BurgerSlave/MnemonKaza

Mnemon Kaza

Kaza was born sixteen years ago, and he is a direct descendant of Mnemon herself--and through her, the Scarlet Empress. Both his parents were powerful Exalts, as were his three elder siblings, and all of them held positions of great prominence within the Scarlet Dynasty. Mnemon herself would often visit their Manse, located at the foot of Mount Meru. Once, when Kaza demonstrated his knowledge of the Immaculate Texts, she commented that he was surely meant for greatness.

But, as Kaza grew into a youth, the Exaltation that he was sure was due him never came. He began to fear that the Dragons were going to pass him over, and that he wasn't trying hard enough to please them. He redoubled his efforts, spending hours in meditation and devotions, chanting the sutras and trying to make himself appropriately Immaculate. But the Exaltation never came, and he fell by the wayside.

Kaza's desperation turned to bitter anger and despair. Some seed of doubt drove him to believe, in his darkest heart of hearts, that he was plenty worthy enough, but it was the Dragons who had failed to see his own brilliance. He resolved that he would make them choose him. He would act as though he were already a Prince of the Earth, and then the Dragons would see his worth and ignite the Essence within him.

Unfortunately, this arrogance only turned his peers and his teachers against him. Despite all his efforts, Kaza found his anger growing by leaps and bounds while he continued to remain mortal. On the eve of his sixteenth birthday, everything came to a head at a gala ball his parents had thrown. Lord Loran and Lady Rasha had hoped that, by finding Kaza a girl to marry, he might cool his anger and begin acting responsibly. But Kaza rejected the bride they had chosen, a patrician girl of fine breeding. He spat in her face, refusing to accept her. He declared that he deserved better, and he would not be wed to some thin-blooded mortal.

Kaza's parents decided that enough was enough. That night, they withdrew Kaza from the Cloister of Wisdom and sent him to the Palace of the Tamed Storm. Hopefully, the merciless professors there would be able to succeed where they had failed, and beat some humility into their arrogant son.

Kaza immediately began causing trouble by his very presence. He was assigned to Professor Geza, the Most Humble Corrector of Wayward Children. Geza himself was an Aspect of Earth, and had a fearful reputation for his skill with a bamboo cane. It was whispered that Geza could frighten even Pasiap Himself. But Kaza refused to be afraid. He would not be broken by these people. He was better than all of them.

A day did not go by that Kaza was not soundly beaten for some infraction or another. He became innured to the pain, and so Geza began to make things even more difficult. He would have Kaza chant the sutras while the cane cracked across his back. All he had to do, he was told, was to shed a single tear and ask to be forgiven, and the pain would stop. But Kaza never cried out once, nor did he ask forgiveness. Resolutely, he would chant the sutras while the cane turned his back black and blue.

Finally, Geza chained Kaza to a rock on the side of Mount Meru and left him, hoping that starvation and exposure to the elements would cure his willfulness. After six days and nights of eating nothing and drinking his own piss, Kaza was visited by Luna. For more details about Kaza's Exaltation, see the story BurgerSlave/BlessedBySilver.

It did not take long for Kaza to escape from the Palace. Using wit and guile and only the barest of control over his Essence, Kaza stole his way to the Imperial City, where he hoped to buy passage across the Inner Sea. He thought to hide himself in the Scavenger Lands, at least until he could figure out what to do with himself. However, he was being observed by Black Lotus, a Sidereal assassin in service to the Bronze Faction. The fact that Kaza had been Exalted on the Blessed Isle was of grave concern to the Bronze Faction. Had Kaza not encountered a kitsu clan, living incognito beneath the docks of the Imperial City's port, then he might never have made it off the Blessed Isle alive.

With aid from the foxmen, Kaza was smuggled aboard a V'neef merchant ship, and he spent the next three weeks hiding from the crew and stealing handfuls of rice to keep himself fed. When they finally put ashore in Lookshy, Kaza took his leave and began heading Northeast.

It was then that he was accosted by what he believed to be brigands. In truth, they were three Lunars who had been sent to bring him into the Silver Pact. One of them was a No Moon battle-wizard named Gaios, who felt an instant kinship with Kaza, despite his own dislike of the boy. It was Gaios who was to administer Kaza's Rite of Passage, once they had him safely within their protectorate's boundaries. In his mind, Kaza was not worthy to join the Silver Pact. But Luna had Chosen him, and Gaios dared not displease his goddess.

