Lance/ZhaoRen
Contents
Personal Data
Name: Nazli Saab Caste: Night Motivation: Become a renowned dancer and help the people Player: Zhao Ren Origin: Chiaroscuro Chronicle: Lance's Game XP: 0/0 Anima Banner: A flurry of ghostly white petals and full flowers with violet and gold edges
Attributes
(Physical) (Social) (Mental) Strength [O....] Charisma [OOOO.] Perception [OOO..] Dexterity [OOOO.] Manipulation [OO...] Intelligence [OOO..] Stamina [OO...] Appearance [OOOOO] Wits [OOO..]
Abilities
(Dawn) (Zenith) (Twilight) Archery [.....] Integrity [.....] Craft [.....] *Martial Arts [OOOBB] *Perform [OOOBB] Investigation [.....] Melee [.....] *Presence [OO...] Lore [O....] Thrown [.....] Resistance [.....] *Medicine [OOO..] War [.....] Survival [O....] Occult [OO...] (Night) (Eclipse) (Specialties) *Athletics [OOB..] Bureaucracy [.....] Martial Arts - War Fans *Awareness [O....] Linguistics [OO...] Perform - Dance (2) *Dodge [OBB..] Ride [O....] Stealth - In Wilderness Areas *Larceny [.....] Sail [.....] *Stealth [OOO..] *Socialize [OOO..]
Languages: Flametongue (native), Old Realm, Riverspeak
Backgrounds, Virtues, Physical Combat
(=Backgrounds=) (=Virtues=) Artifact (3) [OBBB.] Compassion [OOOO.] Temperance [OO...] Familiar [OOOB.] Conviction [OO...] Valor [O....] Manse (2) [OO...] Virtue Flaw: Heart of Tears (Compassion) Mentor [OBB..] Condition: Overwhelmed with the grief at the suffering she has witnessed, the character can only weep at the wretched state
of the world. If her Limit Breaks in a stressful situation, the character cannot function for the rest of the scene and
attempts to flee if attacked. If she cannot flee, she defends herself at a two-die penalty and seeks to flee at the first
opportunity. She can only avoid human contact and perhaps numb herself to the pain of existence with intoxicants.
Partial Control: The character takes no initiative and constant weeps, but she can defend normally and does not need to flee
combat. However, she attacks at a two-die penalty and cannot use Social or Mental Abilities or Charms. She can only react
to immediate circumstances, not plan or initiate complex actions.
Duration: One scene in combat or one day otherwise.
Limit Break Condition: The character witnesses innocents suffering and cannot ameliorate their pain.
(=Attacks=)
Essence [XX........] Join Battle: 5
Willpower [WWWWWW....] Dodge DV: 5
Limit [..........] Ranged AV:
Soak: 1L/2B
Essence
Personal Essence: 12/12 Peripheral Essence: 25/29 (4 Committed)
Combat
Weapon: Orichalcum Seven Jeweled Peacock Fans - (Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage +5B/+1L, +4 Defense, Rate 4, Minimums: Str 1, Dex 3, MA 3. Attune 4, Tagged: D,M)
Join Battle: 4
(Attack) Punch: Speed 5, Attack 10, Damage 1B, Parry DV 6, Rate 3
(Attack) Kick: Speed 5, Attack 9, Damage 4B, Parry DV 4, Rate 2
(Attack) Fan: Speed 5, Attack 9, Damage 6B/2L, Parry DV 8, Rate 4
Soak: 1L/2B
Dodge DV: 5
Social Combat
Intimacies: Chiaroscuro (homeland), Lilith (mother and fellow slave), Moshe (familiar and friend), Nava (deity-mentor)
Join Debate: 4
(Attack Truth) Investigation: Speed 5, Attack 4, Parry MDV 2, Rate 2
(Attack Truth) Performance: Speed 6, Attack 9, Parry MDV 5, Rate 1
(Attack Truth) Presence: Speed 4, Attack 6, Parry MDV 3, Rate 2
(Attack Lies) Investigation: Speed 5, Attack 2, Parry MDV 1, Rate 2
(Attack Lies) Performance: Speed 6, Attack 6, Parry MDV 3, Rate 1
(Attack Lies) Presence: Speed 4, Attack 4, Parry MDV 2, Rate 2
Dodge MDV: 4
Charms
--- Martial Arts ---
- Demure Carp Feint - Cost: 4m; Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2) | Keywords: Combo-OK | Duration: One Action | Prerequisite Charms: None | The character opens a fan, twirling and waving it in a distracting way. (This does not need to be a war fan as long as it is used only for distraction.) The Exalt's movements become as graceful and unpredictable as cherry blossoms in a gust of wind. While using this Charm, the Exalt adds either her essence or +2 (whichever is greater) to her DVs.
