Latest revision as of 08:08, 5 April 2010

History

I was born in Nexus about... 25 years ago or so. I don't know who my parents were, as I was abandoned as a baby by them. I would not be here today had one of the gangs of children of the city not found me. This gang, The Blue Feet, often found themselves rescuing abandoned babies before they perished... it was, in fact, where many of them came from. Their leader was actually not a child herself, but an adult. Smiling Rain was her name.

She was a former school teacher, fallen low in life due to several misfortunes, and ended up in Nexus to try her fortune... with not much success. However, Smiling Rain loved children, this was the reason she had become a teacher in the first place. She always had a ready smile for a child, and hated seeing them suffer... which is why she formed The Blue Feet in the first place (I never thought about asking where the name came from, unfortunately). She taught children how to read and write in Riverspeak, at the very least, as well as some history... and she truly believed in the Immaculate Philosophy.

Oh, it was not perfect. Despite her best attempts, The Blue Feet were still made of poor and disfranchised children. She urged them to try and do honest work, but not all listened... or could not, in this city. Many of Blue Feet stole for a living, and to some it was a game.

I grew up among them. I stole for a living, because I or other children were at the danger of starving otherwise, but I never liked it. There was nothing I hated more than seeing those that were like my family suffering, and I aided them however I could... to whatever risks I could take. This... is, I believe, what has always defined my life.

I grew knowing pain. I grew knowing hunger. I grew in Nexus, a city that is, ultimately, merciless to those that are weak. I was not the strongest person about, but... but if being hungry meant somebody younger than me could eat, it was worth it. If being beaten to the ground and kicked meant that others of the gang avoided that fate, it was worth it.

But enough of that. Above all, I adored Smiling Rain. She knew so much about everything and I was always asking questions... she was the one who named me, in the end. I decided, when I grew up, I also wanted to be a teacher... I told her this much. She laughed, and accepted having me as an apprentice.

Exaltation

I grew in a world, balancing between a life of learning and a life of theft. I could not leave either... one would mean the end of my dream; the other would mean possibly dying of hunger. Surviving was, by itself, quite the task, even with the aid of my friends and Smiling Rain. I did my best to aid them as well. There was still trouble, and times of hunger, and times of pain, but we lived through it.

Smiling Rain passed away quietly one night. She was old by then, and her health was not all that well, but I believe she died fairly happy. I inherited her small home. The Blue Feet... well, the group mostly drifted away, as most of the children of my generation grew up and left. I did, however, continue to offer shelter to those children that wanted it, as well as the chance to learn to read and write. I made money in... other ways.

I recall the day I Exalted all too well. It was a nice day; the sun was bright in the sky. I was aiding a few of my children, they were hungry and I was giving them what food I could, which wasn't much. Then, another one ran in, with a panicked expression on his face. He was Toad, an older kid with a penchant of getting into trouble, but whom I knew had a good heart. He ran up to me and clutched to my robes, frightened, moments before a group of angry men crashed through the door.

I do not believe they were from Nexus. They demanded me to give Toad to them... he had apparently attempted to steal their purse, and they had noticed. I am still fairly surprised that Toad didn't manage to elude them. I would not just hand him over, of course, and I stepped forward, and offered to give them anything... anything, if they would leave him alone.

The one in the lead laughed and then struck me in the stomach, making me collapse to the floor gasping for breath. He then grabbed me by the hair and picked me up, and stated that yes, he would take anything I had to give... after he wrecked the place down and cut off Toad's hand, the punishment for thieves where he came from.

His friends began trashing the place down, and I heard the children screaming in fright. He stepped towards the terrified Toad, grabbed him and slammed his hand against a desk, and he lifted his sword above his head, and...

... I grabbed his arm. I'm actually not sure how fast I moved and stood up, but I grabbed his arm and twisted it back until he dropped his blade. I was angry, angry that they would try to hurt a child, angry that they would destroy my home and threaten my children, just... angry, and tired about it all, and I had enough.

I remember him crying in pain. I also remember one of his companions come at me, wielding a long club, and strike me in the back, and... the club shattered, and I felt nothing. I glared at the man, and he fell back as if he had seen a monster. I squeezed the leader's arm some more, and I swear I broke it.

"Go away." I said, with strength I didn't know I had. "Leave my home, and leave Nexus by nightfall, or I will find you and kill you."

