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Nerissa's old sheet!

Background Summary: Nerissa was born in Abalone, in the Wavecrest Archipelago, to a blacksmith mother and a seafaring trader father. She learned her mother's trade, but yearned for the sea and to live as men do, for in Wavecrest, women are viewed as generally inferior to men in anything else but land-based skills. Lacking any other viable option, Nerissa resolved herself to join the Tya as soon as the opportunity presented itself. In time, she caught the attention of Captain Alcasta Nevermoor of the Siren's Fancy, who took her in and taught her how to fight, sail and live proudly as an independent woman. She learned eagerly as a new initiate, and quickly became an asset to the crew, both for her skill as a warrior and her practical knowledge as a blacksmith.

Nerissa's Exaltation occurred when the Siren's Fancy was beset upon by creatures of the Wyld, decimating almost half the crew including Alcasta, who had since become her lover. With her newfound strength, fueled by rage and despair, she was able to fend off the beasts and bring the battered ship and the seven remaining members of the crew to a safe port. The survivors pledged their loyalty to her as soon as they reached shore, proclaiming her the new captain of Alcasta's ship. Other members have come and gone since then, particularly women that Nerissa herself has recruited into the Tya, but her original followers remain the core of her crew.

For some time she traveled on with them as freelance mercenaries, working as escorts for trading vessels, transporting goods or dignitaries, dispatching terrorizing sea monsters, searching shipwrecks for sunken treasure -- generally carving out an honest living for themselves in the perilious West, just as Alcasta had done in life. It was during this time Nerissa was able to secure the two artifacts her First Age self once carried: Forgemaster's Fury, a returning throwing hammer of particular usefulness in the forge, and a set of reinforced breastplate and accessories, all crafted in orichalcum. Though they have run into trouble with pirates in the past, their stance in the struggle of sea-based powers has been decidedly neutral and independent up until now.

Nerissa has very recently heard wind of the mysterious "island eater" and has chosen, for a time, to deviate from her usual routine to help investigate and hopefully destroy the menace and for all.

Description: Nerissa has long, wavy blue hair bound into numerous braids, brown skin with a golden cast, and dark brown eyes. She is above average height for a woman, broad shouldered and strong-armed -- looks as if she's weathered many a storm. She has a long scar that runs across her jaw from her left ear to her chin. Her cheeks and forehead are tattooed in the labyrinthine patterns of swirls that mark her as one of the Tya. Her clothing is more practical than ornamental: sturdy leather pants, knee-high boots of the same material, and a fine linen tunic laced at the sleeves and up the neckline.

When armed for battle, Nerissa wears a padded, metal-plated fighting gauntlet on her left hand, a two handed maul strapped to her back, and -- hung from a loop on her tooled leather belt -- her treasured hammer, Forgemaster's Fury. Clad in her artifact armor, she radiates a presence almost unmistakably Anathema simply by nature of its appearance, so in regions close to the Realm or loyal to it, she instead dons a simple buff jacket reinforced with metal plates to provide her with physical protection.

Personality / Beliefs: First and foremost, Nerissa is of the Tya. She has given up the protection of her family, the right to support by male relatives, and must never ask a man to fight her battles. She diligently imbibes the extract of sterility that prevents Tya from ever bearing children. She is a devoted recruiter and has often liberated Western women who have been abused or exploited by men, or who simply desired a life where in which they could have greater control of their own fate. However, she is not prejudiced against men by any means, and will not refuse to associate with them within the confines of the Tya philosophy. She wishes that women be treated as an equal to their male counterparts in all walks of life, but she does not see that to mean that women have the right to treat men unfairly out of spite.

Nerissa is stubborn, straightforward and resolute in the face of danger. As a crafter, she is focused and perfectionistic, displeased with her work unless she can produce an item that fits as closely in line with her ideal as possible. As a fighter, she is determined and resilient, never one to back down in a fight until every last avenue of resistance has been exhausted. She is not one to be baited into foolishness by taunting or a thirst for revenge, and prefers a direct method of confrontation over excessive flashiness or distracting talk. She has only been known to truly lose control when she those she cares deeply about are endangered, or when witness to acts of senseless violence or cruelty.

