The Book Of Fire/Walker
LONE WALKER OF TENEBROUS RANGES
HISTORY: All of the Underworld, and those who know of its ways, are rightly terrified by the First and Foresaken Lion. But even terror may be terrorized, and if any could strike fear into such an unliving heart, it would be The Lone Walker...
In life, he was among the mightiest of Dawns, not in the waging of large-scale war, but in hand-to-hand contest of duels. In his first incarnation, his was the hand that first slew a Primordial, and he was one of the only two Solars to do so without a Circle. His final incarnation was as the eldest and greatest of the monastic Diamond Brotherhood, and he was one of the few to perfect the Conquering Sun's Fist style. It was he who stood without Malfeas and dared the Yozis with their freedom if they would but spar with him. They declined.
He went relatively peacefully into death, but his noble spirit was unprepared for the endless torment that followed. He would have accepted the Neverborn's offer of unlife and power quickly, had they not been too intimidated to speak with him...
But the offer was finally made and accepted. Casting his name aside, he became a tool for those he had help destroy, tho not an easily managable one. Since then, he has simply walked throughout the Deadlands, ignoring the conquest of Stygia, the Great Contagion and anything to do with the destruction of all that is, and if this is against the-master-he-already-slew-once-before's orders, none try to persuade him otherwise...
DESCIPTION: The Gray Walker appears as an 8 foot tall, well-muscled, pale Southern man dressed in a plain, ragged martial arts uniform. He is unshod and his massive hands and feet are wrapped with bandages. He has a lion's mane of unruly hair, gathered into a topknot for battle, and his fierce eyes burn from his broad features.
HOME & SERVANTS: The Mendacious Hermit, as he is sometimes called, claims no Citadel and no Deathknights. Whether he still holds his share of Solar shards or simply gave them to another Deathlord from lack of interest is unknown. Occasionally, he meets someone on his endless journey, whose zeal for personal combat approaches his own. He has been known to allow these seekers to travel with him for a time, teaching and training them into fearsome warriors. With one catch: After they have perfected their Art and gained much renown, they must face him one last time. None has yet survived this final test...
GOALS: To learn new martial arts styles and to meet his match in single combat.
He has a standing challenge to the First and Forsaken Lion, whose master will not allow him to accept. He recalls the greatest of the Sidereal martial artists, and longs to test the mightiest of their number. The Walker's Lunar mate was almost as puissant in the martial ways as he, and if she still lives, then she must be a fearsome beast now indeed. And the Walker also believes that the holder of his former shard now strides Creation, and if this young martial artist meets his Lunar mate and gains instruction from her...then perhaps he will be worth fighting...
RELEVANT ABILITIES: The Walker is not the oldest or most powerful of the Deathlords, altho he is arguably the deadliest in personal combat. He has all the powers, Charms and Spells available to all Deathlords, but prefers to rely on his unparalleled skills and almost limitless Martial Arts Charms and Combos.
He has mastered every Terrestrial and Celestial style yet printed and has even created Abyssal variants of many of them (Tiger style to Ghost Tiger Style, for ex) to teach to promising Abyssal exalts and other Deathlords. He is unable to practice Sun's Conquering Fist style, which frustrates him, but he is working on an Abyssal version of it that he may soon perfect...
He carries few Artifacts and Hearthstones, only ones which further enhance his martial prowess, altho he seldom bothers to use them. Altho he has no army, he can call upon the loyalty of several Hekatonkhires that he has personally bested and bound to serve as mounts or weapons, if need be.
