The Book Of Fire/Elder Exalted

Rama Khan, No Moon Elder

Exalting just after the Usurpation, Rama Khan was already a well-respected No Moon who had served his people well in all the ways of his caste, until the Contagion and the Fair Folk Invasion. While not averse to fighting, he saw his time and energy better spent helping those weaker than himself to survive that deadliest of times. At this, he was mostly successful. Entire tribes owe their continued existence to Rama, and remember him to this day. But in any war, there will always be sacrifices...

Among the many animal species wiped out by the Wyld, was the unique type of monkey that was Rama's own Spirit Shape. Since then, he has turned his considerable intellect, power and resources to one end: Recreation of this lost species. Some among the Silver Pact quietly whisper that grief-spawned madness has him in its grip; indeed, so focussed has he become on this goal, that he has carelessly let his standing among the Lunar Nation slip. Yet he cares not, so long as he attains his dream.

So far, it has eluded him. He has gathered all the surviving knowledge of First Age biomanipulation that he could locate, becoming possibly Creation's foremost authority on the subject in the process, and has a sizable stock of life to experiment on, yet nothing has worked. Despair was finally beginning to set in when he learned of the Solar's return. If he can get one or more of the Twilight Caste to work with him, he reasons, than restoration of his totem may no longer be a dream! But first he must find them, then convince them to aid him. He knows of the Copper Spiders' independent ways, and knows that that last feat may not be so easy...

Notes: Rama Kan looks like a middle-aged Western ("East Indian", in this case) man, going to pounch and grey. He has a jovial, if a bit distracted, manner, until the subject of his quest comes up; then, his speech and eyes are lit with an almost fanatical light that is both inspiring and terrifying to behold...

His Spirit Shape is that of a 5 ft tall silver simian, of a type that no longer exists in Creation. He often uses this form when working in his workshop, as its longer reach, prehensile tail and articulate feet allow him to accomplish his work much faster. His Tell is a thick patch of silvery fur growing on his chest. He only assumes his Deadly Beastman Form rarely, and his liberal use of the Perfected Hybrid Interaction Knack makes it a truly horrifying blend of hooves, tentacles and feathers...

Rama has currently fallen from his Ikth-Ya rank down to Uf-Ya status. He is guided by his driving Conviction (5), and so is victim to the Curse of the Heartless Weasel.

He has claimed a mid-sized island on a large lake in the Southeast for his territory, over which he rules as a god-king. Altho he maintains a Cult 3 rating, he mostly ignores the Barbarians living there, except for when he needs the occasional experimental subject. Those few who Exalt as Terrestrials are subjected to especially bizarre and painful experiments meant to increase the power of their bloodlines...

Rama Khan has made extensive use of mundane selective breeding and Wyld Seeds, First Age biomagic, and spells such as Summon Demon/Elemental, Imbue Amalgam and The Spawning of Monsters as well as FA biomagic, in every conceivable combination to alter and create the many varied and bizarre lifeforms on the island. Nearly every form of flora and fauna on the island has been altered by Rama Khan in some way, all to the purpose of mastering First Age Biogenesis techniques. He meticoulously tracks each and every mutation he produces in a huge tome, whose records go back centuries, and would be a treasure trove to any Second Age savant interested in Biogenetic techniques.

While many of the islands' creatures are bestial, some are sentient, and all fear and worship their creator (as few are alike, these are best represented by applying random mutations to the Barbarian template). One such is Galuda, an intelligent Godblooded giant flaming hawk that he bred from a summoned Garda Bird and a Matagalaptan Roc. Galuda serves as both Familiar and riding mount, and faithfully protects his master.

His Essence 7 allows him to have built up his Medicine, Occult, Lore and Craft (Genesis) up to 7. He has Terrestrial and Celestial Sorcery and has built a Level 4 Manse/Factory Cathedral to Shogunate standards (with a Specialty in Craft: Genesis), which is where his work is done. Altho he specializes in biological matters, Rama is also an accomplished forger of Artifacts, possessing an entire panopoly of Moonsilver Artifacts, including his favorite, a Quicksilver Aegis Talisman. It is in this fashion that he most often meets other Lunars, who brave his freakish paradise to have him create or repair their wonders, which he can be persuaded to do far easier than most Lunar craftsmen, as he only ever asks for more "exotic ingredients" (ie, kidnapped people and creatures from various parts of Creation). He has a personal Artifact rating of at least 20. He has also mastered many Martial Arts styles, but lost the ability to perform his personal favorite, Celestial Monkey Style, when he became obsessed with his current quest...

