naive young Tsfaradea had truly taken those ideas to heart.

Time passed. Carphadea left for the Heptagram without so much as saying goodbye. Tsfaradea finished primary school and was bitterly disappointed to discover that she would not be allowed to follow her. But she decided to persevere. House Nellens needed her in the House of Bells, and while her heart wasn't really in martial pursuits, she managed to rationalise it as an important patriotic duty - and a challenge. After all, up until now, she managed to have remarkably little contact with Dynast children of other Houses; there were others in her school, sure, but between assiduously diligent studies and persistent paranoia, Fara simply did not have much time for them. Now, however, is a time for her to make friends, learn the science of war and show them all what a Nellens could do. In the process, of course, it will be crucial not to let them realise what a soft-hearted, ingenuous, introverted young child this particular Nellens really is.

Personality

Fara's big problem is that she cannot seem to decide what kind of person she wants to be. Her initial boundless idealism has been dimmed when concerned relatives gave her a big talking to on the subject of just what kind of place the world out there is, and on precisely how her ideas would be taken by other Dynasts if she voiced them (as hilarious at best, or heretical at worst). While her relatives were convinced that they brought the young girl back down to earth, sometimes it might appear more that the main thing they taught her was to hide her own feelings. In fact, she remains torn between two different personas: a witty, ambitious, conniving social chameleon and a kind (though introverted and also somewhat clueless), high-minded idealist. The latter might be more true to her heart, but the former appears both more secure and more in the interests of her House, which she would really rather not let down.

She greatly values knowledge and learning and idealises sorcery and sorcerers (even if she technically might count as one herself, by now). She is very self-conscious, both about her status as a Nellens and her status as Dragon Blood; she does not take either for granted, and is likely to be somewhat put off by those who do. While personally quite levelheaded (at least when dealing with situations she already understands), Tsfaradea is unlikely to act as a voice of reason for fear of coming across as a stick in the mud. She is more likely to try and subtly nudge others in what she sees as the right direction. The young sorceress is paranoid towards Dynasts of other Houses, but tends to trust commoners. In fact, while somewhat fond and protective of mortals, she is also likely to be unwittingly very patronising towards them. She is, indeed, largely naive and sheltered, and it is hard to predict how she would fare in Dynast society. Certainly she isn't likely to take challenges to her ideals and worldview all that well. Still, at least she is eager to learn and to make friends...

Appearance

Tsfaradea is somewhat petite, with long brown hair and striking yellow eyes inherited from her father. Her face is not very expressive; in fact, she usually makes sure to keep it from giving much away. This has the effect of usually making her look either bored and disinterested or smug and ironic. Her skin is rather delicate (and rather pale - to the point of making her seem anemic, sometimes, no doubt provoking quips about the weakness of Nellens blood), her fingers are long and thin, and she almost never shouts; in other words, she takes after her father a lot, and is quite lucky she is not supposed to be a Sesus warlord. Nevertheless, she presumably can look serenely, coolly intimidating when provoked, especially if she resorts to sorcery, which she is uncommonly good at for one her age - especially outside of the Heptagram.

When it comes to clothes, Fara's love for ridiculously elaborate dresses and costumes might seem like yet another desperate effort to impress her peers, but is in fact completely genuine and mostly inexplicable (except perhaps by saying that she seems to love needlessly complicated things in general). Nevertheless, she's not immune to appeal to practicality and normally does try to wear something more battle-worthy while at the House of Bells.

Character Sheet

Essence Die:

d6

Virtues

Compassion: d10
Conviction: d6
Temperance: d8
Valor: d6

Distinctions

Studious Sorceress (Air)
Defender of the Weak
Social Chameleon
d8 or d4+1E

Advantages

Skills

Awareness d6
Investigation d8
Linguistics d8
Lore d8
Melee d8
Occult d10
Socialise d8
Performance d6
War d6

Backgrounds

Manse d8 (Jewel of Inspired Defense)
Mentor d6 (Sesus Nagezzer)
Wealth d6

Charms

Excellencies

Melee d6
Occult d6
Socialise d6

Techniques

Jade Defense: Spend 1E to ignore stress, trauma, or complications from emotional attacks made involving awe or fear.
Elemental Bolt Attack: Add a D6 to your Dice Pool for an attack action and step back your highest die in pool by -1. Step up Physical Stress by +1. If the attack is successful, spend 1E and the target receives a D6 Complication related to the attack's element for their next turn.
Sweeten-The-Tap Method: This charm enhances an attempt to throw a party. All who voluntarily partake of the party have their mental, emotional, and physical stress stepped back one, but they suffer a d8 scene-long inebriated complication.

Terrestrial Circle Sorcery Emerald Countermagic (Instant): Spend 1E and until your next action any unwanted spells of this circle that target you are countered. You may also use this spell to remove any assets or complications from an ongoing Terrestrial Circle spell that you are aware of and are in the immediate vicinity of.
Summon Elemental (Scene): Spend 3E to grant yourself a persistent d8 Elemental Servant asset that may last up to a lunar month. May only be cast during transition scenes.
Stormwind Rider (Action): Spend 1E to grant yourself a persistent d8 asset related to movement and reaction rolls against ranged attacks that lasts until the end of the scene or until you stop moving.
Infallible Messenger (Action): Spend 1E to create a cherub that can deliver a message no more than five minutes in length to any point in Creation or Yu-Shan, unless target is mystically obscured.

Panoply

Jewel of Inspired Defense: You may add d6 to any reaction rolls involving physical stress.

Milestones

A Noble's Obligation (Compassion):
1 XP when first alerted to a gross injustice perpetrated by the strong against the weak.
3 XP, +1 Limit when going out of her way to help a victimised social inferior.
10 XP, +1 Limit when confronting one of her fellow Exalts over their mistreatment of others, or letting it slide and joining in on this behaviour for the sake of personal advancement.
Limit Break: Becomes stressed out due to guilt and flees, unable to bear being around people (both those she couldn't stand up to and those she couldn't protect) when her ideals are so challenged.

Uphold the Good Name of House Nellens:
1 XP when first drawing on her sense of duty before House Nellens.
3 XP when she makes her House's reputation the central issue of a confrontation or conflict.
10 XP when she either betrays her House's interests or continues to defend it to severe personal detriment and/or that of her friends.

XP

Notes