- Pearlescent Filigree Defense - Cost: 1m per 1L/2B soak; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Simple | Keywords: Obvious | Duration: One Scene | Prerequisite Charms: None | The Exalt channels her Essence into her robes, making her clothing and accouterments take on an iridescent sheen as shimmering golden motes of Essence waft and rise from her. Each mote spent adds one to the character's lethal soak and two to the character's bashing soak. (This bonus does not count as armor, but as a form of natural soak.) The character cannot spend more motes of Essence to fuel this Charm than she has dots of Essence.
- Lethal Paper Fan - Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental | Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK | Duration: Instant | Prerequisite Charms: None | In the hands of a martial artist using this Charm, a delicate paper fan can be infused with Essence that makes it cut like a razor. The character treats all paper fans (or other similar props such as brushes or mirrors) as wind-fire wheels, she treats all sashes, long hems, sleeves and so on as seven-section staves. The damage these weapons inflict is lethal, though their appearance does not change. In addition, if the character uses an actual war fan or other accoutrement that has been properly constructed for use in the martial arts, the character may enhance the weapon's Speed, Accuracy, Damage or Defense by an amount equal to her Essence. (Pick any one value upon activating the Charm.) If the player picks Speed, a value equal to the player's Essence is subtracted from the weapon's Speed rating. The result of doing so can be no less than 1, however. Sashes, cloak-hems, and other clothing turned into weighted ropes and then enhanced by this Charm deal less damage than they would if empowered by this Charm alone - but the character can wield them with much greater Speed, Accuracy, or Defense.
- Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form - Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 3) | Keywords: Form-type, Obvious, Social | Duration: One Scene | Prerequisite Charms: Demure Carp Feint, Pearlescent Filigree Defense, Lethal Paper Fan Attack | The sensual martial artist's props and robes take one a life of their own, enhancing and complementing her movements. At her command, her fans open and swirl enticingly about her body like butterflies. Her sashes tease and coil around her like a lover's hands, and her flowing sleeves and robes writhe and twist at her whim. The Exalt does not have to physically manipulate these props in order to create this effect. The martial artist controls one prop per dot of Essence she has (deciding which props to animate when she activates the Charm.) For example, an Exalt with an Essence score of 4 could control one fan, one sash, one of her flowing sleeves and the hem of her cloak, or she could control four fans at once. If the martial artist wishes to add or change a prop, she must drop the present invocation of this Charm and reactivate it. Objects the martial artist wishes to command must be in her possession, and she cannot make an attack with these props unless she is manually controlling them. To attack with them yet still leave her hands free requires her to use the Flurry of August Leaves Concentration Charm. While her character uses this Charm, the Exalt's player adds her character's Martial Arts score to all Presence, Perform, and Socialize rolls, including those required for social combat and the activation of Charms.
- Flurry of August Leaves Concentration - Cost: 2m per weapon; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 2; Type: Simple (DV -2) | Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious | Duration: Instant | Prerequisite Charms: Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form | The martial artist with this Charm casts her fans or sashes into the air, making them swoop and slash out at an opponent before obediently returning to her. If she activates this Charm while using the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form, the martial artist can have as many props as that Charm allows make multiple attacks against one target. This Charm allows the martial artist to strike a target up to (Martial Arts x 5) yards away. The Exalt's player rolls a single normal Martial Arts attack, regardless of how many weapons the character controls. Successes from the roll, penalized by the target's DV, apply to all weapons simultaneously, and the damage is calculated normally as if she had performed the attack manually. The opponent does suffer an onslaught penalty to his DV for being attacked by multiple props, but each prop applies its damage separately. Botched attacks can result in broken or lost props, if not injury to the martial artist who cast them. Also, this Charm can be used only on props that can be separated from the Exalt's body. (She can't lash out at a target 25 yards away with the hem of her ball gown, for instance, unless she's wearing one damn long train.)
--- Perform ---
- First Perform Excellency - Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Martial Arts 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender) | Keywords: Combo-OK | Duration: Instant | Prerequisite Charms: None | This Excellency allows the exalt to spend motes to enhance a roll with the ability for which this charm is purchased. This adds an equal number of dice to the roll up to a maximum of the character's Attribute + Ability used for the roll.