Malaika, Ancient Full Moon

Malaika was Chosen by Luna well into the First Age, and took to both the skies and her duties as warrior with equal delight. As she steadily rose thru the ranks of the Exalted's Sky Forces, she gained great reknown as an innovator of aerial maneuvers designed to combat airbourne invasions of Fae and Demons. Her greatest thrill besides that was leading the hunts for the Cloud Whales and other flying great beasts that populated the skies in those days...

Until she met him: A Solar of the Dawn caste, so at home in the sky his feet seldom touched the ground, magnificent whether aside his Chariot of the Infinite Heavens or Warbird, a rising officer in the Sky Forces. When he was assigned to her command, Malaika knew it would only be a matter of time before he took it from her; such was the unlimited skill of the Sun-Chosen that only a supremely gifted few, such as Leviathan, could hold a post above them for long.

They fought over protocols, over strategy, over priorities, and the fights were not always bloodless. It took a surprisingly long time for them both to come to the conclusion that everyone around them had long since reached: That they were perfect for each other.

Although they could not even agree on who first proposed to whom, still were they married, and their lovemaking was as aerial and passionate as their still-frequent fights. Thus did the centuries fly by...

Until, near the end of the First Age, the Solar Deliberative received word of a possible buildup of Fae forces in the Wyld. They ordered Malaika's husband to gather his forces to mount a preemptive, punitive strike in the Wyld. Of course, she wanted to come with him. He wished her to remain behind, to shore up the Realms' defenses should anything happen to him. They had their longest, bitterest fight over this, but in the end, she ceded to his wishes. Vowing to make it up to her, he took his Kireeki-class assault Skyreme into the Wyld to carry out his mission.

She never saw him again.

Shortly after that, the Usurpation occured. Malaika fought back against the upstart Terrestrials who dared to use her own Sky Force weapons and tactics against her and those Solars she led, and she outflew and struck down many, but was eventually shot down by their vastly superior numbers. Before they could finish her off, she was found and spirited away by other Lunars who sadly informed her that the Realm was now lost to them...

Malaika accompanied them to the edges of the Wyld where they planned to regroup, only to fall prey to its twisting grip as the rest of them did. As tho lucid dreaming, she is still not sure how long she flucuated, before the No Moons discovered how to fix her form with their tattoos.

Unlike many Lunars, Malaika never felt out of place in the Realm's civilization, and so still resents the Dragon-Blooded for forcing her into a more primal lifestyle. In the eons since, she has claimed many Demesnes on mountaintops and other high places, and often rules the territory above the ground area ruled by other Lunars.

Many young Lunars (esp. of flight worthy Totems) seek out Malaika's patronage, for not only does she enjoy sharing her knowledge of 1st Age ways and sponsoring adventurous Packs, but she also delights in personally training them in airbourne manuevers and leading them on hunts.

Malaika never understood why the slain Solars of her time did not simply reincarnate. Still, her husband was not among those slain, and if she still survives, then there is hope...there is hope...

Notes: Malaika, in her true form, is a tall, Southern woman well-past her best years, altho still handsome. Of course, with her Lunar charms, it is child's play for her to regain her youthful good looks for a scene. Her Tell is a headful of white eagle's feathers.

In Deadly Beastman form, she becomes a 7-ft tall fully feathered eagle woman with taloned hands and feet and large wings growing from her back. Her mouth is replaced by a piercing beak and she often uses Lion Roar Method to emit a damaging shriek in fly-by attacks.

Malaika still considers herself a First Age officer, now fighting a gureilla war against insurgents. As such, she has no problem with using the most advanced combat methods she can find, and is always on the lookout for reliable Artifact weapons, esp. those that can be used in airborn combat.

