Crimson Slate
"The question isn't who's going to let me, it's who's going to stop me"
Background
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Arabahe was a Marukani of the House of Arbogassu. He made his family proud; he was honorable, he had common sense, and he was fierce on the battlefield. While growing up, Arabahe became known in the Marukani lands for his skill with a javelin. It is said that he could strike a small apple, hanging from a tree and half-hidden by leaves, from a full gallop at hundreds of paces away. From this claim by his peoples, and his ability to show just how truthful they were, he earned the nickname "Skyspear" for himself. His family tried to wed him to a very nice young lady named Tsungji in his early adolescence, but Arabahe found the girl unattractive and her manner not to his liking. Marriage arrangements had stalled, but not stopped. By joining the Seventh Legion when he was 19, he knew the marriage would be delayed, if only for a comparatively short time. He ended up studying at The Academy of Thaumaturgy at Valkhawsen in Lookshy, training to be an Armiger; Lookshy's most esteemed bodyguard position that a mortal can hold.
While at School, Arabahe met another man by the name of Leaping Cricket, a Lost Egg Air Aspect from the east, already well versed in many occult techniques and practices, but seeking to expand his knowledge as a Wai Tan-Junai; Lookshy's premier group of Sorcerer-Engineers. Cricket and Arabahe were paired up together within the program and quickly became close friends, spending most all of their time in school and in the Seventh Legion together.
It is customary that all Wai Tan-Junai spend a semester abroad during their training, usually during their third year of school and Cricket was no exception. In his third year, he is instructed to go to the Delzahn lands, The Varang City States, and the city of Harborhead. He is told that in these places, he will find the needed materials to fully repair and assemble an artifact from the First Age that is currently back at the school. Cricket is instructed to bring at least one person with him on his travels. Without hesitation, he chooses Arabahe as his companion.
The trip through the Delzahn lands is mostly uneventful. Leaping Cricket goes to the places as he was instructed by his mentors to pick up the resources needed for his repairs. Both Arabahe and Leaping Cricket stand out like sore thumbs in Southern society, but Cricket's persuasive nature and sometimes even Arabahe's force in troublesome situations get them through safely.
While in The Varang City States, Cricket is instructed to go to an establishment called Auspicious Teachings; a business owned and operated by a large family of mortal thaumaturgists, specializing in artifact repairs, geomancy, and astrology primarily, though they are also known to do other minor works related to spirits and alchemy. Auspicious Teachings and The Academy often work out deals together for the benefit of them both, be it deeper understandings of the essence of creation, or something as mundane as jade scrip. As Arabahe and Cricket enter, they are greeted by a woman with a lovely voice who is working as a receptionist as sorts. She is short with bright red hair and an athletic build, but also has a wisdom behind her eyes that indicates that she's seen quite a bit in the 22 years of her life she's been through so far. She introduces herself as Himani. Cricket mentions his appointment with the Artificer, and she points him in the proper direction, leaving Arabahe and Himani in a room together. Arabahe is immediately taken with her. After Cricket's consultation with the Artificer, he lets them know that they'll be staying in The Varang City States for a number of weeks, due to the needed acquisition and refinement of the materials he needs.
Every day, Cricket and Arabahe return to Auspicious Teachings, giving Arabahe plenty of time to talk and flirt with Himani. After a few weeks of talking, Arabahe gets Himani to admit that she doesn't really like working here or with her family and how she'd really love to just travel the lands as she saw fit. Unfortunately in Varang culture, one's astrological chart dictates what they will do for the rest of their life and who they will end up with, and Himani's chart said that she was to say here and to help with the family business. In the seven weeks they are there, not only does Cricket acquire the materials he needed from the Varang, but the Artificer also helps him out with the materials he was originally going to get from Harborhead, saving them time in their journey. Arabahe and Himani become incredibly attached to one another during this time, and they hatch a plan to get her out of there. After much pleading, Leaping Cricket agrees to go along with the plan so long as it doesn't get in the way of their travels. Himani points out that she knows much about the ways of Geomancy and dealing with Gods and Spirits, which gives her enough usefulness to fully sway Cricket. Himani writes a letter, full of fabrications as to where she's going and how long she'll be gone for, packs up her things, and the three of them set off in their ship, back towards Lookshy.