- Heart-Compelling Method - Cost: 6m; Mins: Performance 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental | Keywords: Combo-OK, Emotion, Social | Duration: One Scene | Prerequisite Charms: Any Performance Excellency | The Solar Exalted rise above the common through their understanding of others' desires. This Charm supplements a Performance-based roll to rouse emotion in others. It exerts unnatural mental influence on every valid target of this roll. If their MDV is less than the extra successes on the roll, this Charm inspires the desired emotion intensely for a scene. Resisting the influence costs two Willpower.
--- Medicine ---
- Second Medicine Excellency - Cost: 2m per success; Mins: Medicine 1, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker, Step 2 for defender)
Keywords: Combo-OK | Duration: Instant | Prerequisite Charms: None | This Excellency allows the Exalt to spend motes to add automatic successes to a roll with the ability for which this charm is purchased. For every two motes spent an automatic success is added, up to a maximum of the character's Attribute + Ability, divided by 2 and rounded down.
- Contagion Curing Touch - Cost: 2m; Mins: Medicine 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental | Keywords: Combo-OK, Touch | Duration: Instant | Prerequisite Charms: Any Medicine Excellency | Through pressure points, oratory, singing or simply channeling raw Essence, the Exalt may treat a patient without access to any of the normal tools necessary to practice medicine.
--- Athletics ---
- Graceful Crane Stance - Cost: 3m; Mins: Athletics 1, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive | Keywords: Combo-OK | Duration: One scene | Prerequisite Charms: None | The Solar Exalted are as graceful as sunlight on water. This Charm lets the Exalt automatically succeed on any valid Athletics action to keep her balance. Moreover, this Charm allows the Exalt to keep her footing on any surface at least as strong and wide as a human hair. She treats it as a three-foot-wide ledge capable of supporting a thousand pounds of weight when determining what movement and Athletic actions she can take and what penalties to them might apply.
Combos
None
=== Items Worth Note === - Orichalcum Seven Jeweled Peacock Fans - (Speed 5, Accuracy 4, Damage +5B/+1L, +4 Defense, Rate 4, Minimums: Str 1, Dex 3, MA 3. Attune 4, Tagged: D,M, One hearthstone setting)
These war fans are half-again as large as normal and reinforced with a orichalcum. They are called "seven-jeweled" because their join is set with that many gemstones. Skilled warriors can use them to subdue by precisely lashing out with them when closed, to kill by closing the razor-sharp inside edges on veins, and to disarm by capturing of flicking weapons out of opponents hands.
-- Stone of Healing - This hearthstone is a healthy earth-brown, mottled with spots of green. It is round in shape and could have come from the bottom of any common stream-bed, were the colors not so vibrant. The stone enhances the medical talents and knowledge of any character who bears it, making an unskilled character into a skilled surgeon and a gifted physician into a brilliant healer. A character beating this stone has three dice added to all Medicine rolls made by her player.
- Hearthstone Circlet - (Regain one mote of Essence an hour, One hearthstone setting)
A delicate band of orichalcum, about three-quarters of a centimeter in diameter, this circlet fits around one's head, with a setting for a hearthstone, with small sunburst pattern around the setting. Though hardly inconspicuous, it can be easily hidden beneath a hood or hat. If left uncovered, its artifact nature is usually glanced over with relative ease.
-- Gem of Injury Sense - Fine, iridescent cracks run through this transparent, blue-green teardrop. The hearthstone's bearer can sense injuries or illnesses as glowing patterns overlaying the bodies of any person or animal she can see clearly. The information revealed by this stone does not provide an exact diagnosis but does tell her both the location and severity of any problem. In addition to reducing the difficulty of Medicine rolls to treat patients she examines by -1 (to a minimum of 1), the stone also allows the bearer to see at once if living allies or foes are near death. She can also tell the living
from the undead in even the dimmest lighting.
- Bangles of Dawn's Cleansing Light - (Attune 1, Negates all penalties due to being unkempt, adds two dice to rolls against disease or poison)
A set of six, beautiful orichalcum bangles. Four of the bangles, the ones encircling the other two, have a wave pattern engraved into it. The other two have a series of eight golden stones set in them, at even intervals, all with a sunburst pattern around the setting. The bracelets, while not physically connected, are magically attuned to each other, ensuring that no one bangle leaves the others for more than a meter.
