YerMum/Arcus

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Arcus

A number of years ago some of the Elder Sidereals put a plan into motion that would not see any benefit for the Fivescore Fellowship for decades, if at all. This plan was the controversial and unconventional training of Black Ice Shadow, Chosen of Saturn, born of a Shadowland, raised and taught by the divinities of death, disease and darkness. The reason for this course of action was simple, the Maidens had revealed to their Chosen that all the potential futures for Creation had one constant factor, death on a scale not seen since the Contagion. So they chose one of their number to become intimate with death, to be raised in its shadow and indoctrinated into its secrets. There are some in Heaven who whisper that maybe they went too far, that the stain of the grave has penetrated deep into Black Ice Shadow’s heart, that perhaps when they urged him to stare into the Abyss something was staring back. However, rather than waste the time and effort expended already by releasing his shard these same elders have agreed to an experiment designed to help tie the death-touched exalt more closely to Heaven. To this end they have assigned to Black Ice Shadow an apprentice of his own, a new Chosen of Endings to train in his duties and to instruct in the arts of the Underworld. The elders reason that by training another he will reaffirm his own connections to Heaven and to the greater Sidereal society. Arcus is the one assigned to Black Ice Shadow, his initial training and martial arts schooling was undertaken by another of their Caste, Reyou the Shears of Heaven (known as such for the many threads of the Tapestry that he has cut in service to Destiny), however he has been given into Black Ice Shadow’s care to learn of the existence after death, and the threat that it poses to Creation. While Reyou is still Arcus’ Sifu he has been trained in the Hungry Ghost style by his new teacher, a task that they both have enjoyed, perhaps the elder’s plan was not without merit.

Arcus was born into a poor farming family who’s produce was sold at market to the Mortician’s Order of Sijan. He was the fourth son, and his birth was a poor omen for his family as his mother’s last breath was spent bringing him into the world. His father, in order to appease whatever god was responsible for this tragic beginning, sent his son into the care of the funerists once he was old enough to learn. His early years were spent learning as a drudge, cleaning the embalming rooms and mortuaries of the great funeral city. As he worked at the mindless tasks his thoughts cleared, unconsciously he worked as he remembered ages past, the highs, the lows and most clearly, how things that had reached their end were cut from the Tapestry. Over the years his new masters attempted to teach him their arts and lore, how to appease the hungry dead, the correct rites to perform for paupers, for kings, for the Princes of the Earth themselves. He was an indifferent student of academia, spending his nights contemplating the truths shown to him when he emptied his mind by concentrating on the physical world. Late at night, when the corridors of Sijan were quietest, he would walk the halls in silence, following a path that only he could see, one lined with faint purple threads. It was on one of these walks that he Exalted, confronting and banishing a horror of the Underworld released by the sloppy work of one of his peers, that if left unchecked would have escaped into the night and slaughtered many, including his long forgotten family. The struggle left him half dead, but victorious, the monstrosity lying dismembered at his feet, his violet anima in full bloom, his limbs finishing a kata from the Tiger style that had dealt the final blow.

“Well done my young friend, well done indeed.” A voice from the shadows said, clear and full of life, “You use that form as if you were born to it, which in a way you were. Come, there is much to do, we need to be far from here, your life has just begun.” The man stepped forwards, the mark of Saturn showing on his forehead, mirroring that on Arcus’. Without replying Arcus took the man’s hand, and stepped through the Calibration Gate.

Character Sheet

Concept: MA Combat Wombat, Ghost Hunter, Demon Slayer
Caste: Endings
Allegiance: Bronze Faction
Nature: Thrillseeker

Quote: “I am sorry, but this is your Fate, your next incarnation is destined for greatness, and that Destiny must be fulfilled as quickly as possible.”

ATTRIBUTES:
Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3

Charisma 3, Manipulation 1, Appearance 3

Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4

ABILITIES:

Caste: Athletics 3, Awareness 5, Bureaucracy 2, Martial Arts 5, Medicine 2
Auspicious: Dodge 3, Performance 4, Lore 3, Stealth 5
Other: Endurance 1, Craft 2 (Fate, Funerals), Linguistics 2 (native: Riverspeak, Old Realm, High Realm), Socialise 1, Melee 2, Resistance 1, Investigation 2, Occult 2

BACKGROUNDS:

Allies 1, Artifact 3(Starmetal Gauntlets of Distant Claws), Artifact 2 (Starmetal Hearthstone Bracers), Backing 1 (Bronze Faction), Backing 1 (Violet Bier of Sorrows), Backing 1 (Bureau of Destiny 1), Celestial Manse 3, Connections 1 (Morticians Order of Sijan), Connections 1 (Underworld), Connections 1 (Immaculate Order), Familiar 3, Salary 3, Sifu 2 (Black Ice Shadow)