On the journey back, Cricket finds that he had underestimated Himani's knowledge of lore and essence, them having the same views on many different practices. While Cricket is doing independent study and research for his project, he shows some diagrams to Himani to get her input. After that, Himani becomes an invaluable resource to Cricket, often knowing things about all of the areas that Cricket doesn't, and thusly progressing his work much faster than it would have gone otherwise. She is creative, spontaneous, and experimental with her ideas, mixing them with Cricket's far more studious and formulaic approach. Upon reaching Lookshy, Cricket highly recommends Himani for the Shungan-Junai; a program for Sorcerer-Engineer assistants as well as other research. Showing her prowess she is immediately accepted into the school, and as it makes so much logical sense anyway, she is assigned to Cricket and Arabahe's unit.
During their time at The Academy, Arabahe and Himani wed, the consummation of their marriage producing a beautiful baby girl who they name Keshini, which translates into Varang society as "One With Beautiful Hair". They name her this due to the stunning shock of red hair she is born with, not unlike her mother's.
After the three finish their required time at The Academy, Leaping Cricket opts to stay with the school, continuing his research and many projects that he's amassed at this point. Arabahe and Himani decide that they want to settle down and start a life together, outside of Lookshy. Arabahe teaches Himani how to ride and they travel far south, just past the Marukani city of Celeren to where the main encampment of House Arbogassu lies. The House does not approve of Arabahe's marriage or of Himani in the least bit, however due to his previous service to his House and to the Seventh Legion, they let Arabahe continue to take part in House affairs though his wife and daughter must live outside of the emcampment. They say that in time, if his daughter shows promise she may be granted the same rights to partake in House business, but will not ever be allowed to marry anyone of House Arbogassu due to her tainted bloodline.
Keshini is brought up in these lands, and considers herself to be much more Marukani in nature than Varang, though she has the strong look of her mother and a love for her that no one in House Arbogassu can shake. As her father is frequently away tending to House business, Keshini spends the majority of her time with her mother. While Himani has a strong love for her husband, she doesn't have the same affinity for Marukani culture that her daughter has and as a result, Himani and Keshini routinely make trips back to Lookshy to visit Leaping Cricket and see what projects he's working on, as well as just spending time with one another. With Arabahe's change in life and character since moving back to the Marukan lands, Himani starts developing feelings for Leaping Cricket and the visits become more and more frequent.
Cricket was always very wary of having Keshini in the lab with himself and her mother, fearing that she'd break something or just generally be a nuisance towards their work, but when Keshini hits age 10, he starts admitting her into the lab, putting her to work by having her take notes. At first she's hesitant about such things, but when she sees how excited her mother gets when working with Cricket, Keshini decides that she's going to get excited too. Once she becomes interested in the work, Cricket takes a much more friendly approach to Keshini, often referring to her as "His very own little crimson slate."
As years go by spending time with Leaping Cricket at The Academy, Keshini is eventually introduced to an odd man named Amilar Kraik. Kraik is a rather old man with some parts of his body replaced with that of clockwork prosthesis, and is also Leaping Cricket's boss and overseer. Seeing her interest and knowledge of the workings of Cricket's lab, Kraik tries to solidify a deal with Himani about Keshini's enrollment in The Academy, once she is old enough. Himani says that she cannot force her daughter to do anything, but if that is Keshini's wish than she will fully endorse it. Kraik, seeming pleased enough with this answer, doesn't push the subject again, however after that point he does seem to check in with Keshini more than he had prior, saying what an amazing experience everything at the school is. Kraik also instructs Leaping Cricket to start her on the path towards enlightenment, leading her towards the ordeals of sorcery, if at all possible.