Health
Health Levels: [ ] -0 [ ] -1 [ ] -1 [ ] -2 [ ] -2 [ ] -4 [ ] Incapacitated
XP Expenditure
Flaw: Known Anathema (1), Wanted (2)
Merit: Enchanting Feature - Eyes (2)
Bonus Points: Martial Arts (2), Perform (2), Athletics (1), Dodge (2), Specialties (2), Background (7)
Appearance
Despite her many months in captivity, Nazli has happened keep a rather nice figure. Indeed, her famed good looks is likely what saved her life, causing her potential buyers to quarrel amongst themselves, trying to outbid each other in a vain attempt to have this Chiaroscuran beauty. Due to her years of dancing, Nazli has a lithe and dexterous body, with a lean, delicate build. She stands at a respectable height of one hundred and sixty three centimeters (five feet, four inches), and weighs about fifty-two kilograms (about one hundred and fifteen pounds). She is rather well endowed, particularly her hips, both of which are likely due to her upbringing. She has a deep auburn-red shade of hair, trimmed rather short, with the longest strands barely touching her shoulders. She takes special care of her hair, a tradition long practiced among the wealthy in the South; making sure her hair is fairly straight and perfectly layered. By far the most appealing aspect to her are her eyes, a particularly beautiful shade of vibrant green, contrasting beautifully with her lightly tanned skin, outlined further with kohl.
For her attire, however, Nazli was not so fortunate to have escaped the torment of her capture. Having been quickly kidnapped in the dead of Resplendent Fire, Nazli's only clothes from her homeland are scant and rather revealing. She has a long, white skirt of sheer material, which occasionally appears an iridescent gold colour. A band of golden lamé holds up this skirt, about two inches thick, curving teasingly around her hips. Underneath this, she wears an equally scant pair of underwear, though it does preserve her modesty from eyes that might pry through the translucent material of her skirt. For a top, she was also unfortunately caught most off-guard. With a band of lamé fabric underneath her bust, accentuating it, only the same sheer material that the skirt is made from covers her breasts, connecting to the band and up over the shoulders, connecting at the back of her neck. Fortunately, while with Nava and Moshe, Nazli was given a thick woollen cloak, which is a dark brown in colour, a gift to the young girl from the goddess. In addition to the aforementioned attire, Nava gave Nazli several pieces of jewelry. The first was a rather beautiful circlet of orichalcum fitted with a hearthstone of a brilliant blue, with the setting for the hearthstone having a sunburst pattern around it. Nazli also received a set of orichalcum bangles as well, which ensured her cleanliness. Last, but certainly not least, Nazli still has a pair of sandals from when she was captured, sparing her from having to run barefoot through the forest.
http://ggatz.deviantart.com/art/Linaris-29777234 - Head shot when wearing her cloak
http://sexyblue.deviantart.com/art/Commission-Charles-90900659 - Hairstyle
http://shawli2007.deviantart.com/art/afternoon-81226398 - Relatively similar costume
Abridged Background
Nazli Saab was born in Nexus to a merchant from Nexus and a noble from Chiaroscuro. Nazli lived in Chiaroscuro for eighteen years, learning medicine and dancing among other things. Then, one day, rivals of her father kidnapped her and her mother, Lilith, while they were on a trip, taking them back to Nexus to be sold into slavery. The two were separated upon arriving in Nexus, with the mother being sold there and Nazli being shipped down the river to the Great Forks to be sold. Her owner, thinking she could fetch an amazing price for her beauty and talents, took a while to sell Nazli. One night, Nazli noticed a hole in the roof, covered by a board to disguise it. Climbing through the whole, she was noticed by a guard. Just then, she exalted, prompting the guard to cry out for reinforcements. Running away into the forest, Nazli hid from her pursuers, successfully avoiding them. Then she heard an owl hooting, which seemed to lure her towards the sound. Following the owl, she came across a glade. Little did she know, but this was a manse, one that belonged to a local deity by the name of Nava. The owl that brought her was a minor god by the name of Moshe. Taking care of Nazli and vaguely telling her about what she had become, Nava then gave Nazli a beautiful pair of fans, a set of bangles, and a circlet. With that, Nava then sent Nazli off, but not before tasking Moshe to be her escort and guard.