But Kaza did pass Gaios' tests, and it was with grave reluctance that Gaios gave Kaza his tattoos, locking him into the Changing Moon Caste. For his part, Kaza has found himself attracted to the older man, and has begun to entertain thoughts of courting him. He has even learned Charms that will let him become a girl, just so that he might please Gaios. But for now, his thoughts have turned to more important things than courtly romance. A necromancer has begun stealing the ghosts of Gaios' tribe's ancestors, and they have turned to Kaza to ferret out this necromancer's secrets. Thus did Kaza become the first to learn of the Abyssals' arrival in the protectorate.

Now, Kaza is welcomed into the circle of elders, where he is able to contribute what he has learned while spying in the shadowland that has formed to the south of the protectorate. He is pleased to be able to help, particularly since Gaios has begun to warm to him. Being a Mnemon, Kaza has a natural inclination for magic, and he hopes that Gaios will teach him sorcery soon. For the time being, however, he is most useful to the protectorate as a stealthy and cunning spy, and he performs this task with ease. Armed with Pasiap's Hand, the white jade powerbow he stole from the Palace of the Tamed Storm, he is able to give the Abyssals a run for their money. Kaza knows that this pleases Luna, which will also please Gaios. For now, life is good.

Image: Mnemon Kaza is a striklingly beautiful young man of seventeen years. His hair is alabaster white, as is his skin--he is Mnemon's grandson, and he shows it in every way. His large, liquid eyes are blue as sapphires, and hold his tell--Rings of silver around the pupils. He has not developed his Deadly Beastman form much as of yet, so his Tell remains small, for now. Kaza appears delicate, but his seemingly frail form hides speed, grace, and lethal power. He wears a moonsilver reinforced buff jacket, a gift from Gaios for completing his Rite of Passage so well. His tattoos are thin, supple whorls that accentuate his gracefulness. However, any of these features can change at any time, for Kaza makes ample use of Shaping The Ideal Form, much to Gaios' chagrin. He also wears warm trousers and fur-lined boots, to keep him warm in the chilly Northeast. He still adheres to much of the Immaculate Way. He does not eat meat or drink, and he engages in regular martial arts practice, a holdover from his days at the Cloister of Wisdom. However, he will often be blushing when he is around his mentor.

Statistics

Name: Mnemon Kaza
Nature: Rebel
Caste: Changing Moon
Totem: Kit Fox
Face: 1 "Nain-ya"

Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Charisma 4 (Lordly), Manipulation 3, Appearance 5 (Androgynous)
Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3

Favored Abilities: Survival 2, Martial Arts 5, Archery 5, Stealth 5, Larceny 3
Abilities: Linguistics 2 (High Realm, Forest-tongue, Riverspeak), Occult 3, Lore 2, Socialize 1, Presence 2, Performance 1 (bamboo flute)

Backgrounds: Artifact 3 (jade powerbow, moonsilver reinforced buff jacket), Mentor 3, Heart's Blood 1

Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2, Temperance 4, Valor 5
Renown: Mettle 10, Glory 10
Advantages: Willpower 9, Essence 2 (Personal 20, Peripheral 46)
Heart's Blood Shapes: wharf rat

Deadly Beastman Form: Dexterity +2, Stamina +1, Bestial Reflexes, Spider-Foot Climbing

Charms: Finding The Spirit's Shape, Deadly Beastman Transformation x1, Hide of the Cunning Hunter, Calling Luna's Favor, Shaping The Ideal Form, Humble Mouse Shape, Many-Faced Moon Transformation, Body Weapon Technique, Eagle-Eye Advantage, Stealthy Fox Method

Merits: Pain Tolerance +5, Born To Rule +2, Terrestrial Bloodline +1, Signature Style: Absolute Silence +2
Flaws: Unusual Appearance (high Dragon-Blooded breeding) -1, Vice -2 (-4 Valor dice when fighting an Immaculate priest), Nightmares -3, Known Anathema -2, Permenant Caste Mark -2