They fled the house screaming in panic, the leader clutching his arm. I finally glanced around, to see if the children were alright, and noticed how they were all looking at me with an expression between awe and fright. Only then did I notice that I was glowing.

And then I heard the most powerful voice I had heard in my life. "Through pain, suffering and hunger you have prevailed, aiding those around you at the cost of yourself. I shall grant you strength, so that your struggle shall not be in vain. For centuries I looked away from the world, but now my gaze falls upon it once more. Rise, and lead humanity away from darkness and ignorance, for you are the chosen of the Unconquered Sun!"

... And so, my life changed. I wonder sometimes... I am but a simple teacher and not a leader of men. But I have, since that day, used the power I have been granted to aid those around me in ways I couldn't before. I still teach children how to read and write, among other things, and thus lead them away from a life of ignorance.

I have... gotten some of my pride back as well. There are, simply, things I won't do, whether I need the money or not. I dream of the First Age, and of the glory the Solars held then, and I know that I will never be so glorious. I am a humble woman. I have never though about richness, wealth, power. Maybe... maybe one day, when things are set right in the world again, then I may try reaching farther to help other people. For now... I think Nexus needs all the help it can get.

Nexus

The greatest and the worst city in the world, at the same time. A city so large I do not believe I have ever crossed it from side to side. The city pulses with life, from its many people and the dozens of merchants that litter the streets. On the other hand, it is easily an incredibly dangerous place, with thieves being perhaps the lesser concern. Thousands of people, spirits, and other things roam the streets. I do not think you'll ever find a place like this city (and you may be glad for it).

If I were to number the problems of Nexus, they would overcome the merits it has, so I won't. This is because I love this city, for all its problems. It is my home, and I'm proud to have been born here. I want to help protect it, as improbable as it sounds yet.

I see future for this city yet. I have taken on the task of educating and protecting those children that would otherwise have no future. Less hungry and ignorant children mean less desperate thieves and worse in the future. It is in them that I invest my hope.

Personality

Gentle Aurora, to those that meet her for the first time, often comes up as a terminally shy, quiet woman who stammers when she speaks. Most of the time, she's just as happy to be anonymous to the world at large. Those people often do not know what drives her.

A martyr through and through, Gentle Aurora is more than ready to aid those that are in trouble, at whatever cost it may be to her. A pacifist as well, Gentle Aurora won't raise a hand against somebody hurting her physically nor verbally. She will endure pain and shame quietly and stoically, until the aggressor gets tired of her.

Aurora will willingly offer herself to be punished in stead of somebody else, especially if said person happens to be a child. If she is not taken on this... offer... and aggression continues to that person, Aurora will willingly put herself as a living shield between the aggressors and the victim.

Of course, Aurora won't help somebody she is convinced is utterly unredeemable, but she won't hurt him either. Also, she does not desire to give away her life for nothing, but if she -has- to... then it will be for a good cause.

A notable change comes over Aurora when she offers to take punishment in exchange for somebody, or when she's teaching at her small school. Her words become certain and powerful, and her stammering stops. If physically threatened, she might probably tremble, but she won't budge from her spot if she's defending somebody.

But Aurora does not enjoy pain and suffering. She endures it quietly, but she does not enjoy it. If it were up to her, she would spend her life with a permanent smile on her face, free of pain and hunger and sickness... but she simply cannot bring herself to ignore the pain of others.

Appearance

Gentle Aurora could be a beautiful woman if she ever cared enough and had the wealth to take care of herself daily. As it is, most of her clothes are worn and simple, and her sandals are old and ready to pull apart at any second. While in school and teaching, she wears somewhat more well taken care of robes, but they are still not much to look at.

Her hair is a pale blonde, short in length and either held up in a loose ponytail or just plain loose. It's usually messy and sometimes dirty. Her eyes are wide and a light blue in color. Her skin is somewhat on the pale side. Again, pretty, but not much to look at, and she prefers that.

When she is serious, however, Aurora gets a steely look in her eyes she otherwise doesn't have, and her posture becomes straight and solid. This kind of look often makes people understand that they might have underestimated the usually meek girl.