Background
Nazli Saab was born to a rather wealthy merchant from Nexus by the name of Jade Wind Prince and a noble lady from Chiaroscuro by the name of Lilith Saab. It was originally a political marriage, acceptable to both parties, with Jade Wind Prince netting prestige from marrying such a beautiful and high-ranking lady, and the Saab family receiving an influx of money from Jade Wind Prince's gathered wealth. As part of the acceptance, however, the Saab family forced Jade Wind Prince to allow them to name the couple's children. Unable to deny such a request, Jade Wind Prince ceded to their demands. Though Jade Wind Prince was fascinated with the culture of the South, the beauty of Chiaroscuro, business often kept him in his homeland of the Confederation of Rivers. Jade Wind Prince, being a rather successful man within the realm of medicine, and also dabbling in the competitive jade market, had several rivals. Always jealously seeking his downfall, one of the rivals found out about this marriage that Jade Wind Prince had arranged, and immediately proposed a rather malicious plan to strike Jade Wind Prince at his very heart. His co-conspirators immediately accepted his scheme, waiting for the perfect moment to put it into action.
Nazli Saab was a rather fortunate girl, inheriting both her mother's beauty and her father's wits. Though raised in Chiaroscuro, the Saab family honored Jade Wind Prince enough to teach Nazli the basics of Riverspeak, allowing her to speak to her father in his tongue on the few occasions that she saw him. Most of the young girl's life was spent in the several estates the family owned throughout the southeast, surrounded by the wealth the Saab family had come to possess throughout the generations. The Saab family instructed Nazli in the basics of court life, and while they owed Jade Wind Prince for the wealth he contributed, the Saab family refused to instruct Nazli in her father's tainted job, though they did teach her the basics of medicine, viewing that as separate from the realm of trade. No, she would be a fine courtly lady, respectable to all of society, and as unaffiliated to Jade Wind Prince and the merchants of the Guild as possible. Nazli took special interest in an art her mother was an expert in, dancing, and soon came to excel in it as well.
At the age of eighteen, Nazli Saab had grown into a rather lovely woman, desired by many of the scions of the noble houses of Chiaroscuro, and even a few of the Dragon-blooded who were stationed in the city. Rather politically astute, the Saab family refused to give Nazli away just yet, biding their time as they waited for the best deal they could get. Unfortunately, such a time would never come. While traveling through the deserts of the south back to Chiaroscuro from one of their countryside estates, the Saab family was assaulted by a band of men, who tore past the guards with ease. These men were clearly after something, for they quickly looted what they could find on the nobles before moving on. However, upon seeing the wagon with Lilith Saab and her daughter, the men seized the two and fled, leaving the Saab family dazed, both at the loss of several of their family members who tried to fight the men off in vain, the suddenness of the attack in general, and that they could not find Lilith or her daughter.
As it turned out, the band of men who had so successfully raided the Saab family caravan were mercenaries under the employ of the rivals of Jade Wind Prince. The mastermind of this kidnapping had decided to oversee it personally, leaving Nexus on a long journey south. He was called Silver Reed, a well-known competitor of Jade Wind Prince in the medicine market. A few of his associates also had gone on the journey with him, seeing if their investment in this was truly worth it. Seeing both Lilith and Nazli brought before them, bound and gagged, they could only praise Silver Reed. With most of the mercenaries paid off, Silver Reed and the other merchants kept only a skeleton of their group of men, heading east to Yane before taking a ship back to Nexus, and ultimately the Great Forks. Indeed, they had no desire to keep these two as prisoners to blackmail Jade Wind Prince; no, they had far more malicious intents in mind. They would break his mind, ruin his efforts and reputation. They would sell the two off as slaves, never to be heard from again.
Boarding their ship, the merchants and few mercenaries that were from the Riverlands locked the two Saab women in a fairly luxurious room. While they had been treating their captives rather well for what they had in mind for their ultimate fate, they began to reconsider. First, they started by separating the mother and daughter, now holding them captive in different rooms upon the large ship, and no longer treating them as the nobles they were to save on expenses. Then growing restless from the long journey, the men could take no more. Despite Silver Reed's protests, one of his fellow merchants, Distant Twilight, caved in to the mercenaries' demands; to do otherwise, in Distant Twilight's mind, would only result in a mutiny. And so, unbeknownst to Nazli, Lilith was assaulted later that night, mercilessly raped. Distant Twilight did not permit the mercenaries to move on to Nazli, knowing that 'damaged goods' were worth far less.
