Darus Sorn

Name: Darus Sorn
Caste: Zenith
Nature: Leader
Concept: King
Anima: A great burning sun around him with runes of power or some ancient language inscribed in a circle around it.
XP Left/Spent: 5/210

Attributes</b>
<b>Strength 3, Charisma 5, Perception 3
Dexterity 3, Manipulation 3, Intelligence 3
Stamina 3, Appearance 3, Wits 3

Abilities</b>
Athletics 1, <b>Awareness 2, Bureaucracy 2, Dodge 1, Endurance 2, Larceny 1, Linguistics 1, Lore 5, Martial Arts 1, Medicine 1, Melee 5(Swords 1), Occult 3, Performance 3, Presence 5(Inspiring 1), Resistance 5, Ride 2, Socialize 4, Survival 2

Backgrounds</b>
<b>Allies 3(Crimson Voice the changing moon queen, Nyima the Air aspect, Isev Toveth the water aspect ex-king)
Artifacts 5+ (Various minor and major ones are at his disposal, see the list below)
Followers 2 (The kingdoms Seneschal and several skilled mortals who have come to work for him)
Influence 4(Rules his own growing kingdom in the Eastern Threashold)
Library 2
Recources 5
Manse 5+ (A semi-ruined temple which is a solar manse of level 3 when fixed, and a level 3 or 4 desmense called the Kattyn Stones which has a concealment effect on it similar to the Invisable Fortress)

Virtues</b>
<b>Compassion 3, Temperance 4, Conviction 3, Valor 3
Virtue Flaw Contempt of the Virtuous
Willpower 6
Essence 3
Personal 15
Peripheral 40/35

Health Levels 0*1, -1*4,-2*6, -4*1, Incapacitated

Merits and Flaws</b>
Eternal Vow, True Love

<b>Charms</b>
<b>Awareness - Sensory Acuity Prana(5m)
Endurance - Ox-Body*2(-1,-2,-2)
Linguistics - Sagacious Reading of Intent(6m)
Lore - Integrity Protecting Prana(5m, 1wp), Chaos-Repelling Pattern(10m, 1wp), Wyld-Shaping Technique(20m, 2wp)
Medicine - Body-Mending Meditation(10m)
Melee - Golden Essence Block(1m/2dice), Dipping Swallow Defence(2m), Bulwark Stance(5m), Fivefold Bulwark Stance(5m, 1wp)
Performance - Masterful Performance Exercise(2m/suxx), Respect Commanding Attitude(5m)
Presence - Harmonius Presence Meditation(6m), Listener-Swaying Arguement(2m/die, 1wp), Majestic Radiance Presence(8m), Terrifying Apparition of Glory(10m, 1wp)
Resistance - Poison-Resisting Meditation(4m), Illness-Resisting Meditation(6m), Immunity to Everything Technique(6m, 1wp)
Socialize - Mastery of Small Manners(3m)

Combat(using powercombat rules)</b>
<b>Soak 9B/8L/7A, Base Initiative 6, Mobility Penalty 2, Fatigue 1, Dodge 5/3
Fist: Speed 6, Accuracy 5, Damage 3B, Defense 6, Rate 5
Exceptional Chopping Sword: Speed 9, Accuracy 12, Damage 8L, Defense 9, Rate 3

Military</b>
2 Dragons of Infantry. 1 is Drill 2, the other Drill 3.
1 Dragon of Archer-Cavalry. Drill 3.
All troops have a Hand-to-Hand bonus of 3. Ranged Attack bonus for Cavalry is 3. They have a Might of 0.

<b>Description
Darus stands just over six feet in height and is of average build and more then average looks. He looks his age of 21 years. He has shoulder length golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He tends to garments of cobalt blue and gold and when holding court wears a circlet of gold on his brow. Darus exudes confidence and command, the sort of person that people find themself drawn too. He has that charisma found within only a few of histories greatest rulers and those in his company quickly find themselves agreeing with his views and following his lead. With his followers they quickly grow loyal to him, and try to serve him to the best of their skills. It is hard for him to try to not give us this impression of nobility and kinglyness. Its just part of who he is, how he speaks and the way he moves.

History</b>
Darus Sorn was born in Valeria, a kingdom at the end of the leftmost branch of the Rock River. He was born to the Royal Family there and raised from birth to eventually take over the land. His mother sadly died in childbirth and his father never remarried or fathered a second child. His youth was mostly uneventful though when he was 13 he did get to see the Wyld Hunt come to town and watch as they attacked a newly exalting solar of the Dawn Caste. At 19 his father passed away peacefully in his sleep, old war wounds had impacted his health quite badly over the last few years.

Two years into his rule his land was attacked by a barbarian force from the west. Due to the aftereffects of the Bull of the North's invasions the forces of Greyfalls forced the Three Owl Tribe out of the territory near them and the fled west. He took his army out to meet them and do battle to save his land from the ravages of the barbarian host.

The barbarians were lead by a lunar, Crimson Voice who had once been a woman of the tribe before she exalted. After she finished her training with the lunars of the Silver Pact she returned and took control of her tribe. A skilled warrior and leader in her own right her light and fast moving troops due to maneuvering forced Darus back until he was able force a confrontation halfway into his own lands.

