Widow Idoru

Aliases: The Widow, Lady Jashoma; Caste: Dawn; Concept: The Grieving Widow-General; Anima: The Merciful Sword Bodhisattva; Motivation: To fully establish the Veiled Legion; Experience Points: 99; Experience Point Debt: 48

• Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3; Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2; Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 5
• Abilities: Archery 1, Martial Arts 1, Melee 5 (Swords +3), War 4; Integrity 2, Performance 4 (Speeches +2), Presence 2, Resistance 1; Lore 5, Medicine 2; Athletics 1, Awareness 2 (Combat +3); Bureaucracy 3, Linguistics 3 (High Realm; Old Realm, Low Realm, Flametongue), Ride 1, Socialize 3
• Backgrounds: Followers 2, Influence 2, Manse 5, Resources 4, Retainers 1
• Excellencies
  • Essence Overwhelming: 1m/die; Instant; Reflexive; Gain one die per mote spent, to a maximum bonus of Attribute + Ability; Applies to: Awareness, Lore, Melee, Performance, War
  • Essence Resurgent: 4m; Instant; Reflexive; Reroll a dice pool of appropriate Ability; Applies to: Lore
  • Infinite Skill Mastery: 2+m; Scene; Simple; Reduces cost of Ability-based Excellencies by 1m/2m invested; Applies to: Melee
• Lore Charms
  • Harmonious Academic Methodology: 10m, 1W; 1 week; Simple; May train others in Perception, Intelligence, Craft, Investigation, Lore, Linguistics, Performance, Presence, Socialize, Conviction and Temperance.
  • Immanent Solar Glory: - ; Permanent; Permanent; Regenerate Essence while performing duties of a Lawgiver; Permanently add +10m to Anima Pool per purchase; Number of Purchases: 2
• Melee Charms
  • Bulwark Stance: 5m; Until Next Action; Reflexive; Ignore all Parry DV penalties until next action
  • Dipping Swallow Defense: 2m; Instant; Reflexive; Ignore all Parry DV penalties vs. one attack
  • Fivefold Bulwark Stance: 5m, 1W; Scene; Simple (Spd 6, -1DV); Reduce all onslaught penalties and action-based DV penalties for scene
  • Hungry Tiger Technique: 1m; Instant; Supplemental; Double attack successes when determining damage
• Performance Charms
  • Respect Commanding Attitude: 5m; Scene; Simple (Spd 4, -1DV); Roll Charisma + Performance; any observer with a lower MDV than the successes rolled must stay and watch performance
• Resistance Charms
  • Body Mending Meditation: 10m; until end of day; Supplemental; Heal 10 times faster, or add successes from roll to Charms or other effects that heal damage.
  • Ox-Body Technique: Gain +1 (-1 Health Level) and +2 (-2 Health Levels) per Charm purchase; Number of Purchases: 1
• Socialize Charms
  • Wise-Eyed Courtier Technique: 3m, 1W; Instant; Simple (Spd 6, -1DV); Roll Charisma + Socialize, difficulty of (group MDV) + (one-half group Magnitude) to alter the accepted beliefs of a group
• War Charms
  • Fury-Inciting Presence: 10m, 1W; Scene; Simple (Spd 5, -1DV); Roll Charisma + Performance or War to create a military unit out of disparate individuals who are not already part of a military unit
  • Heroism Encouraging Presence: 8m, 1W; Scene; Simple (Spd 6, -1DV); All units within Essence x5 yds become immune to failing Valor checks, rout checks or fatigue checks
  • Mob Dispersing Rebuke: 7m, 1W; Instant; Simple (Spd 3; -1DV); Causes an immediate rout check on all units within Essence x100 yds
  • Rout Stemming Gesture: 4m, 1W; Until Next Action; Reflexive; All military units resist rout; all allies may make a second roll against fear-based Charms or effects
  • Tiger Warrior Training Technique: 10m, 1W; 1 week; Simple; Train others in Valor, Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Archery, Dodge, Martial Arts, Melee; units trained also gain +1 Drill per week.
• Combos
  • Anger Beneath the Veil: Melee Overwhelming, Dipping Swallow Defense, Hungry Tiger Technique
• Virtues: Compassion 4, Conviction 3, Temperance 2, Valor 2; Virtue Flaw: Heart of Tears
• Willpower: 5; Essence: 3; Personal Essence: 15; Anima Essence: 56; Anima Power: Aura of Terror
• DVs: Evade 3 (2 in armor), Parry 7 (+3 dice due to Hearthstone Bracers), Mental 6; Soak: 5B/5L/4A (Breastplate; Mob -1, Fat 1, Hard 0); Health Levels: -0/-1/-1/-1/-2/-2/-2/-2/-4/Inc.
• Attacks
  • Punch: Speed 5, Rate 3, Accuracy +2 (7), Damage Str +0B, Parry DV X (Def +2)
  • Kick: Speed 5, Rate 2, Accuracy +0 (5), Damage Str +3B, Parry DV X (Def -2)
  • Clinch: Speed 6, Rate 1, Accuracy +0 (5), Damage Str +0B + hold, Parry DV N/A
  • Fine Straight Sword: Speed 4, Rate 3, Accuracy +2 (14), Damage 7L, Parry DV 7
  • Fine Knives (2): Speed 5, Rate 3, Accuracy +2 (11), Damage 7L, Parry DV 5
  • Daiklaive of Conquest (Reaper): Speed 4, Rate 4, Accuracy +5 (14), Damage 8L, Parry DV 5
• Possessions: Several changes of clothing (traveling and mourning gowns), a variety of liquidated wealth (including jade coinage), a pair of fine knives given to her sons on their adulthood birthdays, a fine straight sword that belonged to her husband when he was given his Legion appointment, simple breastplate, tents and other traveling necessities
  • Artifacts: Reaper Daiklaive of Conquest (Rating 5, Commitment 10; Glows with unearthly light; all foes w/i 10 yds must make a Valor check, dif 2, or flee in fear; those who hold their ground lose [wielder's Valor] in dice on all attacks; friendly troops within one mile gain +1 die on all combat pools and one automatic success on all Valor rolls; all opponents within one mile gain -1 dice penalty to all combat pools, and increase the difficulty of all Valor checks by +1; three Hearthstone slots), Soulsteel Shield Bracers (Rating 2, Commitment 4; Gain +3 dice to Parry DV; targets struck by attacks receive -2 penalty to all soaks; affixed with Orichalcum Fivefold Harmonic Adaptor), Orichalcum Fivefold Harmonic Adaptor (Rating 1, Commitment 0, Repair 1; adheres to a non-orichalcum magical material, item is treated as orichalcum for the purpose of attunement), Silver & Jet Necklace (Rating 1, Commitment 1; Keeps wearer clean; wearer gains +2 bonus vs. poisons and disease)
  • Hearthstones: Gem of Legendary Leadership (Rating 5, Fire Aspect, Slotted in Daiklaive of Conquest, [Manse Name & Location]; +2 bonus to all Presence, Performance, War and Bureaucracy rolls dealing with governance; +1 bonus to all Dawn Caste Abilities when leading troops)
• Intimacies: Mirkule 3, Immaculate Philosophy 3, Husband & Sons 3, River Shield 3, Zephyr 3
• Athletic Measurements
  • Horizontal Jump: 8 yds
  • Vertical Jump: 4 yds
  • Move: 4 yds
  • Dash: 10 yds
  • Lift: 350 lbs.