Nerissa values hard work and honesty, preferring to judge a person not by what they are, but what they do. She generally dislikes pirates because they make their fortune by stealing the resources of people who put time and effort into acquiring them. One of her primary concerns is to ensure the survival of herself and her crew, which includes (besides evading danger) earning enough money for all of them to live comfortably, as well as to keep the ship in good shape. But she also possesses more altruistic goals, for she finds it difficult to ignore a situation in which her Exalted abilities can aid the innocent and suffering. She does not style herself a heroine, but she does believe it unfair to walk away from a situation in which her participation could turn the tide for the better, so long as it does not lead to the harm of those that depend on her.

Though Nerissa is not known for being social, she will show a marked interest in those who put serious consideration into their place in the world and what they can do to change the conditions around them. She has great respect for those who take matters into their own hands instead of waiting passively for things to change around them. She encourages those who wish to pursue a way of life they strongly believe in, even in the face of great opposition, and are adamant enough to live with the consequences of their choices. If said choices lead them to be opposed one day -- then so be it.

Solar Exalted Character Sheet (total bp: 15 used, total exp: 7 unused)

Name: Nerissa Sensha

Player: Mieu

Caste: Dawn

Concept: Fighting blacksmith of the Tya.

Nature: Paragon

Anima: Weapons of all kinds, seemingly crafted of molten gold, burst forth into a wickedly bristling mandala with Nerissa at its center. The layers of weapons increase in length and thickness as her Essence expenditure increases.

Attributes

Physical

Strength 4
Dexterity 4
Stamina 3

Social

Charisma 3
Manipulation 2
Appearance 2

Mental

Perception 2
Intelligence 4
Wits 3

Abilities (total bp: 5)

Dawn (c)

Archery
Brawl - 3
Martial Arts
Melee - 3 + 2 (2 bp) = 5
- Specialty: Blunt weapons - 2 (1 bp)
- Specialty: Parrying - 2 (1 bp)
Thrown - 3 + 1 (1 bp) = 4

Zenith

Endurance (f) - 2
Performance
Presence - 1
Resistance (f) - 3
Survival

Twilight

Craft (Smithing) (f) - 3
Investigation
Lore - 1
Medicine
Occult - 1

Night

Athletics (f) - 2
Awareness
Dodge
Larceny
Stealth

Eclipse

Bureaucracy
Linguistics
Ride
Sail (f) - 3
Socialize

Backgrounds (total bp: 7)

Resources - 3
- Over time, Nerissa has amassed for herself a comfortable fortune, which she splits evenly with her crew. This represents her portion of the share.

Artifact (Forgemaster's Fury) - 3 + 1 (2 bp) = 4

Artifact (Vestments of the Valiant Sunrise) - 1 + 2 (2 bp) = 3

Followers - 3 (3 bp)
- Among the Tya, Nerissa has been unanimously hailed as a spiritual leader and an example by which to live. These seven women, skilled fighters and sailors, have sworn their fealty to her and would come if called to her aid. All of them bear the exotic swirl tattoos of the Tya and staunchly abide by their principles. They serve as the crew for the Siren's Fancy, the ship Nerissa inherited from her late mentor and lover, Alcasta Nevermoor.
- The crew includes:
  - Ardent Leah (Leah) - Second in command (kubernetes). Best sailor of the group. Thick, deep green hair cut short to follow her jawline, bronze skin, blue-green eyes. Ambidextrous, with scimitar in right hand and curved dagger in the left.
  - Camilla - Former nobleman's daughter who changed her name. Ash blonde hair, fair skin, stormy grey eyes. Though trained in battle, favoring the rapier, she serves the crew best as purser, supervising finances and ship's provisions.
  - Meridia - Tall, strong and stocky, with curly red hair tied in a ponytail, bronze skin and hazel eyes. Serves as both cook and carpenter, as needed; also assists Nerissa when they have access to a forge. Primarily favors axes.
  - Linnet Seine (Linnet, or Lin) - Surgeon and medic, also skilled with knives in battle. Blue-black hair cut short and spiky, brown skin and green eyes.
  - Iku and Kalu - Twins, very dark skinned with short-cropped black hair, golden eyes, compact, lithe and wiry forms. Topsmen skilled with shortbow and scimitar.
  - Sienna Nevermoor - Alcasta's younger sister. Tanned, freckled skin, blue eyes, long brown hair caught in two braids. Spear and quarterstaff wielder, trained with many blades as well. Serves as ship's armsman.