VIRTUES:

Compassion 3, Conviction 2, Temperance 2, Valour 3

Essence: 3
Willpower: 6

• Current: 6
  

Personal Essence: 12

• Current: 12 motes
  
• Commited:
  

Peripheral Essence: 34

• Current: 23
  
• Commited: 6 motes Gauntlets, 4 motes Hearthstone bracers, 1 mote Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light
  

Paradox: 3 (8 max)

Merits: Prodigy (MA)

Flaws: Dark Fate 1, Greater Curse 2

Colleges: Sorcerer 1, Crow 1, Rising Smoke 2, Sword 2, Key 1

CHARMS:
Investigation : Auspicious Prospects for Endings
Stealth : Soft Presence Practise, Walking Outside Fate
Performance : Perfection in Life, Defense of Shining Joy
Melee : Impeding the Flow
Awareness : Inevitable Pursuit

Martial Arts

Tiger Style : Crimson Leaping Cat Technique, Striking Fury Claws Attack, Tiger Form, Raging Tiger Pounce, Spine Shattering Bite
Hungry Ghost Style : Essence Discerning Glance, Shrouded Claw Blow
Water Dragon Style : Flowing Water Defense, Rippling Water Strike

Combos
Ghost Tiger Claw
1WP, 5 motes + 1 mote/die + 3 motes/parry
Shrouded Claw Blow + Spine Shattering Bite + Impede the Flow (8xp)
Stripes of orange, black and purple essence flow down Arcus' arm and pool in his palm, guiding his strike towards the heart of his opponent. His off hand has claws extended, ready to divert any counterattack by cutting through the threads of fate that govern the likelyhood it will hit.

Background Details

Manse:
Staff: Weeping Lion, one of Arcus' former incarnations, now a ghost residing in the manse. Designed many martial arts styles in life, and now is passing on as much of that knowledge as he can to the new posessor of his shard. Looks like Liam Neeson as Ras Al Ghul
Oolah, former Goddess of the Dying Breath. Arcus' major domo. Only makes her presence known if she can't be seen.
Parosi a former God of Starvation and Famine for a now lost section of Creation, now he's Arcus' driver. An emaciated bark-skinned shell of a man.

Hearthstone: Celestial version of the Stone of Freedom (attuned wearer cannot be restrained or clinched)
Gauntlets of Distant Claws: Speed +0 Accuracy +1 Damage +7L Defense +1 Rate 6 (inc starmetal bonus)
Hearthstone Bracers: Starmetal, add +1 to weapon's Speed, Accuracy and Defense. Add +3 dice to dodge attempts
Familiar: Shade, a Whipporwhill, small black and white bird associated with spirits of the dead, has a distinctive cry. Gives me 5 motes more personal essence, woo!

Mission Rewards:

Mission 1: Starmetal Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light Mission 2: Endowment of one use of Principle of Motion (not obtained yet) Bonus Mission: Starmetal Infinite Weapon (not attuned, no forms), Bottle of Celestial Wine Serenity's Gift: Starmetal Torc of sight

Deathknights Liquidated:

Shoat of the Mire #1

Bonus Point Summary:

18 + 3 from background + 3 flaws = 24 total

Performance 3 > 4 = 1bp
Stealth 3 > 5 = 2bp
MA 3 > 5 = 2bp
Essence 2 > 3 = 10bp
Temperence 1 > 2 = 3bp
Merit: Prodigy (MA) = 2bp
Awareness 2 > 5 = 3bp
Athletics 2 > 3 = 1bp

All spent up!

XP Summary: Spent: 24 (8 for Raging Tiger Pounce, 8 for Spine Shattering Bite, 8 for Shrouded Claw Blow, 8 for Combo)
Banked: 18
Reserved: 1 (Awareness), 1 (Investigation), 1 (Compassion), 1 (Social stuff/Wits), 1 (Occult), 1 (Ox-body), 1 (any Serenity charm or ability), 1 (Combos)

Combat Summary: (inc Power Combat)
Base Initiative: 9
Gauntlets of Distant Claws: Speed 10 Accuracy 13 Damage 10L Defense 13 Rate 6
Dodge: Dex 5 + Dodge 3 + Essence 3 + Bracers 3 = 14
Defense of shining joy = Dex 5 + Performance 4 + Essence 3 + Bracers 3 = 15