A Widow's Dream

Last night, I had a dream.

We have begun something here, I think. Something that will change the world — or at least the part of it we inhabit at the moment. A time will come, many years from now, when other will look back, back to this time, and say "It began here."

We must be careful, then. Careful to control what that "it" they speak of is. All too often, greatness springs from humble beginnings with too little direction or purpose. Those with potential stumble into greatness, but how many others might have become great if they but set out to do so? Certainly, to set out with greatness in mind runs the risk of hubris…but even if one fails to live up to that greatness, the effort was made.

"It is the effort that matters," I used to tell my sons. "Success is your reward, not your goal. The goal is to well and truly make the attempt, with every fiber of your being."

We will make for ourselves a home. A camp. Carefully hidden away, and with few necessities. From there will grow the Veiled Legion, but slowly, as is the way with an old woman. Oh, so slowly.

It begins with the teahouses. Teahouses are a wonderful thing, an escape from the difficulties and sorrows of the world. Little pieces of Heaven, secluded gardens with lovely rooms whose only function is to look lovely while one sits and enjoys tea. It is a place where many an old woman retreats during the day, when heavy chores are performed by the young, when it is too hot to stay indoors, when one wants the company of one's peers. It is there that we gossip and sip our tea, brag of the accomplishments of our children and their children.