Behind the scenes, House Arbogassu has asked of help from House Mayhiros, well known for being the main political powerhouse in the Marukan lands, as well as the only major Dragon-Blooded House in the area, to remove Himani from the picture. In the eyes of Arbogassu, Himani is holding Arabahe back from the greatness that he could achieve within the House. In exchange for plenty of jade, horses, and political support, Arbogassu contacts a Mayhiros Dragon-Blooded start planting thoughts in Arabahe's brain about Tsungji, his intended arranged marriage from childhood, who is still unwed. At the same time, the Mayhiros knowing about Himani's skill in crafting and geomancy taps her for a "Brand New Project" that they're working on, involving geomantic properties of Manses, as well as locating and claiming new Manses and Demesnes for their own to "Glorify the Power of the Marukani Lands." While Himani doesn't care about the the greatness of the Marukan lands, she is very interested in the work, thinking it could be a great learning experience. The trip is described as being a "Five Year Intensive Program", filled with scouting and construction. She checks with Arabahe to make sure this is an acceptable course of action. Arabahe says that he couldn't be happier for her and highly encourages her to do so. In actuality, the Mayhiros had gotten to him first, already convincing him that this was the best course of action for her, backing their persuasions with and influence with charms. Leaping Cricket is skeptical about the assignment, as he's heard nothing of it, but trusts Himani to make the right decisions and do what makes her happy.
In Himani's absence, Arabahe starts spending much, much more time with House Arbogassu as a whole, as well as with Tsungji. Arabahe assures Keshini that his relationship with Tsungji is purely professional and non-romantic in nature, but Keshini has her doubts. With her mother out on a job excursion and her father being very busy and absent, Keshini spends more and more time up in Lookshy, even living with Cricket for a time; anything to give her something to do during the passing time. Cricket, knowing Keshini's love for horses and travel, puts in a positive word for her with The Council of Elders to become a circuit rider, stressing her upbringing with House Arbogassu and her familiarity with the lands from all of her traveling between Lookshy and the Marukan areas in between. The Council accepts and so does Keshini. At the age of 18, in RY 755, she starts her task almost immediately.
After her initial training, Keshini is paired up with Goshun as a circuit riding partner. Goshun served as part of the Seventh legion from RY 748 to RY 754 in a Hammer Scale against the offensive made by the Autocrat of Thorns. Though Goshun is about a decade Keshini's senior, he lacks her more civil, less violent approach to the world as a whole. However, what Goshun lacks in tact, he more than makes up for in martial ability. During their circuit riding missions together, they frequently take on the role of Good Cop/Bad Cop to get as much information out of their suspects as possible. He teaches her a lot about how to hold herself in combat, just as she teaches him more about the ways of the outside world and of more intellectual matters. They end up forming a very close romantic bond with one another over their years of working together.
In RY 758, Himani returns to Marukani lands with plenty of jade to hand, but as a very different person. She rarely speaks unless spoken to, and never of the events that transpired in her absence, showing signs of a severe traumatic experience. Arabahe is torn between the woman he once loved and his new love within the House. By RY 759 Tsungji, being the jealous sort and one only concerned for the well-being and prosperity of her house, pays a contact from House Mayhiros to go to Himani's house in the night, kill her, and make it look like a suicide. Once everyone believed that Himani killed herself due to her depression, and after an appropriate period of mourning, Arabahe is swiftly wed to Tsungji and there is much rejoicing within House Arbogassu. Keshini continues her task as a circuit rider with Goshun, having little to do with her "Family House" from that point forward. She takes solace in the occasional visit to Lookshy to visit Cricket, whom she introduces to Goshun with less-than-stellar initial results. As time passes, Goshun and Cricket become more tolerant of one another to the point of even enjoying one another's company, as long as the topic of conversation isn't too heady. Between spending time with Keshini as a circuit rider and spending time with Cricket, Goshun eventually learns a great deal about proper social presentation. Goshun retires from being a Circuit Rider in RY 766, and Keshini follows in kind.
In RY 767, due to his military experience with Thorns and his years of serving as an emissary as a circuit rider, Goshun is elected by his tribe to the Council of Elders. He keeps very close ties to Keshini, frequently consulting her on big issues that he's not sure how to deal with. They are involved lovers, but they never marry, which is Keshini's insistence. They live happily together in Celeren.