Character Sheet

Name: Gentle Aurora
Concept: Meek Teacher
Nature: Martyr
Caste: Zenith
Anima: A sphere of light which grows wings

PHYSICAL
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Stamina: 3

SOCIAL
Charisma: 5
Manipulation: 2
Appearance: 4

MENTAL
Perception: 3
Intelligence: 3
Wits: 3

DAWN
Brawl: 2

ZENITH
(x)Endurance: 1
(x)Performance: 3
(x)Presence: 1
(x)Resistance: 3
(x)Survival: 1

TWILIGHT
(x)Lore: 4
(x)Medicine: 3

NIGHT
(x)Awareness: 3
(x)Dodge: 3
Larceny: 3
(x)Stealth: 3

ECLIPSE
Bureaucracy: 1
Linguistics: 1
Socialize: 1

BACKGROUNDS
Contacts: 2
Followers: 2
Influence: 1
Resources: 2

CHARMS

Name | Cost
1. Respect Commanding Attitude | 5 motes (Performance)
2. Masterful Performance Exercise | 2 motes / success
3. Phantom-Conjuring Performance | 5 motes
4. Durability of Oak Meditation | 1 mote / 2 die (Resistance)
5. Iron Skin Concentration | 3 motes, 1 WP
6. Illness-Resisting Meditation | 6 motes
7. Essence-Lending Method | 3 motes (Lore)
8. Will-Bolstering Method | 5 motes, 1 WP
9. Flawless Diagnosis Technique | 1 mote (Medicine)
10. Easily Overlooked presence Method | 3 motes (Stealth)

Willpower: 8

Virtues
Compassion: 3
Temperance: 2
Conviction: 3
Valor: 2

Virtue Flaw: Wrath of the Martyr.

This flaw works much like Compassionate Martyrdom, with a single change. If an aggressor insists on attacking and hurting a helpless target despite the Exalt's best attempts, she will eventually fly into a rage and attack the aggressor with all her power, as well as anybody that she deems to be an accomplice of the aggressor. She will calm down again once all the aggressors are out. The flaw lasts for a number of days equal of their Compassion.

Limit Break Condition: like Compassionate Martyrdom.

ANIMA: May use animas to burn the bodies of the dead (1m) and do aggravated damage to undead and demons (5m). Also, like Dawn's anima power but with undead and demons (10m).

Health: 0x1, -1x2, -2x2, -4x1, I

Soak BTiffa/GentleAurora/L: 3/1

Essence: 2
Personal: 14
Peripheral: 32

Linguistics: Riverspeak, Low Realm

Flaws: Pacifist (3) Merits: Pain Tolerance (3)

Expanded Backgrounds

Contacts: 2

Aurora counts a couple of people in Nexus as her contacts.

One is Rienao Koza, a somewhat successful merchant in Nexus. He often aids Aurora when it comes down to get cheaper food that is still in good shape. He does this because the young woman helped calm down a crowd that was threatening to become a mob and tear his business down thanks to the lies of a competitor (Said competitor no longer works in Nexus, the Council doesn't like people messing with business afterall).

The other is Crow the Boy, who Aurora has met in the past. She's handy in keeping track of some children in the city, and Aurora approves of the way she has managed to disband some of the more violent gangs. Neither knows of the other's status as a Solar.

Followers: 2

Despite Aurora's best attempts, she has drawn some people under her leadership. She's actually horribly embarrassed about it, but can't simply say no. Said followers are all teenagers that Aurora aided in the past when they were kids. Said teenagers help her from time to time in school, or help find lost or abandoned small children, and spread rumors on the children gangs about the woman that teaches to read and write to those that want to.

They are Canary, a pretty girl who makes a living off street performing and has a fairly beautiful voice (Aurora hands her books of plays and other such things, Canary loves them); Rabbit, a quick small boy who makes a living of being a messenger; and Toad, the one that knows that Aurora is an Exalt, has sworn to keep this a secret, and is head over heels about her but doesn't have much hope for anything since he's rather... well, ugly. He works for Koza for the most time, having been scared away from a life of larceny.

Influence: 1

Being a teacher has given Aurora -some- influence, although she wouldn't call it that. All in all, it's limited to the lives of the kids she aids and teaches to. This influence could grow in the future, if Aurora doesn't get distracted from her tasks.

Resources: 2

Aurora is not a wealthy woman, but she lives well enough. She doesn't make any money as a teacher, so she often does works for others. Lately, she does most work for Koza, often as a courier. She has done less savory things in the past, but she does not wish to do them again.

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