Perhaps, though, there might be other possible topics of conversation.

They will be my Dowager Ministers: refined women of taste and sophistication. I will teach them the arts of bureaucracy and genteel discussion, of managing crowds and fomenting rebellion. They will travel, my money heavy in their pockets, and they will take over teahouses — investing in them, working in them, managing them and making them into the first safeholds of the Veiled Legion. From here, they will prepare the ladies, discussing the wrongs the Dragon-Blooded have wrought, and the ways to restore their lands. Then, I shall come among them. I will teach those my Dowager Ministers have gathered. I will teach them the arts of war, teach them to wield a blade. The gardens shall serve as our battlefields, the clash of blade disguised by music and idle conversation. Teahouses shall be battle collegia. For weeks I shall work there, and then move on to the next teahouse.

Slowly shall the Veiled Legion grow and increase in strength, its numbers growing. Every season I shall return to the teahouses, to teach for a few weeks, and then moving on.

In this fashion shall the Veil await. It will lay across the length and breadth of An-Teng, waiting for my call.

Dowager Ministers

Older women trained to the heights of social engineering. Serve as recruiters to the Veiled Legion, fomenting rebellion and a desire to work change. Conviction +2, Perception +2, Intelligence +2, Investigation +3, Linguistics +3 (High Realm, Old Realm, Fire Tongue), Lore +3, Performance +3, Presence +3, Socialize +3. Total Training Weeks: 24; 8 actual weeks.

• Dowager Minister Indoctrination (x2): Meditation and social training intended to instill confidence and capability in new Dowager Ministers. The taking of an oath is also part of this process, sanctified to Heaven. Conviction +1, Perception +1, Intelligence +1.
• Observing Grandmother Approach (x3): Techniques that focus on observation and noticing small tendencies and quirks in both the environment and in others, as well as training in history and culture. Investigation +1, Lore +1, Socialize +1.
• Veiled Ministry Training (x3): Skills in manipulation of the social atmosphere, including training in a variety of languages. Linguistics +1, Performance +1, Presence +1.
• Training to Date
  • Iron Petal Cell: City of the Steel Lotus. Notable Members: Gracious Rosina, Moss Weaver.
    • Dowager Minister Indoctrination: 1 of 2 (Ascending Water 26)
    • Observing Grandmother Approach: 0 of 3
    • Veiled Ministry Training: 0 of 3
  • Azure Virtue Cell: Adorned with Wisdom as a Sapphire. Notable Members: Walled Garden.
    • Dowager Minister Indoctrination: 1 of 2 (Resplendent Water 5)
    • Observing Grandmother Approach: 0 of 3
    • Veiled Ministry Training: 0 of 3

Veiled Legionnaires

Women, both young and old, trained in combat. They undergo 9 weeks of training, with strict regimens during each of those weeks. Valor +2, Strength +3, Dexterity +3, Stamina +3, Archery +4, Dodge +4, Martial Arts +4, Melee +4. Total Training Weeks: 27; 9 actual weeks.

• Mourning Mother Dance (x2): A slow, stately dance meant to teach bravery and strength. Performed with a fan, which teaches the basic techniques of sword-work. Valor +1, Strength +1, Melee +1.
• Mourning Widow Dance (x3): A faster, spinning dance, involving the use of a veil. Teaches the basics of evasion and unarmed combat while honing reflexes and reactions. Dexterity +1, Dodge +1, Martial Arts +1.
• Dance of the Enduring Archer: A dance technique that emphasizes the power and endurance of a mighty archer on the battlefield. Strength +1, Stamina +1, Archery +1.
• The Veil in the Storm Practice: The first of the non-dance training techniques, it involves two lines of women, facing one another with fowling arrows and relatively weak pulls on their bows, dodging one anothers' arrows for several hours. Stamina +1, Archery +1, Dodge +1.
• Widow of War Techniques: The techniques that teach the Veiled Legionnaire the necessities of battlefield life, involving the performance of katas and repetive bow-drawing in painful stances for hours. Stamina +1, Archery +1, Melee +1.
• The Widow Rises to War Promenade: The final techniques of the Veiled Legionnaire training regimen, wherein the new Leiled Legionnaire is given her Veil of War, her sword, bow and armor. Archery +1, Martial Arts +1, Melee +1.
• Training to Date
  • None

Dowager-Generals

Women who have received full training as both Dowager Ministers and Veiled Legionnaires.