In RY 768, while in the Celeren Manse after a session of the Council as come to an end, Keshini is waiting patiently for her partner to emerge from the Council chambers. During that time, she overhears a conversation between a member of House Mayhiros and a voice Keshini recognizes as Tsungji's. Knowing of Tsungji's closeness with the Mayhiros, she thinks nothing of it at first, however Tsungji becomes a little too free with her tongue. While talking about an upcoming gain for House Arbogassu in alliance with Mayhiros, she mentions something to the affect of just sending off all that don't agree with their issues on some useless, independent venture like they had Himani so the Mayhiros could work their magic on the important factors, like they had with Arabahe. The Mayhiros responds with a slanted comment, stating that there was no way he could destroy that many people in such a crude way as he had Himani in such a short time, especially not with all the clean-up afterwards. They both have a good laugh about this, right as they round the corner and see Keshini. Before Keshini can say anything, Goshun emerges from the Council chambers and they head back home, Keshini filling Goshun in on everything that she heard. Goshun points out that if Tsungji and the Mayhiros know what she heard, it would be a very big threat to Mayhiros' political credibility and to House Mayhiros as a whole.
That night, Goshun is called in to an impromptu Council meeting about the proximity and possible invasion of Thorns. While the meeting is in session and Keshini is at home, several bandits show up to dispatch her. Fortunately at the time, Keshini was outside tending to her Horse, Sabre. She quickly leaps on his back and, running circles around the would-be assassins, counter-assassinates them in kind. She goes back inside the house, writes down a letter explaining that it's not safe for her to be around right now and that she will contact him again very soon. With that, she packs up her essential belongings and rides to Lookshy.
She gets to Cricket's residence and relays to him everything that's happened. He promises to keep everything she has told him a secret. He asks her to come along with him for the remainder of the night so that she will have accompaniment and be safe. Cricket takes Keshini to a place he's never taken her during all of his years of work, to the caverns underneath the Academy, but makes her promise that in return for him keeping her secrets that she keep his. She agrees, and they descend.
As they travel through the caverns, Keshini starts to feel an odd resonation while Cricket seems to be purposefully not discussing or acknowledging what's going on in the other rooms. He keeps stressing that he wants to show Keshini an artifact from the first age that he thinks she will find very interesting. He opens the door to a room with many projects he's working on, then points to a big object in one of the corners that's covered up. Cricket seems very giddy at this point and very excited to show her what is being covered. As he unveils to her his latest triumph, a completely restored a First Age Clockwork Steed, Keshini's brain starts to get flooded with very strong visions from her... past? She sees herself as a man riding through creation, wielding wonders that she's never seen before. With that, she explodes with fiery solar light, causing many of the artifacts in the room to react in very unexpected and severe ways.
Unfortunately, this reaction sets off an alarm system within the caverns. Cricket knows that guards will be there any minute and that they need to get her out of there as quickly as possible. While running, they are pulled into an empty corridor by a mechanized, clockwork arm. Amilar Kraik gives Cricket the order to go back to his laboratory and do crowd control, telling other parties that something about faulty wiring is to blame. In the meantime, Kraik tells Cricket that he will get Keshini out.
"I always knew you were destined for great things, Keshini, I just never knew that they would be this great. We will keep you secret until you stop shining so brightly, and then you must get out of here as quickly as possible. I will tell Leaping Cricket of the happenings here tonight and explain everything to him." In finishing his statement, Kraik pushes open a secret chamber within one of the walls, revealing a spiral staircase upwards.
"No one here knows about this, and you will be safe in here. When you are ready, these stairs lead upward to just outside of the Lookshy city walls. I will have Cricket make sure your horse and belongings are waiting for you. Be silent, and you will survive," and with that, Kraik shuts the door on Keshini, leaving her by herself within the stairwell.
Once Keshini stops shining so brightly, she climbs the staircase and emerges just outside of Lookshy with Sabre waiting, just as Kraik had promised. She finds his saddle bags to be heavier than she had left him and along with some extra food, Keshini finds a couple of books with a note written by Cricket. "I was given these books when I first started my training as a sorcerer. It's about time someone else put these to good use." Keshini decides to take a look at them later for tonight, she needed to put as much space between herself, Lookshy, and Celeren as possible.
Testament
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Crimson Slate
Caste/Aspect: Eclipse; Concept: Marukani Circuit Rider Diplomat; Anima: Clockwork Elemental Horse; Motivation: To remove House Mayhiros from power in Celeren; Experience Points: 48/9
- Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2; Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2; Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 4
- Abilities: Thrown 4; Integrity 2, Presence 4, Resistance 1; Lore 3, Occult 4; Athletics 2, Awareness 2, Dodge 3; Bureaucracy 3, Linguistics 2 ([Riverspeak]; [Old Realm]; [Guild Cant]), Ride 3, Socialize 3
- Ability Specialties Thrown (Boomerang) 3 ranks; Presence (Negotiation) 3 ranks; Ride (Thrown) 1 rank.