The night before the battle he was visited in his dreams by The Unconquered Sun. He told Darus that he had been chosen to guide this world to a great and wonderous Third Age. Power filled his being and he knew his purpose. That morning before the battle he spoke to his troops, his words inspiring his men who were on the verge of breaking. Resolute they went to battle.

It was a fierce battle as the two forces met and it wasn't long before Darus and Crimson Voice faced off against one another. The fought long, and due to fate or chance she slipped on some mud and blood. The opening was there and had Darus wished too he could have cut her down then. Something stayed his hand though, something about the Lunar woman before him and he held out his hand to her to help her to her feet.

A little surprised at this she accepted and he asked to talk. She agreed and the two armies back off but for the two leaders. He told her what he was, what the Unconquered Sun had said and of the increadible world he envisioned. He knew things had gone wrong in the first age and wanted to start to fix the woes between there peoples and make something greater then what the First Age had been. Something that both barbarian and civilized man would be united and grow noble and strong under.

She listened to his words and found his views appealing. She agreed to join with him and work side by side with him and have their peoples be like one. As a sign of this agreement she asked that they be married, for both of them knew of the politics behind marriages for alliances. Each then spent 6 months living with the others people to learn their ways and gain an appreciation for the others ways.

Then they were reunited to work together again. Fate or chance had played its hand again, for they had been mates once in the first age and time spent together quickly blossomed into a deep love.

As part of their working to create a new kind of society high positions in each now require that one spend at least one year with the other people. A barbarian must spend a year in the cities or a city person a year living as a barbarian. If the leaders learn and acquire the self-reliance found in barbarians and combined it with the team working skills of the cities and civilization it was felt that slowly that would trickle down to the common person and slowly everyone would pick up the strengths of both cultures.

Since then he has not been idle. Following a vision he went in disguise to Great Forks and found several solars who had also found there way there and brought them back to Valeria with him. A great tournemant brought many skilled mortals to his lands and he hired several heroic mortals into his service. He has sought out and attracted skilled personages to his banner, including an Air Aspect Outcaste who is learning sorcery. He has fought battles against some rampaging fae and conquered 4 other kingdoms nearby, bringing each ruler to his side afterwards as vassals. His lands now encompass all the area between the two forks of the Rock River(The fork mentioned is the smaller one, the area is the part between the two small forks beneath Jarrith on the Halta Map, just east of the Valley of the Shards). He has made a pact of non-agression with the fae in The Gossamar Stockade. The knowledge of what his wife, himself and his circle are is still unknown for they have been very careful with their powers.

<b>Important People of Valeria
Darus Sorn, Zenith Caste and king of Valeria. Crimson Voice, Changing Moon and Queen of Valeria. Nikita, young Dawn Caste from Marukan. Cantor, a twilight caste sorcerer from the lands south of Rathess. Choten, ex-immaculate monk who is now of the Zenith Caste and has fled the Realm. Melody, once called Willow Sky this beautiful woman has turned to the Lover and is now one of the Day Caste. The group hopes to save her but she has no wish to be saved and works with them for now. Reverant Crane, an Eclipse Caste solar who served in Great Forks as a negotiator between man and the gods. Nyima, a young Air Aspect now learning sorcery from tomes in Darus' possession and a loyal vassel of his. The Water Aspect once king who when his land fell to Darus' armies swore to serve him. Kashic Ansel, the seneschal who serves Darus now and served his father before him. It is he that handles much of the bureaucratic work of the kingdom and has both the kings ear and is greatly trusted by him. The only person besides the solars, lunars and abyssal who know about the Exalted in Valeria.

The following is a list of the artifacts that are owned by no one person in the land but the king has in his posession should they need to be deployed or given as a reward to helpful or loyal servitors.

• Blue Jade Dragon Tear Tiara - with Nyima
• Blue Jade Hearthstone Bracers - with Nyima
• White Jade Short Daiklaive
• White Jade Breastplate
• The Coruscating Golden Rain - see the artifact section of my wiki page.
• Azure Map of Victory - Adds +1 Drill when used with Mail and Steel rules.

Some nifty books he has in his possession.

• A diary of a first age traveller.
• Most of a copy of a first age treatise on the Least Gods.
• A copy of a book of first age poetry.
• A book with descriptions of the temple to the sun in Sperimin.

Possible Plot Hooks

• Darus is always on the lookout for any other exalted who might wish to join him in his grand mission. He could become a patron to any circle or a powerful ally.
• One of the rulers he has conquered and who now serves him is not so loyal. He is a Water Aspect Dragonblood and the idea of serving some mortal is grating and he plans betrayel. Players might be hired by this plotter or discover his planned treachery and aid the Solar King in return for some reward.
• The Queen is missing! The king has sent a call through the land for heroes to save his vanished wife. Though known to no one the queen has a jealous brother who now serves the Lover Clad in a Raiment of Tears as an Abyssal.
• War looms, the forces of Darus march again in another war of unification. The players are hired as champions by the attacked kingdom and must fight other exalted on the battlefield.

BogMod