Aspect
Aspect
Background
The deathknight now known as Aspect was once a patrician of the Realm. He seemed a golden boy; charming, talented and intelligent but those who became close to him sensed something troubling about the young man. It was as if, behind the public façade, there was nothing there at all, an emptiness behind the eyes. No one could get to know him, no one could learn what he did when he was alone. His family had great hopes for him at first, but when he failed to Exalt, and failed to show any interest in doing anything with his life, they lost patience. Despite his charm and wit, he made everyone feel uncomfortable and ill-at-ease. He was sent to govern in an obscure satrapy and his house forgot about him.
In his new governorship, he used his hither-to hidden talents for vice and corruption to weave a network of bribery, blackmail and secrets around himself, keeping himself in luxury with bribery feedlines while protecting himself from retribution. Soon, he had everything in the city working around him. He was still unsatisfied though, and slowly descended into a deep despair. He was empty inside, hollow and worthless, and not all his cleverness could change that. Eventually, he accepted defeat and slashed his own wrists.
While he bled to death, a vision of the Prefect of Eternal Solitude came before his eyes. The Deathlord mocked him and comforted him, telling him that all lives were as meaningless and futile as his own, and that the only truth in the world was death. The Prefect asked him if he would accept the power to bring this nihilistic vision to the world and the suicide, filled with distant bitterness, accepted.
In the following weeks, the patrician’s descent into Abyssal Exaltation was marked by seeing the truth around him. Aspect saw the pain his manipulations had brought to the city, the futile struggling of flies within his cobwebs. He saw how even his strands of menace and deceit gradually broke apart and were ended, as all things must, and slowly new spiders emerged to spin their own webs. Everywhere he saw suffering and man’s inhumanity to man. By the time he was brought to the Underworld he was ready to accept the Deathlord’s doctrines and swear away his soul to the Malfeans.
Now Aspect serves as a herald and ambassador to the Prefect of Eternal Solitude and Relinquished Souls. Despite his easy, courteous manner mortal and deathly kingdoms alike fear his coming, for wherever Aspect, voice of the Prefect, goes vortices of lies and treachery form, and murder and hatred lie in his wake. And yet Aspect remains untouched by it all, his hands clean and with an enigmatic half-smile on his face, while the darkness he brings roars around him.
Aspect’s absolute nihilism keeps him firmly on the path of the Malfeans. He is adept at sensing emotions like doubt, greed and despair in others, and is able to manipulate them with ease. His lack of faith in humanity is perhaps his one weakness; if he could be shown those with purpose and conviction in life, rather than the treacherous and insincere ministers he usually deals with, his loyalty to the Prefect might be shaken somewhat.
Aspect is a slender, pale young man of average height with long, smooth dark hair and dark eyes that are large in his face, like those of a starving child or a corpse. He generally dresses in dressed in ornate, twisted soulsteel battle-armour, all jagged points and strange curves; giving it a look both crystalline and disturbingly organic. One of the spiky outcroppings on his left shoulder has been carved to resemble a dozen tiny demon faces, mouths open to scream in pain or anger. He carries the daiklave Rumours of War, a symbol of his authority. When unleashed from its scabbard across his back, the blade buzzes in a thousand insectile voices. The few who survive the blows it deals shiver with the palsy and bear large, oozing sores for the rest of their lives.
Stats
Name: Aspect Concept: Dark Harbinger Player: Clement Nature: Conniver Caste: Moonshadow Anima: Tangled Web -- ATTRIBUTES -- Strength *** Charisma **** Perception *** Dexterity **** Manipulation **** Intelligence *** Stamina ** Appearance *** Wits *** -- ABILITIES -- Archery Endurance Craft Brawl +Performance **** +Investigation *** Martial Arts +Presence **** Lore +Melee **** Resistance Medicine Thrown Survival Occult +Athletics *** +Bureaucracy ***** Specialties Awareness ** +Linguistics *** Daiklave (Mel) *** Dodge +Ride ** Bribery (Bur) ** Larceny +Sail Deception (Soc) *** Stealth +Socialize ***** -- BACKGROUNDS -- -- CHARMS -- Abyssal Command * Corrupting-Sensing Scrutiny [Bureaucracy] Artifact ** Cunning Subversion Style Influence * Furious Blade [Melee] Liege *** Elegant Flowing Deflection Resources *** Haunting Inflection Trick [Performance] Raiton’s Nimble Perch [Athletics] -- VIRTUES -- Exquisite Etiquette Style [Socialize] Compassion ** Loyalty Withering Technique Conviction *** Passion-Unveiling Glance Temperance ** Blood Inscription Technique [Linguistics] Valor ** -- OTHER -- Willpower 5 Essence *** Essence Pool 14/35 Committed 9 -- COMBAT -- Base Initiative: 7 Dodge Pool: 4 Soak: 11L/12B Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -2, -2, -4, Incap Attacks: Bare Fist Speed 7 Accuracy 4 Damage 3B Defense 4 Kick Speed 4 Accuracy 3 Damage 5B Defense 3 Rumours of War Speed 10 Accuracy 14 Damage 8L Defense 13
All contents of this wiki page are copyright © 2003 - 2004 Phantom Grunweasel. All rights reserved. No portion of this Web Site may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from Phantom Grunweasel.