Eventually, the ship arrived at Nexus, and while several of the looted goods, some priceless Saab heirlooms among them, went in one direction, the captives were led in another. It was only then they found out what Silver Reed had planned for them, seeing that they were lead to what could only be a slave dealer. As the money changed hands, the two women were shoved to the dealer, who immediately locked them up. While their beauty would certainly earn them a high price, he could not afford to have them escape. Bound hand and foot, the two women spent several nights in that holding cell, only able to weep at their fate. Eventually, one day, the dealer came and opened the door. Pointing at the broken form that was Lilith, the dealer had a wide grin on his face. Immediately two men picked Lilith up and dragged her out of the cell. Nazli would never see her mother again. Within a few days, Nazli was transported off to the Great Forks to be sold there, thinking she could fetch a better price there.
Transcribed from Nazli's diary, with commentary:
Much like how her family had hesitated to let her go, the slaver too was waiting to sell her off, constantly thinking he could get a better price if he waited. Still suffering from the loss of her mother, much less her luxurious life she had lived in Chiaroscuro, Nazli was determined to escape. Little did she know, that chance would soon arrive. One night, Nazli could clear the hooting of an owl. Looking around, she was rather confused. After all, the cell she was locked in did not have any way out save the thick wooden door, at least, not that she knew of. How could she be hearing the noises of the outside so easily? It was only then she looked up and noticed a variation in shade on the ceiling. That couldn't be stone, Nazli could tell even in the dim light. Scaling the cell's walls by climbing up the corner, Nazli made sure she had a strong foothold before pushing up with all her strength. With little effort, she managed to lift up the odd part of the ceiling, which turned out to be a wooden board, pushing it aside. Unfortunately for Nazli, she soon found that the hole that the board was covering was rather small in size. Hopping down, she stared up into the darkness of the night, wondering how she could ever escape now.
As she took a deep breath of fresh air, glad to be free after all these months. Then she heard the hooting of the owl once again, clearly to the south of her, judging by the position of the full moon. Unfortunately, though the moon gave her a general direction, it also illuminated her far more easily. Without warning, a guard on the ground finally spoke up, having noticed a change in the shadows coming off the roof, "Hey you! What the hell do you think you're doing up there?!" Quickly glancing to the guard, Nazli had a look of sheer terror, knowing that her changes of escaping the slavery she was going to be sold into were nigh impossible now. Fortunately for her, the impossible tends to occur for heroes.
A sudden flash of blinding light exuded from Nazli in all directions, the clear caste mark of a hollow ring upon her forehead. In her ears, Nazli could hear a powerful whisper, seemingly coming from nowhere, "Nazli, my child, I have chosen you for your overwhelming endurance, your compassion that you still hold inside you despite your suffering. You will achieve greatness, I can sense it in you. Restore your family to its rightful place, right the wrongs in this world, see to it that no one has to suffer like you have ever again." Little did she know it, but she had just heard the voice of the Unconquered Sun himself. She had just been exalted, now a member of the damned Wretched caste, as the Immaculate Order would call her.
"Oh... f***," was all the guard could say at first, then, with a great cry, he screamed out "ANATHEMA!" Quickly on her feet, Nazli immediately dashed off the building, running faster than seemingly ever before. Meanwhile, the guard's cry had caught the attention of the other men on duty, bringing them to pursue the girl. She may be one of the Wretched, but she was unarmed, and she could only take down so many men. The word that it was the beautiful dancer girl who had escaped made the slave dealer all the more determined that she not escape. She was a possession far too dear to lose so easily, newly exalted or not.
This moonlight pursuit could only last so long. Blessed with the powers of the Hidden Suns, when Nazli found a place she felt that she could hide, she was far more successful than she had expected. The guards, at least a handful of them, ran right past her, seeming to not notice the scantily clad girl as she hid beside a tree. After remaining motionless for what seemed like an eternity to the girl, she left her hiding place and looked at her surroundings. Finding herself to be fairly secure, she considered the situation at hand. She was dressed only in the ragged tatters of the clothes she had worn since her abduction back in the South, with no money, no other possessions, just the clothes on her back.
It was then she heard the hooting of the owl once again. Looking around, she noticed the golden eyes of a small owl staring at her from the branch of a nearby tree. It stared deep into Nazli's dark eyes, piercingly fixed upon the beautiful girl. For being such a small creature, hardly bigger than a man's head, it had a powerful presence to it, and Nazli could not take her eyes off of the beast. As soon as it was assured that it had captured Nazli's attention, the owl hooted again and took flight. As it flew away, Nazli felt herself lean forward, urging herself to make chase. However, Nazli was a wiser girl than that. Nazli scanned the area once again, making sure the patrols were fully gone, and then took off in pursuit. The owl led her further and further from the Great Forks, heading south into the wilderness, deep into the thick of the forests of the East.