Charms

Melee: Excellent Strike
Melee: Hungry Tiger Technique
Melee: Golden Essence Block
Melee: Dipping Swallow Defense
Thrown: Precision of the Stinging Raptor
Endurance: Ox-Body Technique
Resistance: Durability of Oak Meditation
Resistance: Iron Skin Concentration
Craft: Flawless Handiwork Method
Sail: Salty Dog Method

Combos (total exp: 3)

Hammer-on-Anvil Technique (Excellent Strike + Hungry Tiger Technique) (3 exp)
- Nerissa's weapon is surrounded by an aura of scintillating Essence that guides her blow to strike true. The golden Essence morphs and expands to form a phantasmal, larger-than-life replica of the weapon that follows the motion of her attack, augmenting the damage it inflicts. Fiery red-gold sparks spray from the impact, much like the effect of a hammer striking hot metal on an anvil.

Merits (total bp: 1)

Ambidextrous (1 bp)

Flaws (total bp: +1)

Sterile (+1 bp) - Tya women are expected to take an extract of certain shellfish that renders them temporarily, sometimes permanently sterile. In Nerissa's case, the sterility is permanent, though she does not yet know it is certain.

Virtues (total bp: 3)

Compassion - 2 + 1 (3 bp) = 3
Conviction - 2
Temperance - 2
Valor - 3

Virtue Flaw: Red Rage of Compassion (Exalted p. 132)

Essence and Willpower

Essence - 2
Willpower - 3 (Compassion) + 3 (Valor) = 6
Personal Essence - 6 (2 x Essence) + 6 (Willpower) = 12
Peripheral Essence - 14 (7 x Essence) + 6 (Willpower) + 10 (sum of Virtues) - 8 (committed) = 22

Health Levels

-0 x 1
-1 x 4
-2 x 2
-4 x 1
Incapacitated

Equipment

The metal portions of Nerissa's non-artifact equipment have all been forged by her at one point or another with the help of Forgemaster's Fury, below. Though Nerissa does not own a forge of her own, she borrows their use at ports that Tya are welcome in, usually in exchange for doing repairs or custom work, or jade if need be.

Exceptional Fighting Gauntlet

Spd +0 / Acc +1 / Dam +2L / Def +1
Can be used to parry lethal damage.
Worn on left (off) hand.

Exceptional Splitting Maul

Spd -6 / Acc +0 / Dam +11L / Def +0
Two-handed sledge weapon, worn on the back.

Exceptional Reinforced Buff Jacket

Soak 5L/6B / Mobility -1 / Fatigue -1
Nerissa dons this armor during conflicts in which she does not wish to broadcast her Anathema nature.

Forgemaster's Fury (Orichalcum Throwing Hammer)

(thrown) Spd +2 / Acc +3 / Dam +7L / Range 30
(melee) Spd +2 / Acc +3 / Dam +5L / Def +0
Commit 4
Returns to wielder at end of turn (barring obstacles, and only up to 100 yards distance). Otherwise, she can summon Forgemaster's Fury from Elsewhere as a reflexive action at the cost of 1 mote.
When used as a forge hammer, decreases the difficulty to craft weapons or armor by 2, to a minimum of 1.

Vestments of the Valiant Sunrise (Orichalcum Reinforced Breastplate)

Soak 11L/11B / Mobility -1 / Fatigue 0
Commit 4
Covers similar to the reinforced breastplate, but lighter and stronger.

Property

The Siren's Fancy (Altered Coastal Trader)

Length: 70 feet
Beam: 24 feet
Draft: 6 feet
Rig Type / Closest Tack: Imperial with foresail/3 points
Speed: 4
Maneuverability: -3
Standard / Minimum Crew: 10/4
Soak: 6L
Health Levels: 12/24

Coastal Trader (Savage Seas p. 55) altered for greater speed/hull strength. Passed on to Nerissa upon death of former captain Alcasta Nevermoor. Has space for spartan living quarters below decks, both for the crew and potential guests, a kitchen and mess hall, as well as cargo space (though not as much as a typical coaster of this size). Nerissa does not currently own property she would call "home", so the ship is as close as it gets.

Armed with two light ballistas at starboard and port: Acc -0, Dam 7L (halve soak value of the hull when applying damage), Range 300, Naval Rate 3/turn, Naval Range Long, Crew 2.

DarkSirenSally/NerissaOld

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