In addition to a variety of Powerbows, Malaika also has stockpiles of mundane throwing weapons and at least one Artifact version of every throwing weapon there is. Although dangerous in all forms of combat, she is absolutely lethal at Ranged combat, having mastered all listed charms and developed many charms and combos of her own. She also possesses many Hearthstones from the many Aeryie Manses she has had constructed, tho she often lends these to younger Lunars to aid their missions for her.

The Packs that she sponsors are held to a strict military discipline. While often allowed to adventure on their own, they are available for recall at a moment's notice, and will respond immediately to her summons. She also commands the respect of many other flying entities, from elementals to god-blooded animals, and they may supplement her forces.

In Rank, Malaika is an Ikth-Ya. Her Valor drives her and so, she is subject to the Curse of the Raging Bull. Her Totem is the bald eagle.

Salmissra, Elder Changing Moon

The snake-totemed Salmissra was originally a Waxing Moon working with the Swords of Luna. Many of whom questioned her dedication to their cause, if not her very sanity, as she seemed to actually enjoy travelling through the Border and Middle Marches of the Wyld purely for its own sake.

Yet none could gainsay her success at acting as Creation's diplomat and ambassador, learning the ways of both the Wyld and Raksha, and figuring out the best ways of defeating them without fighting, by tricking them into oaths. And if she was a little Wyld-addled, well, all genius is a little eccentric, right?

At first, Salmissra barely noticed the Usurpation. Few Solars stayed in her chosen playground long enough for her to discover her shardmate, which was how she preferred it. When more Lunars came crowding into her space, her initial annoyance soon became pleasure, as those who had scorned her now had desperate need of her expertise.

But like so many other Lunars, she soon realized that something was horribly wrong. Surprisingly, she was not the first to begin to go Chimera; in fact, it was her familiarity with the Wyld that enabled the No Moons to prevent others from warping, and bought time to stabilize the Castes, altho her original was lost forever.

Altho she hated having her true forms branded with Moonsilver Tatooes, Salmissra could not deny their usefulness. Finally, she was free to explore the deepest, furthest regions of the Wyld without fear (of mutation, at least)! And she did just that, leaving the fledging Silver Pact to develop without her.

She has been seen infrequently in Creation since, like an eccentric old aunt, bringing strange treasures and stranger tales from the Wyld. Sometimes, she even leads Creation-born lost within safely back by ways only she knows. She has probably travelled more of the Wyld than any creature from Creation and even many born to the Wyld itself.

She has been to the secret home of the Flame Gryphons and hunted unicorns; swam oceans of fire and danced among boulders spinning thru the air. She has made love to the Unshaped and seduced a Fay Prince, who reached into her heart and pulled out the part of her soul that housed her Compassion, and forged it into a magic flute that she could engage in Cup Shaping play with him. When he displeased her, she evicted him from his Freehold, which she took as her own...

Many of the Silver Pact Elders are increasingly worried about how increasingly alien a creature Salmissra is becoming. They are especially alarmed at hints that she may be experimenting with Wyld societies that could have no use in Creation. And yet, they cannot deny that she is more useful to them now than ever before. Whether this will remain the case remains to be seen...

Notes: When she cares about being recognized, Salmissra often appears as a young-looking Western woman wearing a revealing sari of some improbable material. But she rarely cares about making such an impression, and so literally anything is possible...

Her Spirit Shape is that of The Asp, and she uses Mountainous Spirit Expression to enlarge this form to truly gargantuan proportions. As a result of an Oath she made with a Fae Court, she has also gained the Feathers mutation (perhaps to cover up those unsightly Tattoos), which manifest as brilliant, rainbow-hued plumage, granting her a small Soak boost.

Salmissra's Compassion Virtue has been crafted into a Cup Grace and then forged into a Glamour Spell of the Desire Circle. Taking the form of a Moonsilver flute, playing upon it gives her access to effects of Raksha Addiction and World-Shaping Charms, both in the Wyld and in Creation.

Finally, like most Lunar Elders, Salmissra is a force to be reckoned with. Her knowledge and mastery of the Wyld (and of those Charms dealing with it) are second to none, and she also has an impressive amount of sorcery and martial arts mastery to draw upon (preferring Snake and Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Styles). But perhaps her greatest asset is her extraordinary beauty and grace; she has lost none of the social skill her lost caste was reknown for, and will not hesitate to use those wiles to get whatever she may desire...