Eventually Nazli came across a small glade in the midst of the forest, having followed the owl for what had to have been miles. Amazingly, Nazli did not feel fatigued, however, perhaps owing to her unexplained drive to follow this creature. The bird perched on a low branch. Just then, out of the tree line, a beautiful figure appeared, one whose grace equaled, if not surpassed, Nazli's own. She towered over the newly exalted girl, appearing well over seven, perhaps even eight feet in height, marvelous and sublime in her form even still. Her skin was a dark reddish-brown, seeming soft to the eyes, like the bark of a redwood. She was clothed, it seemed, with an elegant dress of vines, draping over her body. Her hair was brown, tinted with a mossy green, with leaves adorning her flowing strands of hair and a crown of flowers upon her head, between the pair of short antlers protruding from her temples. She was Nava, the Goddess-Protector of Wildeshadow Hollow, the local deity of this place.
"Come Moshe" she spoke, her voice as soft as a gentle breeze, and the owl flew over and perched on her shoulder. Nazli stumbled to her knees, her fatigue finally catching up to her. Nava looked down at Nazli, a stare both blank and compassionate in one as she spoke in Rivertongue, "Child, you are one of the Hidden Suns, are you? I am Nava, and it is a pleasure to be at your service…" Nava then bowed at the waist, her dress creaking like branches in the wind.
Unaware of what this deity (it was clear Nava was such) was saying, Nazli fell back, starting to crawl backwards away from the goddess. Stuttering, her voice broken as her emotions finally flowed over her, "What do you mean? Why are you bowing to -me-? I don't understand…" Seeing the goddess correct her posture and make no further advances upon her, Nazli rose to her feet and continued, "Hidden Suns? What is that? I've... never heard such a term."
"Ah, poor child..." Nava whispered softly as she looked the girl fully over, her clothes torn, her body broken. Reaching down, Nava picked up the young girl into her arms, cradling her close to herself. "I shall answer your questions come the next morn, but now, you should repose yourself. It seems you have had a most eventful journey, my dear." With a sincere smile, Nava then rested Nazli down on a small, soft bed of grass, assuring her with more gentle words, "Worry not, I shall protect you, little Sun."
And worry Nazli could not even begin to. Exhausted from her perilous journey, she could not open her eyes; much less bring herself to utter even a word in response to her new, protective guardian. She slept well under the watchful eye of Nava, a peaceful slumber that was much needed after her countless months in captivity. She was finally free.
The following morn, Nazli found her clothes on a low hanging branch, apparently set out to dry. Looking down, she noticed she was wearing naught but a long tunic, and a rather poor quality one at that. Sitting up, she looked around and noticed that only Moshe was there. Moshe flew down from his perch and landed on a closer branch. Shockingly to Nazli, the owl then spoke, "Well, good morning. I pray you slept well." Nazli's eyes widened, which caused Moshe to tilt his head, "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What's wrong?! You're talking!" Nazli screamed as she shuddered. Composing herself, she took a few steps closer, looking at Moshe intriguingly. She nervously spoke up, "Are you even an owl? I didn't know owls could talk…" Then again, she was no longer in the South anymore; this was a foreign land to her, clearly the forests of the East.
"Well, we are wise, are we not?" Moshe replied with a hooting laugh. Flying away towards the opposite edge of the meadow, Moshe began to change. The small owl grew tremendously in size, from what once had a wingspan of perhaps three feet at most, it grew five times as large. Now standing before the terrified girl was a strix the most odd color of brown. With that, it spoke once again, its voice more powerful, "I am Moshe, God-Protector of this glade and manse!" Moshe seemed to beam with pride upon his proclamation.
"And my servant," Nava added with a laugh as she emerged from the forest. In her hands were a few assorted fruits, presumably for Nazli, as Nava had not already eaten them.
Moshe morphed back into a common owl once again and flew over to rest on Nava's shoulder. "You know, that wasn't very nice," Moshe hooted and then said no more.
"So, little Sun, how did you sleep? Well I hope?" Nava smiled kindly to her guest, "I took the liberty of cleaning you up a bit, I pray you don't mind." She then gestured to Nazli's scant and formerly torn attire, hanging on the branch, and continued, "After all, it was rather well worn, and it would be inept of me, as a host, to let my guest parade around in such."