- Backgrounds: Allies 2 (Leaping Cricket), Contacts 1 (Council of Elders), Influence 1 (Scavenger Lands), Resources 3;
- Excellencies
- Essence Overwhelming: 1m/die; Instant; Reflexive; adds +1 die to Ability dice pool, to a max. of Attribute + Ability; Applies to: Thrown, Presence, Dodge, and Bureaucracy
- Resistance Charms:
- Ox-Body Technique; Permanent. Gives an additional -1 health level and two additional -2 health levels
- Dodge Charms:
- Shadow Over Water; Reflexive, Instant, 1 mote. Refreshes DV for one attack.
- Thrown Charms:
- Triple-Distance Technique; Supplemental, Instant, 3 motes. Allows the Exalt to triple the range of any thrown weapon.
- Cascade of Cutting Terror; Supplemental, Instant, Obvious, 5 motes. Allows the Exalt to make a thrown attack that cannot be dodged. This attack also doubles the number of successes on the attack before comparing to Opponent's DV in step 3.
- Occult Charms:
- Spirit Detecting Glance; Reflexive, One Scene, 3 motes. Allows the Exalt to interact with De-materialized Spirits.
- Terrestrial Circle Sorcery; Special, 1 willpower. Allows the Exalt to use Terrestrial Circle Sorcery Spells.
- Presence Charms
- Irresistible Salesman Spirit; Supplemental, Instant, 3 motes. Double social attack successes before comparing to opponent's MDV.
- Bureaucracy Charms
- Insightful Buyer Technique; Supplemental, Instant, 3 motes. Gives the Exalt perfect knowledge of an item's value, as well as reducing the external penalty for finding rare things by the Exalt's essence rating.
- Combos
- Revelation of the Hidden Cache Approach; Insightful Buyer Technique and Bureaucracy Overwhelming
- Perspective Altering Stance; Irresistible Salesman Spirit and Presence Overwhelming
- Battleworn Guide of the Skies; Thrown Overwhelming and Dodge Overwhelming
- Stampeding Hooves of Triumph; Thrown Overwhelming, Cascade of Cutting Terror, Dodge Overwhelming, Shadow Over Water
- Sorcery
- Emerald Countermagic
- Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 3, Temperance 3, Valor 2; Virtue Flaw: Contempt of the Virtuous
- Willpower: 6; Essence: 3; Personal Essence: 15; Peripheral Essence: 37; Anima Power: Eclipsey Goodness
- DVs: Evade 5, Parry 2, Mental 6; Soak: 5B/6L/5A (Exceptional Breastplate; Mob -0, Fat +0, Hard 0); Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Inc.
- Attacks
- Perfect War Boomerang: Speed 5, Rate 2, Accuracy +2 (12), Damage +5L (7L), Range 40, Parry DV 2
- Moonsilver Skycutter: Speed 5, Rate 2, Accuracy +4 (14), Damage +5L, Range 95, Parry DV 2
- Possessions: The Black Treatise, The White Treatise
- Artifacts:
- Moonsilver Skycutter: Attunement Cost 4/(8)
- Blue Jade Cloudsplitter: Attunement Cost 4/(8)
- Hearthstones: N/A
- Artifacts:
- Intimacies: Marukani Tribes, three ranks; Lookshy, three ranks
- Athletic Measurements
- Horizontal Jump: 8 yards
- Vertical Jump: 4 yards
- Move: 3 yards
- Dash: 9 yards
- Lift: 350 lbs.
- Sabre, Marukan Finest:
- Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5
- Abilities: Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Martial Arts 3, Dodge 3, Intimidation 3, Stealth 1
- Willpower 5; Health Levels: -0/-0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-4/Inc.; Dodge DV 3; Soak 5B/2L/0A
- Attacks
- Bite: Accuracy 6, Dam 2L, Speed 5, Rate 2, Def -
- Kick: Accuracy 6, Dam 8L, Speed 6, Rate 1, Def -
Experience Points
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Prelude: Training of the Solars
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Spent: 46/9; Unspent: 2/0
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