"It's quite alright, Honored Nava," Nazli replied as she looked her clothes over a bit closer. The rips had been stitched perfectly up, the dirt washed away, and for all matters, it seemed as though the clothes were new. "I appreciate that you took the time to do such a humble and menial task for one such as me. You really did not have to." With a bow, Nazli then fell silent.
"Oh please, my dear child, it was nothing for one such as you. And besides, Moshe helped. Who do you think got you the tunic you have on, after all?" Nava then laughed once again, a beautifully joyous noise.
"What do you mean by 'one such as I'? I... I'm an escaped slave, completely lost from my home, and-"
"And an Exalted of the Unconquered Sun. I saw it," Moshe interrupted with a hoot.
"Indeed, and as such… it is only proper for me to take you in as I have," Nava replied with a polite smile. "After all," she added, "The Exalted were once masters of this world, even over deities such as Moshe and I. Perhaps such a thing will come to pass once again... or so I believe."
"Rulers? Over even the gods?" Nazli was shocked. Was that what had happened to her? Suddenly she recalled the words of the Immaculate Order, which occasionally found its way around the streets of Chiaroscuro. Looking back to Nava, she asked, "Does that mean... I'm one of the Anathema?"
"Anathema, my dear girl, is what your usurpers have called you. You are one of the Exalted of the Unconquered Sun, given an honor few mortals could even begin to dream of. Do you understand, or shall I explain more?" Nava replied, the gentle and motherly smile still on her face.
Nazli, still at a loss at what was being said, replied, "I'd be honored to hear more. I honestly know little about the Exalted, save what the Immaculate Order has taught the public. But… from what you have said…" It had been lies. "I don't know if I can believe what they said anymore."
With a smile, Nava took Nazli to an inlet in the forest, where they would be more comfortable for the hours of discussion that were certainly to come. Nava, one of the wisest deities in this part of the East, was remarkably good at educating Nazli to her new position in the world, and it helped that Nazli was rather bright in her own right. As Nazli would soon come to find out, Nava was well versed in speech and dance, medicine and formality. Moshe had his own uses as well, proving to be surprisingly knowledgeable in the more martial arts; though Nava had an advantage he did not there, being well versed in the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan style herself. From this one session would come many, for Nava felt that Nazli would be safest in her forest until she truly knew what power she possessed. And so Nazli was to be trained, taught the ways of the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan style, the arts of medicine, and formality in both mortal and divine courts by Nava. Meanwhile, she was encouraged to train in acrobatics and athletics by Moshe. During this time, as well, Nava instructed Nazli in Old Realm, which Nazli became quite fluent in rather quickly, an advantage of being exalted.
When it came time for Nazli to finally leave, her training having been mostly completed, Nava held a grand feast for the three of them. After such, she sent Moshe to fetch something while she spoke to Nazli, "Now Nazli, keep this secret, show it to no one if you need not. It is a symbol of your Exalted heritage, a token left here by an Exalted a long time ago. Also I shall give you the hearthstone of this manse, a stone blessed with the powers of healing. Use it wisely. There is one more thing, but I shall wait to announce such…"
Almost on que, Moshe returned, bearing a pair of golden fans in his claws. As it turned out, these were made of orichalcum, the metal of the Exalted of the Unconquered Sun. In each was what appeared to be a hearthstone, earthen tone in color, smooth to the touch. Moshe then flew off again, this time returning with another item, a golden circlet with an azure hearthstone set in it. Lastly, Moshe brought a beautiful set of gold bangles. Nazli was shocked to be given such valuable and beautiful gifts. Looking back to Nava, sensing she would speak once again, Nazli said nothing just yet.
"My dear Nazli, it has been a pleasure teaching you. I pray you leave this place and bring peace to the world once again: to the Confederation of Rivers, to the Threshold, to the Realm, and even to the Wyld itself. Remember all I have taught you, and I pray it will serve you well." Nava then paused, a playful smirk coming to her pretty face, "And to ensure your safety… Moshe will be going with you." Moshe turned his head to look at his mistress, clearly not expecting what had just been said. Nava laughed at the reaction and continued, "He will keep you safe, and can come back should you need help. It is for the best. And you need not worry, Moshe, I will keep the glade safe for you, it is but a small price to pay to bring tranquility to this world once again, don't you think?"
With this argument, neither Moshe nor Nazli could disagree, and so both set forth...
